Power Generation and Storage

[TheHarold]

A Gent mentioned that running Generators During a Hurricane is hazardous due to water/flood home damage and horizontal rain, saltwater ect. How do you protect from these conditions, your client isn't going to stand for that.

I am not quite sure what you are referring to. Raining saltwater? Water/Flood damage to a home caused by a generator? Horizontal rain isn't an issue wither.

Could you elaborate?

 

[RobW]

Precisely! It's currently in the ground and filled with propane for a Generac. We're waiting on one more permit fix before it can be finished up! Very excited. During Irma, for 14 days I was refilling a small 3000w generator every 6 hours. For my reef, a fridge, a bunch of fans, internet router, etc. A bit traumatized... definitely need AC xD

You're in Florida?

 

[TheHarold]

You're in Florida?

Yessir. South Miami

 

[siggy]

If you live by the coast, salt water gets sucked in the air intake, same goes with rains and debris at 75 mph, also Damage Caused to the home during this time could expose live conductors powered by a generator mixed with this wet environment could become a hazard.

 

[TheHarold]

If you live by the coast, salt water gets sucked in the air intake, same goes with rains and debris at 75 mph, also Damage Caused to the home during this time could expose live conductors powered by a generator mixed with this wet environment could become a hazard.

Ahh I see what you mean. I believe that the design of the unit mostly prevents this: the generator unit is enclosed, with slats in the housing angled outwards so nothing can enter. Then, the air intake itself is aimed downwards within this housing- nothing can go "up" it, and goes though an air filter.

No live conductors can be exposed as far as I am aware; everything is sealed with membranes and such. Electricals run underground in PVC, then into the home via a membrane.

During Irma, I let my Vortechs keep the tank aerated via battery backup during the storm. Then started up generators after.

 

[fishybizzness]

 

[fishybizzness]

This is what raining sideways looks like! Lol! This was during irma!

 

[RobW]

If you live by the coast, salt water gets sucked in the air intake, same goes with rains and debris at 75 mph, also Damage Caused to the home during this time could expose live conductors powered by a generator mixed with this wet environment could become a hazard.

Well, all of our houses are nothing but concrete and steel. Homes directly built on the beach in my area take a pounding from hurricanes and just laugh.

 

[RobW]

I'm on the east coast of Florida. Lighthouse Point. Just a few miles north of Fort Lauderdale. Irma did a little damage here. Not like the keys and the west coast. We had some steady 65-75 mph winds here. Few guests near 100. I had a 6 foot section of fence lean over a little and a few broken tree limbs here and there. Mostly just palm frans and small debris scattered.

 

[RobW]

If you live by the coast, salt water gets sucked in the air intake, same goes with rains and debris at 75 mph, also Damage Caused to the home during this time could expose live conductors powered by a generator mixed with this wet environment could become a hazard.

Where are you located Siggy?

 

[RobW]

If you live by the coast, salt water gets sucked in the air intake, same goes with rains and debris at 75 mph, also Damage Caused to the home during this time could expose live conductors powered by a generator mixed with this wet environment could become a hazard.

I'm about 1/4 mile to the beach. West side of the intracoastal waterway. About 1/2 mile north of the Hillsboro Inlet. I'm basically where the big shadow from the cloud above is covering the houses. Close to the left end of that shadow.

 

[RobW]

@siggy Yeah, I'm not really sure that I am understanding why you are being told that running the generators is going to harm you or your house. This is what I have on my house. The generator sits on a 12" thick concrete pad and the electrical enters from underground in a PVC raceway. From there is goes to my electrical service where my automatic transfer switch is. It is on the west side of my house and is pretty well protected. It has a 5.7 liter GM engine. It's not a little generator that you wheel out and plug in to your house through some backfed Jerry rigged receptacle where a homeowner could kill a utility guy because he forgets to flip his main breaker to the off position.

 

[siggy]

Where are you located Siggy?

I am located on the north shore of Lake Saint Clair Mi. Great Boating and fishing, We dont get the big rollers like you folks or the Great lakes but it does get like a washing machine with heavy chop, when it gets like that we go into the river system that has several islands and lagoons.

 

[siggy]

being told that running the generators is going to harm you or your house

I think the fellow that posted that may be more scared of electricity than the hurricane

 

[alton]

One thing I did not see or mentioned is to place a large sign on your fuel service and generator to not turn off the generator or shut off gas. One of our members here has a generator on his home in South Texas and when a Hurricane came through he was asked to leave his home, when he came back the city had turned the generator off I believe by turning the gas valve off at his genset.

 

[siggy]

One thing I did not see or mentioned is to place a large sign on your fuel service and generator to not turn off the generator or shut off gas. One of our members here has a generator on his home in South Texas and when a Hurricane came through he was asked to leave his home, when he came back the city had turned the generator off I believe by turning the gas valve off at his genset.

I can only guess that it may present a hazard to first responders in a flood condition, Machines left unattended in those condition present several issues. I think that would be an Ideal application for a Battery Bank with a 48 hour capacity or ??? to keep flow in the tank

 

[siggy]

Well isn't this convenient A 40 amp Generator hookup auto transfer and surge suppressor all in one https://www.homedepot.com/p/GenerLink-40-Amp-Meter-Mounted-Transfer-Switch-with-75kA-Per-Phase-Surge-Protection-MA24-S/301962200?cm_mmc=Shopping|G|Base|All-Products|All|All|PLA|71700000014585962|58700001236285396|92700010802552412&gclid=CjwKEAjwlujnBRDl2teOp_veulQSJAC5bHgtJ3KmsGgYKiGAaHjuUIqtw-awecqOToJZgo7C9lemgRoC2K7w_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[RobW]

Well isn't this convenient A 40 amp Generator hookup auto transfer and surge suppressor all in one https://www.homedepot.com/p/GenerLink-40-Amp-Meter-Mounted-Transfer-Switch-with-75kA-Per-Phase-Surge-Protection-MA24-S/301962200?cm_mmc=Shopping|G|Base|All-Products|All|All|PLA|71700000014585962|58700001236285396|92700010802552412&gclid=CjwKEAjwlujnBRDl2teOp_veulQSJAC5bHgtJ3KmsGgYKiGAaHjuUIqtw-awecqOToJZgo7C9lemgRoC2K7w_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

I would never!

 

[RobW]

Well isn't this convenient A 40 amp Generator hookup auto transfer and surge suppressor all in one https://www.homedepot.com/p/GenerLink-40-Amp-Meter-Mounted-Transfer-Switch-with-75kA-Per-Phase-Surge-Protection-MA24-S/301962200?cm_mmc=Shopping|G|Base|All-Products|All|All|PLA|71700000014585962|58700001236285396|92700010802552412&gclid=CjwKEAjwlujnBRDl2teOp_veulQSJAC5bHgtJ3KmsGgYKiGAaHjuUIqtw-awecqOToJZgo7C9lemgRoC2K7w_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

One more thing a typical do it yourselfer/homeowner needs not to mess with. I used to complain about all the new electrical codes. Not anymore! I cant wait when these homeowners try to start adding things themselves in all the newer homes with everything now being on arc-fault breakers! No more grabbing random neutrals and mixing up whichever circuits they want for power. Breakers won't even reset if they have neutrals from circuits mixed up. Then they have to call any pay the price anyway. I'll take that 125.00 for the first hour and 90.00 per hour all day long!

 

[vangvace]

I am having a quote for solar done up and trying to decide what type of backup I want on the house. It is underground utilities in my neighborhood so I'm not 100% sure I need, but I am looking at a NG Generac or 8kW almost-whole-house battery backup.

oh, and @siggy, I grew up along Gratiot before running away from home to join the military.