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Power Up,

Started by Andy White, May 14, 2015, 07:29:48 PM

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Andy White

Today was a totally new experience for me. I had a generator system installed on my house, and was totally surprised by the product, and the installers! Normally, when the day comes, I hear The truck is late, or a hundred other excuses why they won't be here today. Not these people! Arrived on time, set to the task, and explained every step as they went. I have installed systems like this, but I acted like it was new to me. The two men started on each end of the site, and met in the middle. No problems, no unknowns, just smooth seamless progress.


  

  

  

  

  

 
Now comes the power up phase. A lot of equipment in a small space. Really good looking wiring from meter to "smart switch", and back to disconnect. All connections made, and system test run, and all works perfectly. Now I won' be shut off from the forum for 16 hours again like I was last week!!


  

  

  

  

  

  

 
A real pleasure to deal with a company that does what they say, when they say, and do it in a professional way!! I'm happy with my new toy!!!    8) 8) 8)   Andy
Learning by day, aching by night, but loving every minute of it!! Running HM126 Woodland Mill, Stihl MS290, Homemade Log Arch, JD 5103/FEL and complete woodshop of American Delta tools.

Grizzly

From what you said at the beginning I thought maybe you were caught off guard so bad you didn't know what to do with your day!  ;D But I see all was well.
2011 - Logmaster LM-2 / Chinese wheel loader
Jonsered saws - 2149 - 111S - 90?
2000 Miners 3-31 Board Edger

r.man

Thanks for the great pictures Andy. Did the private crew pull the meter themselves? Our utility won't let anyone private handle a meter, which is a pain. Means you have to co-ordinate with them and if they are too busy you may have to wait, sometimes weeks.
Life is too short or my list is too long, not sure which. Dec 2014

beenthere

r.man
What can they do if the meter just gets pulled?

Whenever, over the years, I do some wiring and don't want power on, I just pull the meter.. when I put it back I tell the utility that it needs another seal as the one on it is broken.

Andy
Sure is a neat setup and great to have that power backup... now maybe you just won't need it, but that should be alright too.
Can you switch over to the generator whenever you want?  Like to check out the engine and see that all is working.. and the meter won't run when you do that..  8)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Andy White

r.man,
The guys pulled the meter, and said the elect. co-op would know it immediately because the meter has a "turtle" installed that lets them read the meter from a satellite relay. They called in about an hour, and when told of the gen. install, they would come tomorrow and install a new seal. Every body knows everything we do!!
Andy
Learning by day, aching by night, but loving every minute of it!! Running HM126 Woodland Mill, Stihl MS290, Homemade Log Arch, JD 5103/FEL and complete woodshop of American Delta tools.

beenthere

Andy
Will they also know immediately if you fire up the generator? Say, just to test it out.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Andy White

beenthere,
This unit has a computer that you can program to start up, charge battery, and diagnose every week. Mine is Wednesday at 8.00AM. When I hear it run, it's time to take the trash can to the street. Won't forget now!
You can turn off the 200amp switch in the smart box, and the utility company is off. There is a 30amp 220V. auxiliary plug that can be used stand alone with or without the utility power on. Good for the shop, because it's on a separate meter.    Andy
Learning by day, aching by night, but loving every minute of it!! Running HM126 Woodland Mill, Stihl MS290, Homemade Log Arch, JD 5103/FEL and complete woodshop of American Delta tools.

Andy White

beenthere,
The set can run without disconnecting from the elect. company. The set will switch  when the elect. company 's power stops.    Andy
Learning by day, aching by night, but loving every minute of it!! Running HM126 Woodland Mill, Stihl MS290, Homemade Log Arch, JD 5103/FEL and complete woodshop of American Delta tools.

WV Sawmiller

Andy,

   I first saw similar units in Haiti and was so impressed I bought one about 5 years ago. I have natural gas so is hooked to it. I worked overseas and sometimes we had winter power outages due to ice storms taking down the lines leaving my wife with the problems. Turned out next month will be 3 years ago we had a freak summer storm that knocked out power to 5-6 states in our area. Ten seconds after the storm knocked out the power mine fired up automatically and ran for the next 11 days without fail till prime power was restored. Only time it was off was once for me to change the oil/filter and a couple times to check the oil.

   I can't recommend them highly enough! My neighbors were scrambling to get small generators to keep their freezers going. When they found them they scrambled to find gasoline which was rationed where available as most gas stations had no power to run their pumps.

   I had neighbors bring food to us the first day to store in my freezer and downstairs reefer and come up every couple days to shower (no power in rural communities like ours = no pump = no water) until they got power on earlier than us. Mine is 4' long, 2' wide and 30" tall if I remember correctly. ATF starts it automatically when the power goes off. Mine starts automatically at noon Sundays and runs about 12 minutes to recharge the battery. It is well sound insulated and very quiet.

   I don't think you will ever regret this purchase! Glad to hear of your successful installation. (I have several neighbors and local friends who say they will come to our place if there is a power outage.) They are a great confidence builder too!
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Andy White

WV Sawmiller,
We have been wanting to have this thing installed for some time now. After moving in to the lake house in January, we thought it was time. After the hurricane Rita aftermath, this is the way to go! We were without power for six weeks to the day, in the southeast Texas heat. I kept two small gasoline generators running on 10 gallons of gas per day, when I could find it! No fun.  This one should work out great.     Andy
Learning by day, aching by night, but loving every minute of it!! Running HM126 Woodland Mill, Stihl MS290, Homemade Log Arch, JD 5103/FEL and complete woodshop of American Delta tools.

Chuck White

There are quite a few of those getting installed in this area, I have 3 neighbors that have had them installed over the last year and a half!

When I asked about the $$$$, I was told by one $5,200. and by the highest $6,000., so they are a little pricey.

The ones here run on propane.
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

WV Sawmiller

I think I paid about $3K for mine when I bought it. That was delivered to my door. I had a neighbor plumber T into my existing natural gas line to run the feeder line to it. I think that ran about another $1K. Good friend who had retired from the local electric company installed it free so mine was not a big expense to my way of thinking. Its sure worth way more than that for peace of mind. Mine came with 5 - 15 amp 110 breakers, 5 - 20 amp 110 breakers and 3 double breakers for my 220 items (pump, oven, dryer). I have about 70% of my home on it. I could no doubt have doubled up on some breakers and never noticed the difference but it is wired to code.

Mine is rated at 17KVA on propane. I think with natural gas it is rated at 16KVA. It certainly handles all the essential parts of the house. Also with natural gas, while we have lost power and we have lost gas during various events I have never lost them both at the same time. Most of the time when it comes on I never hear it. I will see oven or clock flashing before I hear the genset.

During Deratio, summer storm of 2012, people were following the trucks to Lowes, Home Depot and such and fighting to buy 5/6K watt gensets off the trucks before they could get them unloaded. Long lines at the gas stations with 20 gallon limit when you could find gasoline. Neighbors here drove up to 100 miles to find gas down in SW Virginia.

My only regret was not installing one earlier and would have if I'd known about them. It was not long after my Haiti assignment and first saw them before I had one installed. Enjoy!

Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Magicman

Very nice Andy.  Especially in your area that is subject to power outages, that unit will provide peace of mind knowing that your have that constant source of power.  Did I miss what fuel it uses?
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Andy White

Lynn,
It runs on propane. A 500 gallon tank filled to 80%. Tech installer said to expect 2 gallons per hour under a normal load. I can do that!     Andy
Learning by day, aching by night, but loving every minute of it!! Running HM126 Woodland Mill, Stihl MS290, Homemade Log Arch, JD 5103/FEL and complete woodshop of American Delta tools.

samandothers

Andy,
Glad your experience was good.  When we build a retirement home in the mountains I would like to install a whole house unit.  It is rural area and subject to long outages during times of ice. I'd do a propane unit also.  Good info on how long it would run.

Magicman

We were at the Cabin for a couple of days and needed to borrow that genny several times.   :-\
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Sixacresand

Nice setup, Andy.  Now when the lights blink, all you gotta do is say "I think the power just went off" and never get out of your recliner.   :D
"Sometimes you can make more hay with less equipment if you just use your head."  Tom, Forestry Forum.  Tenth year with a LT40 Woodmizer,

nmericle53

Yes it is piece of mind but it's also piece of pocketbook! Glad to have it now...let the power go off.
Thank you GOD for blessing me much more than I deserve.

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