The biggest variable here is the size of your house AC. Here are the parts I installed for my house with 3 Ton AC. - AC soft starter. I used MicroAir and it dropped my starting current from about 80A to around 24A. Without this soft starter, you'll need to greatly oversize the generator to 'brute force' starting the AC compressor. If you have a high end variable speed AC, then you don't need this. MicroAir is $400 and DIYable. I'd guess it would another $200-$300 to hire a HVAC pro to install it. - Interlock and Power Inlet. An interlock prevents backfeeding generator power to the powerlines. Power inlet connects the generator to the house. The interlock is specific to your panel. So you have to see exactly which one you need to buy. The power inlet I linked is for a 30A connection. You may need 50A if you have a big AC and generator. About $100 in parts if DIY, and my guess is it's $500-600 for an electrician to install it. - Quick connect natural gas hook-up. Adds a tee to your house's natural connection for the generator to use. About $500 for a plumber to do this. - Generator - Depending on your power needs. $1000 to $2000 - Gas hoses and power cable - depending on the length of run between the house and the generator, you may need to buy new gas hose and power cable. This could be as much as about $100 each. If you want to keep the generator in a shed or a rain cover to keep it running during bad weather, I'd budget another $150-400. I'd say $3,000 to $4,000 total.
@jchu14 provided a great summary. I would add the following: Interlock is specific to your panel. Email sales@geninterlock.com a picture of your panel showing the house main and top few breakers, and ask what interlock kit is needed. They will tell you what you need. Your electrician can also do this with a picture. I would recommend a 50-amp inlet over a 30-amp inlet, even with a 30-amp generator, in case you want to upgrade in the future. The price difference is small, but the installation cost is high, which you do not want to repeat twice. The inlet must be installed outside (per code). I've seen some electricians and DIYers incorrectly install them inside the garage. Gas hoses - size depends on your generator and the length of the hose. The larger one might require 3/4" (I believe DuroMax requires 3/4") while the smaller one can operate on 1/2". AC soft starter - you might not need one depending on the size. 3 Tons and lower might not need one with a larger generator. My 3T needs one with my Firman tri-fuel 9400W. I've seen 3T runs fine with larger generators without a soft start. An all-house surge protector (such as the Siemens FS150) is now required per code on new residential buildings. You might as well get this done at the same time, and it can help protect against surges from the generator or brownouts. Electrician: install soft starter, inlet, power breakers, surge protector, interlock Plumber: gas connection
As stated in a different thread, some folks homes just aren't set up for a full on generator setup (apartments, etc.). That's been one thing that has hindered me. I am in a townhouse with a very small yard and very minimal storage space. It would be great if there was something that is easy to store and would be able to power just a few circuits to the house. Traditional small generators are problematic because the main living space is on the second floor, and it would require running multiple long ass extension cords from the grounds to the second floor to plug in lights, refrigerator, etc. Anybody have any recommendations for this type of situation?
I swear I'd rather live in Houston than DFW by a mile, but the flooding and power outages are driving me nuts thinking about moving back there. The cost of a generator/solar panels/etc. doesn't bother me as much as the "really? I have to do this now?" Tbh, if I'm without electricity for a few days I can survive - no big deal, but ... damn, the fact that I could be without power possibly being a high probability pisses me off. On a side note, can anyone tell me if I build a new house is there anything I can request the builder put in that may aid in the event I want to eventually buy a generator? Or better yet is there a forum or website I can learn a bit more about just what's required to set things up or have installed, options, etc.?
There's a lot of battery solutions that would allow you to run things for a limited time, and you could do solar panels to be able to "re-fuel".
Probably use the builder as a passthrough to the electrician on how you want the breaker panel, possible connections, wiring etc set up so that there is less electrical work to do when you do install a generator. A pad for the generator to sit on might be an eyesore if it sits empty for a few years. If the generator is going to be a distance from the house and the wiring to the house will be buried, then perhaps plan for that rather than tearing up your landscaping a few years later with a trench. If it is going to be connected to your natural gas line, then there is a trench needed for that. Edit So get them to install an outside connection for Natural Gas near the probable location of the generator.
Has anyone DIYd their gas hook up? I looked at my meter and it looks ready to install a quick connect at the T. This is straight from the builder. I never touched my gas meter before. Is it really that easy for me?
Location, location, location. The generators are loud like a lawnmower unless you pay extra for a liquid cooled one. You'll want it sort of tucked away from where you sleep if you can...you may not have much of a choice though: The positioning of the main electric service panel and your gas meter make a big difference in price. If you don't have a long gas run or if you can build something to put the pad for your generator out of site, it'll help. As far as the electric service goes, any generator company you use is going to come do their own service boxes for the switch overs anyways, so there's not much for the homebuilder electrician doing the work can do, unless they can pre-install the actual generator panels with the service switches. Even then, I'd get the generator company to OK the panels because they are going to want to warranty their own work. The biggest thing is location of your gas meter and where the service panels are on your home, really.
Your best friends at Centerpoint own the gas meter and are going to want a licensed plumber to touch that. I would never touch it on my own, the results of screwing up can be catastrophic. Also, you'll need to make sure your meter is sized correctly to support a generator.
I'm in Austin so we're on Texas Gas. Some on the Austin subreddit have paid plumbers $300-$500 for their natural gas connections and they don't think permits were pulled. If my meter involved more pipes/threads, I'd consider it. But with the T and the valve there already, if it's literally just putting a quick connect at the bottom with some pipe cement, I can do that and check for leaks with some soapy water.
So I have this Generac generator...but how does it work...do I need to have a tank full of gas or something, and how do I see how much I have? I'm clueless. I think it's this one: https://www.generac.com/residential...generator-1800rpm-aluminum-enclosure-rg04845/
Years ago friends tried to get me to setup a whole house generator setup. After doing a cost and time budget, it made no sense. A rough 10 year budget. Days without power: ~10 total days over a decade Cost: ~$6,000 (decent generator, time, labor, materials, fees/permits) Maintenance: ~$200 a year uncalculated probabilities: Generator not maintained after the first couple years or someone has borrowed it and hasn't returned it Its much much easier to get a hotel
Are you flexing bro? Lol. Open up the damn spec sheet, it tells you right there it's either natural gas or propane. We are all jealous of your 48 kW, sound enclosed, gigantic generator.
Not so sure it's going to be terribly easy to get a hotel honestly. A friend tried getting one shortly after Beryl hit and it was booked all the way up north to Conroe. They had to get a hotel in Brenham.
