I have this one https://signaturesolar.com/growatt-48v-3kw-250vdc-stackable-off-grid-inverter/ I also have the 5kw version with transformer, but wouldn't do that again... I'd just buy a chinese brand like PowMR or Easun or something. At the time of purchase, getting 5kw+ hybrid inverter that does split phase 220v was difficult/expensive but I was like 220, 221, whatever it takes you know... The 5kw Growatt inverter has also been flawless. I can say it has worked flawlessly for three years, but there are tons of them on the market, some swear by EG4, Delta, Victron, or sol-ark, etc...
Thursday night from 8pm to Sunday 8pm when the power came back on. I didn’t have many breaks other than swapping out tanks. Maybe let it sit for 30 minutes between change outs. I changed the oil after 40 hours or so. A 20 lb tank ran about 5:30-6 hours on Friday and early Saturday. But once the heat started setting in and I started to run the ac a little more during the day, so noticed it was more like 5 hours per tank. Also, I did notice longer run times from the big box propane tanks versus getting them filled at a propane place. It was a solid 45 minute improvement from a real fill up vs the big box stores
Most of them will tell you upfront they only fill the 20lb tanks with 15 lb. I was thinking of getting a 40lb just because propane is the best storeable fuel around. Not many emergencies come with the great availability of gasoline we had this time.
I heard that too but seeing it in real life just made it ring more true especially Since this was my first time using propane large quantities of propane. The 40 lb-er is a good idea. With the 20s only getting 5-6 hours of runtime for my setup, you don’t get a good full nights sleep. 100 pounder. Couple 40s. Supplement with neighbors 20s from their grills- I’ll have 3 +days on the ready. Lucky there is a great mom/pop propane refiller close by. And yeah, if the Poo hits the fan I can just use gasoline. I do want to look into a natural gas adapter though but it’s 3rd party and I’m not sure how good it is
If you have natural gas already run, can your generator use that, and does gas run during blackouts? DD
If the compressors on the natural gas pipeline are powered by electricity and there is an electrical outage for those compressors, then expect a lack of pressure in the pipeline. How vulnerable are US natural gas pipelines to electric outages? Gas-electric interdependencies have contributed to several major electric system emergencies. Natural gas pipelines use both gas-powered and electric-powered compressor units; power outages at the latter can cause gas shortages. We make the first rigorous identification of the number of US electric compressor stations, finding that 10% are electric. California, the Midwest, the Gulf Coast, and the East have high installed electric compressor capacity. New hydraulic models, verified by past events, show that disrupting power to a single compressor station can force a loss greater than 2 GW of downstream gas generators. Such an outage can be larger than the most severe single-cause failure currently considered in electric reliability planning. Electric utilities should immediately incorporate the identified facilities into critical facility lists. Establishing a federal gas reliability organization, comparable to what is now done for electric power, could improve gas reliability by establishing appropriate reliability reporting, incident investigation, and minimum industry standards. **************** What happened in early 2021 with the Texas Freeze would be an example of possible issues with compressor stations. ERCOT Froze in February 2021. What Happened? Why Did It Happen? Can It Happen Again? ...When load is being shed involuntarily, customers designated as “critical load” can be exempted. Critical load is typically demand from entities, such as hospitals, for whom a power interruption could be extremely costly. To be deemed as critical, the customer must first file paperwork. The winter storm revealed that certain parts of the natural gas supply chain – such as natural gas compressor stations – were not designated as critical load. In consequence, their power was cut, thereby reducing flows of natural gas along the state’s pipeline network and contributing to partial and complete derates at multiple natural gas power generation units. The loss of their output in turn necessitated further load shedding, potentially creating an unstable feedback loop. This represented a single point of failure in the energy supply system... **************** In regards to conversion kits, I think that BBQ grills can be converted from Propane to Natural Gas. I believe that a search for the word "Orifice" is a good start. Conversion kits for generators are going beyond what I know about.
Messaged. Have an interlock and plug but haven’t bought anything passed that yet so still looking at options.
Short answer is NO. The easiest solution is to buy a "tri-fuel" generator that can run from gas, propane, or LG. If you have a natural gas generator, then it "should" run during a blackout. I've had probably 6+ power outages since 2021 (4 in the past 6 months alone) and the gas was never interrupted. But Texas infrastructure keeps surprising. If you recall, we lost water for a week cause some dude with a backhoe hit a 50" water main that apparently supplies the entire city of Houston. So now, I have no doubt that gas could also be interrupted even though I've never seen it happen ...yet.
I love how you snuck in the suggestion of googling the word, “orifice.” What a clever and elaborate game you play, sir.
That word is useful in a search for conversion kits. Natural Gas Orifices Nozzle Conversion Kit, Propane to Natural Gas Conversion Kit, Compatible with Blackstone 28" & 36" Griddles, Rangetop Combo, Tailgater Wide Usage --- Natural gas conversion kit replacement for Blackstone 28" & 36" griddles, rangetop combo, tailgate and single burner rec stove, converting your propane device over to natural gas made a world of difference. What You Get --- This gas conversion kit includes 16 pieces natural gas Orifices parts, with M6X1.0mm for main burners-2.0mm(6pcs), M6X0.75mm for main burners-2.0mm(6pcs), M6X1.0mm for side burners-1.39mm(2pcs), M6X0.75mm for side burners-1.39mm(2pcs); 2 pieces thread check gauge; 1 piece 3.7mm orifice tool. High Quality Brass --- DIY burner parts are made of solid brass to ensure to excellent weather resistance and durability, under strict quality control standards to build and test, durable and long-lasting to use. Easy Installation --- Brass Jet nozzles for propane to natural gas can be quick and easy swapped, easy to convert your propane device to natural gas with this kit, orifices screwed in easily and tightened them to about a half turn past hand tight. 1 Year Warranty --- The propane to natural gas conversion kit with 12 months free-worry warranty, if you have any questions about the kit, please feel free to contact us and we will surely provide you with a satisfactory solution.
like others say. You have to have a tri fuel generator but there are 3rd party adaptors that can turn make a propane generator run off of natural gas. My neighbor has a duel fuel (gasoline and propane) but bought an adapter for NG. He ran through uri and this derecho with no problems.
Depends but installing it can be a PITA depending on the model of your generator. https://centuryfuelproducts.com/generators/conversion-kits
Does anyone have experience with a whole home battery backup with automatic and seamless switching? Similar to krostyah's Bluetti system, I think a battery system with ability to recharge via generator would be ideal. With an automatic system, the battery can also allow me to 'time shift' power draw. So I can sign up for one of those 'free nights' plans and avoid using as much expensive day time power by drawing from the battery. That's really the only way I can justify spending $10k to $15k on a power backup system. Paying that much for only blackout situation would be hard to justify. A 15 kwh system should allow me to time shift at least 10kwh every single day. That would save me about $1.50 per day. Over the course of 10 year lifespan of the battery system, it would save me about $5,500. It would also be useful when I eventually get solar. Combine the system with a 5kw trifuel portable generator would allow me to run indefinitely off of natural gas in extended blackouts.
You'd have better luck posting in a solar forum for an inverter that does "peak shaving" but I know they exist and I'd look through Victron products first. Assuming a Victron MultiPlus 48/8000 will do what you want, and I think it does peak shaving but not sure and I don't know what you require power wise.... That and 15kWh batteries is $5200+tax. You might need someone to install it for you, there is some other stuff to buy, but you're still way under 10k. Also big fuel savings to be had by running a smaller generator that is only charging batteries vs having to size one big enough to run your biggest peak load. There is a special piece of kit called a "charge- verter" made by EG4 made to do just that.
