blowingrock01 asked:
I am renovating a 3000 sf home and want to add a whole house, automatic generator. The generator will use LP fuel and have an automatic transfer switch. The home will have 3 heat pumps for both heat & A/C (3-ton, 2-ton, and 1-ton). Additionally, it will have two electric ovens and electric water heater. What size generator should I be shopping for? Thank you.
I am renovating a 3000 sf home and want to add a whole house, automatic generator. The generator will use LP fuel and have an automatic transfer switch. The home will have 3 heat pumps for both heat & A/C (3-ton, 2-ton, and 1-ton). Additionally, it will have two electric ovens and electric water heater. What size generator should I be shopping for? Thank you.
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a big one as it could demand a lot of power at once
!2Kw at least should do the trick. You need to calculate your total wattage that could be used if all is turned on at the same time. Your supplier of the gen-set will be able to advise you further. The bigger unit you go for the better, same load but easier on the unit in the long term and your wallet.
About a 25KW should do it but you would save a lot of electricity by using a gas furnace, gas stoves and gas hot water heater. Gas is far more efficient in those areas.
natural gas is less expensive if it’s in the area—-12 KW is enough for temporary use–20 or 25 KW for using it 24/7—-i would also explore diesel power if for full time use
Are you living in the “Sticks” For starters lpg is a highly refined gas which is VERY expensive, and even more if it is your intention to generate electricity, In fact I would like you to email me to explain your intended scenario.
look at your breaker box…..is it a 200 amp? and is there only one?
if you have one 200 amp box and are on a single phase system then you need a 50 KW generator.
watts= volts x amps
240 volts x 200 amps=48000 watts or 50 KW
of course you dont really need to go this big, usually folks only will pull 50 or 75 amps on a 200 amp service, but you dont sound like the kind of guy who wants to do things half assed.
another thing to think about, have enough propane to carry you for a couple weeks or a month……if an ice storm kills the power, a propane truck dammed sure aint gonna want to fill you tank.