What series Generator to use?

[GlennG]

I am trying to figure what generator will work best for the application i have. I am hoping to get some feedback and bounce the idea around. I have a tattoo shop in a strip of buisnesses that wants to add a generator. The shop has a single phase 200 amp service, the onlly location for the generator is on the flat roof. I was originally thinking about a generac quiet source series, which is for commercial applications. My old boss suggested instead using a guardian series instead to save on cost and also because its lighter then the other model. While is makes sence what he is saying for some reason it dosnt seem like the right thing to do. I dont know if i am over thinking this or not. The only signifigant load is a small central air unit. Whichever seriers unit i use will be properly sized for load. Also i plan on having an engineer make sure the stucture can handle the added weight. What are some of your thought about which type of generac generator to use? Am i overlooking anything? thanks for any feedback

 

[texie]

I am trying to figure what generator will work best for the application i have. I am hoping to get some feedback and bounce the idea around. I have a tattoo shop in a strip of buisnesses that wants to add a generator. The shop has a single phase 200 amp service, the onlly location for the generator is on the flat roof. I was originally thinking about a generac quiet source series, which is for commercial applications. My old boss suggested instead using a guardian series instead to save on cost and also because its lighter then the other model. While is makes sence what he is saying for some reason it dosnt seem like the right thing to do. I dont know if i am over thinking this or not. The only signifigant load is a small central air unit. Whichever seriers unit i use will be properly sized for load. Also i plan on having an engineer make sure the stucture can handle the added weight. What are some of your thought about which type of generac generator to use? Am i overlooking anything? thanks for any feedback

There is a very big difference between a Guardian and the QuiteSource. For starters the QuiteSource is 1800 RPM VS 3600 for the Guardian. If price is the driving factor then the guardian is the way to go.

 

[petersonra]

can the roof take the extra weight?

how often does the power go out?

why does the guy want the generator?

is the landlord going to allow this?

those are all significant questions that could change a lot of answers.

if the only significant load is an AC unit I have to wonder how serious the guy will be when he finds out it will cost him a bunch of money.

if he is mostly worried about being able to finish a tattoo if the power goes out, there are probably some less expensive options available to him that might make more sense. than such an expensive and elaborate setup.

 

[mbrooke]

Go with Onan if looking for quality.

The biggest question here is the fuel. If its Diesel you would need to talk with the fire marshal about what is to code. Natural gas is more lax on fuel safety requirements.

 

[dereckbc]

What fuel source? This sounds like a job for NG only. One brand to consider is Kohler (14RESAL) . They have a 14 KVA with ATS that weighs in just under 420 lbs and $3400. Made specifically for a Single phase 200 amp service. About the same size as an outdoor 3-tom HVAC unit. Can use either LPG or NG. If not large enough they have it in a 20 KVA. I have the 14 KVA unit at my home and love it. Residential unit use a Kohler engine, commercial uses John Deer and Kawasaki.

 

[Wilmon Culley]

I am trying to figure what generator will work best for the application i have. I am hoping to get some feedback and bounce the idea around. I have a tattoo shop in a strip of buisnesses that wants to add a generator. The shop has a single phase 200 amp service, the onlly location for the generator is on the flat roof. I was originally thinking about a generac quiet source series, which is for commercial applications. My old boss suggested instead using a guardian series instead to save on cost and also because its lighter then the other model. While is makes sence what he is saying for some reason it dosnt seem like the right thing to do. I dont know if i am over thinking this or not. The only signifigant load is a small central air unit. Whichever seriers unit i use will be properly sized for load. Also i plan on having an engineer make sure the stucture can handle the added weight. What are some of your thought about which type of generac generator to use? Am i overlooking anything? thanks for any feedback

I have done several. The Guardian is metal not aluminum but will last past you. the 20Kw 83Amp On propane and 75? on Nat gas with load shedding would do whole shop. Put auto trans sw by
200Amp Panel .Make panel a subpanel .Tran sw becomes the serve disconnect.Unit weighs 580lbscould go outside .footprint is approx 27" x 48"

 

[hurk27]

I have done several. The Guardian is metal not aluminum but will last past you. the 20Kw 83Amp On propane and 75? on Nat gas with load shedding would do whole shop. Put auto trans sw by
200Amp Panel .Make panel a subpanel .Tran sw becomes the serve disconnect.Unit weighs 580lbscould go outside .footprint is approx 27" x 48"

The Guardian series Generac 20kw and below have been using an all aluminum housing since they first came out with the Nexus controller and even the series before, the engine on these smaller units are air cooled V twins or an air cooled slant single cyl. as well as all aluminum the 20kw is only 451 pounds, the 25 kw and larger is an all steel casing but is not really that much more weight as the larger 1.5 liter inline 4 GM industrial engine (25-30kw) is all cast iron block and heads will make the housing being steel not much of a difference, the 45-60kws are using the industrial 2.4 quad 4 engine but again it is all cast iron I think I was told one time that the 25kw is about 700 pounds.

When you get into the quite source series which start at 22kw they are all water cooled and larger industrial cast iron engines using the 2.4 up to the 36kw and the 5.4 liter GM Vortec which is the generation III small block V-8 that GM uses in trucks and vans as the 4.8-5.3 liter but with cast iron heads not the aluminum that they use for the road vehicles on the 48kw, although Generac also uses the industral 4.2 Vortec which is the same V-6 used in many trucks and vans but again with cast iron heads but I have only seen them in the industral/comercial line Generac generators as well as a few Kohlers, Generac also used a few Toyota 4 cyl's and a couple other jap engines but these were older Generac's industral series now I think both Generac and Kohler favor the industral GM engines.

One thing you must do is find out what the calculated demand load is, us shooting from the hip on the size of the generator can be a big mistake because on a commercial shop you have no idea what they might have running like signs, electric heat, or other loads that might turn on when power is restored, all gas residential is one thing but a commercial business can be a very changing load and you might not know what they try to run, sometimes it can make sense to add a sub panel to just supply loads that they will need in a power outage and can save on the size of the generator allot.

 

[GlennG]

can the roof take the extra weight?

how often does the power go out?

why does the guy want the generator?

is the landlord going to allow this?

those are all significant questions that could change a lot of answers.

if the only significant load is an AC unit I have to wonder how serious the guy will be when he finds out it will cost him a bunch of money.

if he is mostly worried about being able to finish a tattoo if the power goes out, there are probably some less expensive options available to him that might make more sense. than such an expensive and elaborate setup.

Well we were affected by hurricane sandy, so that's what provoked this whole thing. I haven't had an engineer asses the rooftop yet, although I will ASAP as that can be a determining factor in itself. Land lord is good with it. It's more then wanting to just have the ability to finish a tattoo in an outage. During storm they were 2 weeks behind, and in a place with a 2 year wait list that messes them up. They want the ability to function like normal in an outage. Thanks for the responses.