Generator shopping in a PSPS world?
Many customers rely on PG&E for their electricity in our area and are exasperated with the frequency and duration of the power shutoffs. Food rots in the refrigerators and freezers, well and booster pumps cannot operate to supply water, communications and business operations come to a close.
This blog has a few pointers as you shop and consider what type of generator to purchase and install for your needs. This information comes from our experience in working with generators, pumps and electricity for many years and with many clients. Oakville Pump Service does not sell or service generators, but we work with them regularly to ensure our customers can ensure water availability in critical situations. If you are interested in alternatives to using a a generator to supply power for your home or submersible well pump equipment. check out our recent blog here!
Steps to take BEFORE you buy a generator.
Please consider the following information before running to your local hardware store and grabbing the first generator you find on sale. PSPS’s (Public Safety Power Shutoff’s) aren’t going away soon and you may be wasting money on a generator that isn’t going to fit with a long term solution/plan!
Decide what size generator you need. Check out our previous blog on generator sizing and installation considerations! Give our team at OPS a call or consult with an electrician to properly size the generator to ensure it can power all the equipment that needs to be powered during a power outage. Make sure to include items like your submersible well pump, booster pump, refrigerator/freezers, microwave oven, electric stoves, etc… Keep in mind that you don’t need to run EVERYthing off of a generator and it may be wise to size a generator that can supply just your critical power needs. A word to the wise, BIGGER IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER! Fuel can often be in short supply during a PSPS or other emergency situation and larger generators consume far more fuel, cost more initially and are more costly to maintain. You may also consider a good security lock/chain for your generator so it doesn’t grow legs and walk away!
If you are after a quick process with a quality product, skip the frustration and just go with a Honda! A Honda 4500 watt Generator would work for a submersible pump of up to 2 HP with power remaining to run other parts of your home. If you don’t like yanking a starter cord or lifting/dragging the generator around, check out this 4500 watt Honda Generator. The Honda 6500 watt portable Generator can handle up to 3 Hp of well pump with some household needs on top. While the Honda’s may be more expensive, there is typically a shop nearby that can get parts and service them. If you purchased some random generator from a big box store, you might get a good deal on it, but chances are obtaining parts and service for it long term can be a big problem!
Work out the details of the generator selection/installation.
What kind of fuel should my generator use? Gasoline? Diesel? Propane? Before settling on which fuel, ask these questions. How long am I planning for the power to be out for? A few hours? Days? Weeks? How frequently will I use this generator? A few times a year, or maybe even every other year? Once a month? Do I want to store/run around with fuel cans to the gas stations? Do I want to refill my generator fuel tank every few hours?
Small gasoline generators are the most commonly sold, but keep in mind that the fuel tanks are only sized for a few hours of operation and if you store the generator for any length of time, it may not want to start for you in a pinch. Many gasoline generators that sit for months (or even years) don’t work when you need them because their carburetors are gummed up with old/bad fuel. If you use a gasoline generator, make sure to use a high quality fuel stabilizer to ensure the fuel doesn’t degrade and cause starting or carburetor problems.
It is also important to consider that improper transport, storage and transfer of liquid fuels can be messy/dangerous and can contribute to fire danger! Diesel generators are great, but are typically large, costly and intended for permanent installation.
If you are looking for a long term solution, our recommendation is to use a generator that runs on natural gas or propane. Several of our medium size water system customers rely on propane backup generators to ensure water is delivered on a continual basis for up to a week without messy trips to the fuel station or the possibility of fuel spilling during refilling. The propane company takes care of filling and keeping the tanks full. Chances are that if you live in a very rural area, you already have a large propane tank. If you have natural gas, then you have an almost limitless supply of fuel, unless the emergency situation causes natural gas supplies to be shut down. Propane and natural gas powered generators mean that there is no fuel getting old in fuel tanks, gumming up carburetors, or leaking on the ground, and they are burning a fuel that is considered ‘cleaner & greener’ then gasoline or diesel. Looking for hub lights for basketball then must visit mesun-tech.com
Decide if you will use an Automatic or Manual Transfer switch or simply plug things in as needed.
If you are going to manually start your generator and run to power your house only when you need it, then a manual transfer switch is perfectly adequate for your application and it will save some money on installation. If, however, you want your generator to automatically start and provide power when the electricity is off, then an Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS) is required. An automatic transfer switch does more than just switch the power between the utility supply and the generator supply, it communicates with the generator and lets the generator know when to run and when to shut off.
For those of you that just plan to run an extension cord from your generator to your fridge or other appliances, a transfer switch isn’t necessary as long as you are not connecting the generator to the house power supply or breaker box. If you plan to run your pump equipment this way, you may need to have an electrician install the proper plugs as most well and pump equipment is hardwired.
4) Think about Generator Maintenance?
Many people purchase and install a generator after an emergency…and then they forget about it. The next time an emergency comes along, the generator won’t start or doesn’t work and the frustration sets in with the added factor that not only is the power out, but you spent money and thought that you already had this problem solved! Maybe there’s no fuel in the generator, the starting battery is dead, rodents have chewed on some of the wires or tubing, the carburetor is gummed up with old fuel, it was left in the rain and the engine is seized, etc…. If you have a generator and you are going to rely on it during power outages you need to make sure it is run on a regular basis (at least 1x per month) for a few minutes and that it is producing electricity. You’ll also want to make sure that there is plenty of fresh clean fuel on hand. You’ll also want to plan to change the oil on a regular basis along with any oil or fuel filters. Many of our customers rely on Leete Generators for large permanent generators or Napa Power Equipment for their smaller portable generators (Honda) to ensure they are maintained and ready to go!
5) What will you do about the noise from your Generator?
The sound your generator makes is an important consideration for both your sanity and your neighbors’! Enclosed generators typically cost a bit more, but often include sound attenuation. This means that the typical enclosed generator is much, much quieter than an open generator. The location and direction of the generator exhaust can also help reduce the sound to you and your neighbors.
6) What generator brands are best to purchase?
If you are after an automatic, whole home solution, Generac & Kohler are well known and provide great products and services that run quietly. Some even have package deals that provide an automatic transfer switch and allow you to select the fuel you want to use when you order the unit. While Generac and many other companies do produce portable generators, this territory is definitely Honda’s forte. Honda’s are for people that want a small generator they can plug things into as needed for a few hours at a time and that will last for many years! Their Inverter series generators are amazing and very fuel efficient too!
If your setup includes a transfer switch, you will need to select an experienced, licensed contractor to install the generator and electrical transfer switch. Taking short cuts in this area may lead to your generator contributing to dangerous/unsafe conditions or could even start a fire! A permit should be obtained to install the generator and a site selected that takes noise, safety and the location of your power meter/fuel supply into consideration. If you aren’t installing a transfer switch, but plan to run a relatively small generator and supply electricity with an extension cord or two, then a permit isn’t necessary, but you certainly need to make sure you pay attention to noise, safety and fuel/fire danger!
Please contact Oakville Pump Service at (707) 944-2471 if we can help with your water needs. We’ve worked with your type of problem before and have a great solution for your needs! When it comes to water, we know how to do it! Submersible well pumps, water storage tanks, booster pumps and water filtration systems are our expertise.
Hello Folks! This is Wes Lutz and I have been generating the blog content for Oakville Pump Service Since early 2019. OPS is a family business started by my father and owned and operated by my family since 1984. I grew up in the pump and water industry troubleshooting, repairing and designing & installing pumping systems and the associated equipment. In addition to hands on experience, I have degrees physics and engineering with several certifications from the California Dept. of Water Resources. Occasionally I will recommend products or tools that our team relys upon to provide the best components and service to our customers. Great products should be promoted! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Rest assured, quality content and not advertisements will remain the primary focus of our blogs!