Whole Home Generator Help/Advice Needed

[MilitantBEEMER]

I am considering a whole house system that runs on Natural Gas. Anybody have experience with providers in the Tulsa area? Who do you recommend? Who to avoid?

I like the look of the 18kw Generac. It looks like ~$7k though when installed.

I am a complete noob to this and will have to farm the job out, I do not have the time or means to do myself.

ANY help is appreciated.

 

[Louro]

A few months ago I got an estimate for the installation of one the price tag was 21,000. Generac.

 

[hunter966]

You might try the Generator Supercenter, used to be Faith Electric.

Don’t know if they go to Tulsa, I think they do but not sure. They put ours in and they are a good company, took care of us really well. Just make sure whoever you get does a whole home assessment and they don’t leave anything out.

They left out my well and dryer and had to put delay start timers on each of them, not a big deal though.

 

[SlugSlinger]

I have a 18kw Natural Gas Koehler. I bought the generator, from an individual, that was new in the box. I think I paid $4,500 for it. When we built our house and had the wiring ran from where the generator would sit and the main cut off, so there was little expense there. I set the generator on a concrete pad I poured myself. An electrician installed everything including a separate cutoff, post meter that I asked for. Also ran a large gas connection, 2” schedule 40, about 20’ off the meter to the generator.
I think I have $6-7k in everything, but that’s in 2012 dollars and I did some of the work myself. Both the electrician and plumber were small companies I’ve used before.

We had a lighting strike years ago. It fried the ATS and stuff in the genset. After much haggling, it was repaired under warranty.

I’m hesitant recommending Koehler.

 

[CC379]

I have a 18kw Natural Gas Koehler. I bought the generator, from an individual, that was new in the box. I think I paid $4,500 for it. When we built our house and had the wiring ran from where the generator would sit and the main cut off, so there was little expense there. I set the generator on a concrete pad I poured myself. An electrician installed everything including a separate cutoff, post meter that I asked for. Also ran a large gas connection, 2” schedule 40, about 20’ off the meter to the generator.
I think I have $6-7k in everything, but that’s in 2012 dollars and I did some of the work myself. Both the electrician and plumber were small companies I’ve used before.

We had a lighting strike years ago. It fried the ATS and stuff in the genset. After much haggling, it was repaired under warranty.

I’m hesitant recommending Koehler.

generac is the largest supplier of home generators but they also have the largest number of complaints,

 

[GLGAR]

When I got a 20KW unit at our last house , Generac required it be installed by a licensed tech. Had some code that had to be activated over the phone. Lowes or HD would be a good place to get a turn key price. Their veterans discount might apply too. 10 years with zero problems with ours, wish we could have one where we live now.

 

[zipty6]

I'm interested in the same thing, but fear that it may be cost prohibitive. A family member had one installed in Norman a few years back and it cost $10k then.

 

[garytx]

I'm looking at getting a large portable. Don't want to drop the large $ for this particular house. Need to determine who/how I can accurately determine how large a generator I need.

 

[SlugSlinger]

When I got a 20KW unit at our last house , Generac required it be installed by a licensed tech. Had some code that had to be activated over the phone. Lowes or HD would be a good place to get a turn key price. Their veterans discount might apply too. 10 years with zero problems with ours, wish we could have one where we live now.

I think the generator companies require at least the startup completed by a certified tech.

I can tell everyone this, these companies hold there customers hostage / captive when it comes to information, parts and knowledge around repairing the generator. When I was trying to figure out what was wrong with the generator after the lightning strike, there was literally no diagnostic information available, I was looking on forums and everywhere else I could think of. I had to call a tech out to get things figured out. It’s not like 90% of the other industries that you can find information if you are a dyier.

So if the shtf, it is highly likely most people would not be able to repair or find parts for one of these electronically controlled generators.

 

[zipty6]

I think the generator companies require at least the startup completed by a certified tech.

I can tell everyone this, these companies hold there customers hostage / captive when it comes to information, parts and knowledge around repairing the generator. When I was trying to figure out what was wrong with the generator after the lightning strike, there was literally no diagnostic information available, I was looking on forums and everywhere else I could think of. I had to call a tech out to get things figured out. It’s not like 90% of the other industries that you can find information if you are a dyier.

So if the shtf, it is highly likely most people would not be able to repair or find parts for one of these electronically controlled generators.

That's good to know.