Texas is experiencing its coldest temperatures in 32 years **No Politics**

[bosstones]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

We have a similar set up but permanent / set up by an electrician. Our large portable (17.5 kw) generator plugs into a connector that is wired to a separate panel through the garage wall. In order to use the generator power you have to flip power source from Main / electric grid to generator to power this panel only. When running on main power both panels are powered. Happily have only used it once in 10+ years but it worked well and powers everything essential including one central ac, one water heater, refrigerator, stove, most lights and ceiling fans, etc. Getting / storing gasoline isn’t much fun and it isn’t as easy as an automatic standby but it cost 90% less than digging up the yard for propane tanks and getting a standby generator. So not a bad option at all.

I had a manual bypass put in w/ when we had our house built a few years ago. It isn't a high amperage one but can handle the fridge, family room, 2nd floor HVAC, sump pump, and water heater. It'd be nice to have some more outlets or rooms covered but it's better than nothing. There's an outside NEMA connection under our 'deck' (4'x6' landing...).Certainly amongst the best $250 I've ever spent since I've actually had to use it.

We unexpectedly lost power for ~3 days last August during some choice, hot, humid weather. I picked up a 10kW (peak) portable generator (Generac) from CostCo, anchored it to our deck support, and fired it up. Loud (although not too bad inside the house) and it required a top off before work, after work, and maybe before bed but worth it to have slept and lived comfortably (air conditioning!), not have food spoil, and for the wife to not miss a beat working from home.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by bosstones

I had a manual bypass put in w/ when we had our house built a few years ago. It isn't a high amperage one but can handle the fridge, family room, 2nd floor HVAC, sump pump, and water heater. It'd be nice to have some more outlets or rooms covered but it's better than nothing. There's an outside NEMA connection under our 'deck' (4'x6' landing...).Certainly amongst the best $250 I've ever spent since I've actually had to use it.

We unexpectedly lost power for ~3 days last August during some choice, hot, humid weather. I picked up a 10kW (peak) portable generator (Generac) from CostCo, anchored it to our deck support, and fired it up. Loud (although not too bad inside the house) and it required a top off before work, after work, and maybe before bed but worth it to have slept and lived comfortably (air conditioning!), not have food spoil, and for the wife to not miss a beat working from home.

That’s how I think about it. Aside from the cost of install, the cost of running a standby generator on propane to power the whole house like nothing happened is very high. We went through 3 hurricanes in 2 years in the 2005-2006 range so I studied this then. We wanted at least one ac, fridge and some lights / outlets. My wife insisted on water heater too and having stove and coffee maker is nice, but not essential with the grill available. The only issue with the larger portable is fuel consumption but like I said, we have used it once (knock on wood). Reasonable investment for the security it provides. We now have a condo in NC so if it gets bad here we’ll escape to there but still nice to have generator to run for a few days if necessary given frequency of hurricanes and tropical storms here.

[bosstones]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

That’s how I think about it. Aside from the cost of install, the cost of running a standby generator on propane to power the whole house like nothing happened is very high. We went through 3 hurricanes in 2 years in the 2005-2006 range so I studied this then. We wanted at least one ac, fridge and some lights / outlets. My wife insisted on water heater too and having stove and coffee maker is nice, but not essential with the grill available. The only issue with the larger portable is fuel consumption but like I said, we have used it once (knock on wood). Reasonable investment for the security it provides. We now have a condo in NC so if it gets bad here we’ll escape to there but still nice to have generator to run for a few days if necessary given frequency of hurricanes and tropical storms here.

Not sure how it compares to LP prices but, yeah, it wasn't cheap for gas either. Like you said, though, totally worth it for the rare need.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by bosstones

Not sure how it compares to LP prices but, yeah, it wasn't cheap for gas either. Like you said, though, totally worth it for the rare need.

I am doing this from memory so maybe I mis-remember, but I recall a 25kW - 30kW generator using 4 gal of LP / hour and the price at that time was around $2.50 / gallon, so $10 / hour. $10 x 24 x 7 = $1,680 / week if running at full capacity. When I looked at our usage in the summer, I think I guesstimated something like $1,000 - $1,200 / week in normal use. And it didn't make sense to me to make the investment and not use it so if we put it in, that's what I expected the cost to be to use it.

The other issue was tank size. I believe they only fill the tanks to 80% capacity so we were looking at a 1,000 gallon tank getting buried in our front yard. Then if burying something like that in the yard, you start thinking about running the propane inside for cooking, dryer and water heaters and outside to the BBQ and a pool heater and the project gets very expensive, very quickly. It would be nice to have and if money were no object, I'd probably do it. But, in our case, we didn't want to spend the money.

[dinonz]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

I am doing this from memory so maybe I mis-remember, but I recall a 25kW - 30kW generator using 4 gal of LP / hour and the price at that time was around $2.50 / gallon, so $10 / hour. $10 x 24 x 7 = $1,680 / week if running at full capacity. When I looked at our usage in the summer, I think I guesstimated something like $1,000 - $1,200 / week in normal use. And it didn't make sense to me to make the investment and not use it so if we put it in, that's what I expected the cost to be to use it.

The other issue was tank size. I believe they only fill the tanks to 80% capacity so we were looking at a 1,000 gallon tank getting buried in our front yard. Then if burying something like that in the yard, you start thinking about running the propane inside for cooking, dryer and water heaters and outside to the BBQ and a pool heater and the project gets very expensive, very quickly. It would be nice to have and if money were no object, I'd probably do it. But, in our case, we didn't want to spend the money.

The new home I'm building there is no natural gas supply, so I have to put in a propane tank if I want gas, and while going that route - might as well do everything you mentioned. Kind of a benefit of building a new home just after this fiasco. I've learned something about really nice looking faucets that will not drip properly, instead leak all over the counter and floor. Won't be using those in the new home for sure!

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by dinonz

The new home I'm building there is no natural gas supply, so I have to put in a propane tank if I want gas, and while going that route - might as well do everything you mentioned. Kind of a benefit of building a new home just after this fiasco. I've learned something about really nice looking faucets that will not drip properly, instead leak all over the counter and floor. Won't be using those in the new home for sure!

If I were building a new home, I think it would be a lot easier to justify for all the other stuff, with the generator being the added benefit. In our case, we needed to dig up an existing yard, pull up driveway pavers, run gas lines, replace appliances, etc. We were trying to justify the generator and tank by adding the other stuff, but that was backwards.

[UncleWede]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

If I were building a new home, I think it would be a lot easier to justify for all the other stuff, with the generator being the added benefit. In our case, we needed to dig up an existing yard, pull up driveway pavers, run gas lines, replace appliances, etc. We were trying to justify the generator and tank by adding the other stuff, but that was backwards.

You bury the tank??? That might have protected our cabin tank from getting knocked off its platform by the falling tree.

Sadly (or not) the deck didn't survive the fall, and now we have a brand new one made of synthetics that never needs staining

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by UncleWede

You bury the tank??? That might have protected our cabin tank from getting knocked off its platform by the falling tree.

Sadly (or not) the deck didn't survive the fall, and now we have a brand new one made of synthetics that never needs staining

HOA says no above ground tanks.

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

HOA says no above ground tanks.

So much from being Free of Goverment Regulation

[kscarrol]

Originally Posted by JJ 911SC

So much from being Free of Goverment Regulation

Well technically not government regulation... more like a group of Karen's regulating.

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by UncleWede

You bury the tank???

Common practice in Florida.....

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by kscarrol

Well technically not government regulation... more like a group of Karen's regulating.

This.

HOAs are the debbil!!!

[bosstones]

Originally Posted by MKSixer

This.

HOAs are the debbil!!!

My last subdivision was new construction. I made sure to be on the rules committee and do the bulk of the wordsmithing. That certainly prevented some pre-Karenasic period, draconian rules from being drafted. Thankfully, the lawyer for the property management firm was sane as well. I also may have also left some loopholes in some of the rules, too...

[dinonz]

Originally Posted by bosstones

My last subdivision was new construction. I made sure to be on the rules committee and do the bulk of the wordsmithing. That certainly prevented some pre-Karenasic period, draconian rules from being drafted. Thankfully, the lawyer for the property management firm was sane as well. I also may have also left some loopholes in some of the rules, too...

That's my evil plan too - to get on the committee, so I can approve my house plans LOL

[spazzyfry123]

Originally Posted by dinonz

That's my evil plan too - to get on the committee, so I can approve my house plans LOL

This is what my father in law did - specifically head of architecture. It wasn’t a week later he started adding to his driveway, new stairs for the deck...

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by bosstones

My last subdivision was new construction. I made sure to be on the rules committee and do the bulk of the wordsmithing. That certainly prevented some pre-Karenasic period, draconian rules from being drafted. Thankfully, the lawyer for the property management firm was sane as well. I also may have also left some loopholes in some of the rules, too...

Originally Posted by dinonz

That's my evil plan too - to get on the committee, so I can approve my house plans LOL

This is the plan I executed in my old neighborhood. My masterstroke was turning down the presidency when it was offered. "I'm just here to serve as a grunt but I appreciate the kind confidence you are showing in me. It is very humbling". This guaranteed any suggestion I made went through pretty easily. I helped to gut all of the draconian measures the previous busy bodies developed.

[dinonz]

Originally Posted by spazzyfry123

This is what my father in law did - specifically head of architecture. It wasn’t a week later he started adding to his driveway, new stairs for the deck...

Originally Posted by MKSixer

This is the plan I executed in my old neighborhood. My masterstroke was turning down the presidency when it was offered. "I'm just here to serve as a grunt but I appreciate the kind confidence you are showing in me. It is very humbling". This guaranteed any suggestion I made went through pretty easily. I helped to gut all of the draconian measures the previous busy bodies.

My thoughts exactly. There's only 19 lots in this place so I'm hoping it's not a 10 member HOA - aiming to get on the architectural committee as I have to bend their rules a bit - with 8 garage doors it's hard to have them not face the road.

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by dinonz

My thoughts exactly. There's only 19 lots in this place so I'm hoping it's not a 10 member HOA - aiming to get on the architectural committee as I have to bend their rules a bit - with 8 garage doors it's hard to have them not face the road.

This is the way.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by dinonz

My thoughts exactly. There's only 19 lots in this place so I'm hoping it's not a 10 member HOA - aiming to get on the architectural committee as I have to bend their rules a bit - with 8 garage doors it's hard to have them not face the road.

Is it a new development with one builder? I think in that situation there may not be a homeowner-managed HOA until the development is done and the project / common areas are titled over to the HOA.

[dinonz]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

Is it a new development with one builder? I think in that situation there may not be a homeowner-managed HOA until the development is done and the project / common areas are titled over to the HOA.

No - it's a land developer handing the HOA over to the new land owners once 85% of the lots are sold - they've sold 18, 1 is under contract, so it's time to hand over. There's only 2 homes on lots completed currently, including the original homestead.

[2000cs]

Brazos (Waco) just filed for bankruptcy protection. The fallout is landing.