AnonymousI’ve been looking at getting a generator for my home, inside the Power Shutoff Zone deep up Mission Canyon. I am wondering if anyone has installed a Standby Home Generator? I see the commercials for Generac generators and we personally have with their small portable unit (GP2200I) as our current backup, but their home units are newer. I’ve heard positive reviews from Cumming, Yamaha, and Kohler who also top generator producers consumers rave about. Anyone locally with home generator or a backup power plan? I’m looking for reviews, sound level output, are you able to get a maintenance technician out to SB, natural gas vs diesel.
Information provided by Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District
Homeowner’s insurance will probably pay if a generator starts a fire that damages the policyholder’s house…I think. Read your policy.
My friends in Fiddletown (northern CA) have had a generator for years, it automatically kicks in when the electricity goes out (fairly often) and they have had no problems. The ones that are horrible to us are in campgrounds used by people with their rolling condos, RVs, that can’t get along without their TVs, lights, etc. No respect for neighboring campers who have to listen to the racket they make. Why not just stay home!
1:30 – will homeowner’s insurance cover fire damage caused to surrounding buildings when you negligently set up and run a generator because SCE shut down their power to avoid liability?
It will extend the power outage for days and days, as Edison will have to make sure that EACH generator has not electrified lines, accidentally. Edison will not just willy-nilly turn the power back on for everyone; just won’t happen. Too much chance of explosions, fires, killing of people and pets. It only takes -one person- who has incorrectly and unsafely installed a generator. Edison is trying to limit their own liability.
Stay in an RV just once and you will be hooked. We keep our noise to a minimum, and almost always turn off the tv by 10 pm(ish). Our favorite spot is at Carp State Beach! We love it there because of how close beach access is…verrrry close it is. Plus, it is just a short drive for us.
Most home backup gens run on NG, not gasoline or diesel. They are much more quiet and their exhaust less noticeable as NG burns pretty clean. They are also $6-10k and must be installed by a licensed electrician, and a factory trained contractor and plumber. Dont forget the permit fees, the zoning requirements and the concrete pad for it to sit on and the gas connections, etc. etc. etc. But first and foremost, good luck getting a call back from any local installer. I have left numerous messages with all the Generac, Honeywell and Kohler factory listed ones and not a single call back in months of trying. I am going to wait and see how things play out this year instead.
Short amswer: No. Installation of a back-up generator is a job for a professional and they need to make an on-site survey before making a recommendation. A better idea might be a high-quality and quiet Honda or Yamaha (there are a few others) 2 or 3 kW machine in a cleared/safe area with a heavy-duty extension cord (#10 or 12 wire) to your refrigerator/freezer. It would only need to run a few hours (in several episodes) per day to keep your adult beverages cold and ice solid.
After going through four mandatory evacuations in ten years, I’ll never leave my home again unless it is is burning to the ground. Anyhoo, how about them generators?
“The California Health and Safety Code and District regulations prohibit emissions of air contaminants that cause nuisance or annoyance to a considerable number of people, or that present a threat to public health.” S.B. County, how to file an air quality complaint: https://www.ourair.org/complaints/
If you are trying to limp along in an emergency, your biggest draw will be your refrigerator. The minimum generator you need for a medium refrigerator is one with 800 W that is able to provide a current of 6 amps. Home Depot has a 2200W generator costing $1000 that runs for 8 hrs on 1 gal of gas and is rated for 15 amps. So should be enough. You could run your refrig and other stuff with that one. You just have to figure out how much stuff you want to run and how much you want to spend on the generator.
NG might not be available after an earthquake. For emergencies is it better to get some gas bottles or go with gasoline?
Nothing like exploiting kids to advance a cause. Didn’t the old time religions try something similar during the “Children’s Crusade” during the 1200s?
Definitely have to go turn off your main before you start the generator as you do not want to electrify the grid with your small generator. Would that fry the generator if you tried that? The hardwired generator and solar panels systems have an automatic disconnect for the main during emergencies.
Just had to bring your crap politics in to it. Shocker.
One long trip on a plane equals your power consumption in your house for a year. Probably a few hours with a generator is not going to inundate City College or anything. Mr2, that comparison to anti-womb protestors must have made you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Let your extremist flag fly high.
Pretty sure she can think for herself, bro. Considering your parroting of right wing talking points I’m not sure the same can be said for you.
Okay. Don’t know about the OP, but you guys have talked me out of getting a generator. One thing I don’t want to do is pollute my air anymore that it is already. Just have to tough out those outages and eat up the ice cream before it melts.
One that doesn’t poison the air of your neighbor. One that isn’t so noisy it drives all the birds out of the area, and makes neighbors criminally insane. One that doesn’t catch your house, your neighbor’s house, and your neighborhood and town on fire. One that isn’t incorrectly installed and backs power into the power lines killing repair personnel. One that doesn’t need weekly turn-on for maintenance.
I guess generators will be a contributing factor to climate change and global warming. (Don’t tell
Greta Thunberg that Santa Barbara-where saving the planet started, is now messing it up.)
12:04 – AMEN! I don’t understand how everyone is just fine and dandy with the Third World power grid we have. Shut it down if it gets too hot and windy?? Fix your gear! We pay enough! Back to the point, PLEASE be careful in choosing/setting up/using/maintaining a home generator. Having hundreds of people desperately trying to fire up their generators which may easily be set up incorrectly, will pose a greater risk of fire than just some hot wind and powerlines. BE CAREFUL.
Aww you poor thing, scared by a 13yr old… Must be hard, bless your heart.
Where to store the gasoline is what I worry about. Or maybe just siphon it out of your vehicle’s gas tank in time of crisis? Umm. . . that lovely taste of gasoline. Here’s info I found in reviews: “We tested the best home standby generators on the market this year. We highly recommend that you take a look at the Briggs & Stratton 40445 8000-watt. These handy machines are made to automatically power on when the grid goes down and they’re experiencing a soaring level of popularity as faith in the electrical infrastructure goes down.”———-For a mere $4,300+change (Amazon, free shipping)
The max is 9%. That’s the risk reduction of fire started by power lines. 9%. Fires started from generators will be higher than that. Fires not reported because nobody could call 911 because power was turned off pre-emptively, frightfully high. So, when a generator starts a fire…who will jog to the nearest fire station to get help?
This one looks good. Amazon: Honda 662250 EB2200i 2,200 Watt Portable Inverter Generator
by Honda
5.0 out of 5 stars 2 customer reviews
Price:$1,159.00 & FREE Shipping
Why “jog” when you can ride a bike?
FEMA: “If you start to feel sick, dizzy, or weak while using a generator, get to fresh air immediately.”
Locate generator outdoors away from doors, windows and vents, that could allow CO to come indoors.” https://www.fema.gov/news-release/2004/09/28/portable-generator-warning-danger-use-care
12:27 – because we all know what SB/Goleta cyclists do: run stop signs and red lights. We don’t need anymore carnage if we’ve already got a generator-started wildfire going. Please walk carefully to the fire station.
Don’t forget the fuel needs of these generators is huge. If you still have access to your home during a power shutoff you can obviously make a run to get your gas cans refilled as needed. But if there is a fire and there are evacuations your choices are to stay, or leave, but they won’t let you back in during mandatory evacuations. So if you evacuate your generator will run out of gas quickly. but if you stay you *might* be able to have a friend give gas cans to the firemen and they’ll shuttle gas to your place during their duties. I’ve had good luck with this but don’t imagine the firemen would be as cool if the entire neighborhood needed them to make gas runs. The other option is to store *lots* of fuel at your home, which has its own challenges.
I really wanted a generator, and had an electrician and a AC guy over. Setbacks are required, and my house is close to neighbors, so I would have had to install the generator in my back yard. Ka-ching…Ka-ching. The lines to the house must be buried, and it’s a bottomless money pit, with no assurance it will be adequate when needed. And then there’s the pollution and noise, and my neighbors would begin to glare at me. So far, I’ve decided against.
12:36 – Emergency power shut off doesn’t always been evacuations. I think people are concerned about when we have the SCE power shut offs, then how will they power their homes. No one gets evacuated during these, it’s just the power is shut off to avoid liability. Their equipment can’t start a fire if it’s not turned on. So, that means we have to figure it out on our own for up to a few days if they shut down the power. Anyone staying behind during mandatory evacuations and running a generator should be dragged out and arrested.
I have a neighbor who has a turbine genny that can power a small city. After the mudslides i saw a fuel truck backed into his driveway refueling his 6,000 gallon diesel tank and was in awe that he literally powered his entire 12,000sf house for 2 weeks. I say screw the neighbors bitching about a small hum, i had a jet airplane running and was just jealous.
Good answers already. I live in Hope Ranch where Edison seems to be shutting down power a couple of times a year to upgrade lines and of course there can be power outages in windstorms. I had a Generac natural gas generator installed by Powell Electric and they handled the layout and permitting and recommended a great guy for maintenance who comes up from ventura for annual service.
Another thing you could consider is a Tesla Powerwall or similar system. They won’t power your house for days but might be good for overnight outages.
Seems like this could be a timely topic for a class in the Adult Education Programs.
We are having a pair of 13KV Tesla Powerwalls installed in our Mission Canyon home in the next month. This required a SCE Service upgrade, (for which SCE provides a $3000 credit) and permitting, but I cannot in good conscience put another internal combustion engine into service. We have a moderate sized solar array, an electric vehicle and so are eligible for Time of Use pricing, which is very favorable. We been working on this for 6 months to design and permit the whole thing, so start now for 2020. There is currently a 30% federal tax credit, and if the State would get off its butt, there should be State incentives kicking in next year too. Don’t buy another engine to manage a problem that has been greatly exacerbated, if not caused, by internal combustion engines!!
I got a Honda EU2200i 2200-Watt Super Quiet Gas Power Portable Inverter Generator for $1,009 on Amazon, then also got a suitable cord to run from it indoors to periodically power my fridge, computer, lights, and fish tank air stones. And a no-spill gas can, and some Stabil to put in the gasoline in case I don’t need it for months. It is remarkably quiet, especially on “eco mode” but if the whole neighborhood goes silent it would seem louder. I also got a bike lock to secure it from theft, and some LED work lights. If the planned outages don’t get ya the earthquake might, and now I feel prepared for either. I’ve got canned food and water and big dogs, my neighbor has guns, and we think we will weather through the upcoming just fine.