Standby generators

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360Youth

360Youth

Senior Member
Location
Newport, NC
We install Generac mainly, but are looking to expand to other manufacturers and have installed others in the past. Install prices vary depending on new construction or retro installs, service location vs generator and house panel location, etc. Most of the time you never feel like it is enough :roll: , especially if the generator will only take on a portion of the circuits because of the additional wiring it requires. On average it is about $1800. The fact that many of the ATS are now SE rated with disconnecting means has greatly helped reduce install prices. But, loaction (coastal NC vs IN vs NJ) plays a large part. There are many here that my balk at an $1800 install.
 
mdshunk

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
bikeindy said:
Who here is installing these? What brand do you feel is best,
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Me.
  • Inlets for portable generators for small resi backup
  • Generac for small resi automatic backup
  • Katolight for large resi and small commercial
  • CAT, mostly, for larger commercial

bikeindy said:
What are you charging to install them?
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There's no way to answer that, since every job is different. An average might be around 25% of the generator's cost, but don't go by that.
 
bikeindy

bikeindy

Senior Member
Location
Indianapolis IN
My friends dad wants to put one in. I see a good market for these. So as with other things I have dipped into I will install his at a rock bottom lets get it done for you price. That way I will be able to see what kind of real money I can make. By the way my friends dad has helped me greatly in the past doing it for free would be something I would do not something he would let me do.
 
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frenchelectrican

Senior Member
Location
Nord'est Wisconsin et Paris France
Onan, Kolher,Cat branded generator is very good one to use.

Yeah i know they cost little more than cheap verison are but good service to deal with it.

Generac .,, IMO it is mixed bag for myself { I have some issue with warranty and parts with this partaicur namebrand }

Bikeindy.,, Keep in your mind there is some local code will come up related to the generator set up so check it out in your area but most manufacter and the local codes will useally ask you to install the generator 600MM [ 2 feet ] away from building.
Also if you going to use Natural gas for generator fuel watch out with Natural gas metering device some resdentail area you will have to ask the gas company to change the meter size to handle the load of generator and all the gas burning devices in the house.

Merci,Marc
 
mdshunk

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
frenchelectrican said:
Also if you going to use Natural gas for generator fuel watch out with Natural gas metering device some resdentail area you will have to ask the gas company to change the meter size to handle the load of generator and all the gas burning devices in the house.
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Oh, yeah. I learned my lesson that the hard way. Well, it really wasn't so much hard as it was expensive. I think I put that generator in for free, basically, after a plumber's bill that was way more than I planned on.

On the French Marc's observation on the Generac's... I really don't put too much faith in them with regard to how "sturdy" they might be, but they sure are popular. I use them judiciously. They're sort of the Volkswagen of generators, if you know what I mean. They get the job done for a decent price, but maybe not something to be proud of. They do fit many budgets perfectly, which is the main reason to use them. The Generac's I use happen to be rebranded with the Siemens name, but it's the same generator. I just happen to get a better price on them when they say Siemens on the outside.
 
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360Youth

360Youth

Senior Member
Location
Newport, NC
mdshunk said:
Oh, yeah. I learned my lesson that the hard way. Well, it really wasn't so much hard as it was expensive. I think I put that generator in for free, basically, after a plumber's bill that was way more than I planned on.
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We have the customer deal with gas company, LP or NG, so I do not see that one coming back on us. It is not included in our bill or estimate. So far, the only NG installs we have had to deal with were new construction or existing customer who changed over to NG and we just had to change regulator setting.
 
mdshunk

mdshunk

Senior Member
Location
Right here.
360Youth said:
We have the customer deal with gas company, LP or NG, so I do not see that one coming back on us. It is not included in our bill or estimate.
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I could do it that way too, but I like to make pretty much any job as turn-key as possible. I need a really good reason for some portion of the total job to be excluded from the contract price, particularly when it's a building owner or homeowner that's hiring me and not a GC. That's why I feel it's good to gather the business cards of any tradesman who you notice on the job does good work. Never know when you'll need a whatever guy.
 
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hillbilly1

Senior Member
Location
North Georgia mountains
Occupation
Owner/electrical contractor
Generac is Ok for residental use, have installed close to 200 of them, But usually install CAT or Kohler in commercial applications. A lot of engineers will not allow Generacs in there specs. A lot of residental NG meters do not have the flow required to run the gensets under full load and have to be upgraded to a 5 psi meter, which can get to be very expensive. Propane usually requires a two stage regulator, one stage at the tank, then a second stage at the genset. Do not use low voltage wiring for Generac control circuits if they need to be extended,(ie; thermostat wire) two of the control wires are 12 VDC, but the other two are 240 volt AC.
 
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frenchelectrican

Senior Member
Location
Nord'est Wisconsin et Paris France
This is one of the inlet box what most portable generator used


device5478-CWP.jpg




there is other size avaible as well

you can use with the 1 or 2 gang WP bell box with inuse cover with the inlet.

The one i show you on the photo is 6-20 verison.

Merci,Marc
 
jsharvey

jsharvey

Member
Location
Mayetta Ks
Generac Generators

Generac Generators

My new employer is a Generac dealer here in northeast Kansas. We have 5 new install's, natural gas, in progress and a few more in the works. The only problem I've heard about so far is with plumbers getting the NG piping done on time. As far as the reliability of them I have no idea, the boss man isn't spilling all the beans with the "newbie" yet. In the job i had that built railroad signal houses a few years ago I did several diesel powered versions of the Generac in some railroad applications and in the time i was at that job I never heard of any problems with those units.
 
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C3PO

C3PO

Senior Member
Location
Tennessee
I have installed mainly Katolights and a couple of Onans. I have helped a friend and fellow EC with a Kohler install, but personally preferred the Onans.
 
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hillbilly1

Senior Member
Location
North Georgia mountains
Occupation
Owner/electrical contractor
wirebender said:
What kind of wire do you use for the LV?
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You can use nmb to extend the circuits if it is residental and allowed by local code, though the connections to the generator should be stranded., Which is usually not a problem with the small generac home generators, they have a prewired whip attached to the generator.
 
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