Think of a transfer switch as a miniature circuit breaker panel that draws electricity from your generator instead of from the power company. When electric service is out in your area, you plug your portable generator into an outdoor outlet that’s connected, through the house, to a transfer switch inside.
The switch itself is installed by an electrician, usually alongside your main circuit breaker panel. The electrician can help you figure out which circuits you’ll want to power in an outage. Heating and cooling equipment are essential, as are water heaters and well pumps.
Without this switch installed, you’ll need to run outdoor-rated extension cords from your generator into the house. And yes, multiple cords: Because they can be overloaded, you’ll need a dedicated cord for anything that draws a lot of power, such as a space heater or window air conditioner. Keep in mind, too, that without a transfer switch, you can power only electronics that have a standard plug. You won’t be able to connect anything that’s hardwired to your circuit panel, like a furnace or an air conditioner compressor, and you’re also out of luck if you have an electric range or dryer, because both use large, 220-volt, four-prong plugs. A transfer switch allows you to power any of those—and skip the extension cords.
What size generator do I need? It’s an important question — and one you definitely want to ask before you shell out for a home backup generator that can keep your major appliances running during power outages.
Proper whole-house generator sizing is important in meeting demands and avoiding excessive wear and tear on the machine. Below, we’ve broken down generator sizing to help you prepare for emergencies and avoid overspending.
How Do You Determine What Size Generator You Need?
Whole-house generator sizing is based on watts, so you need a generator that has enough wattage to run all of the items you want or need to keep going during a power outage.
For a basic calculation, determine which appliances you want the generator to run if you lose power. Think about the things that are most important, such as your refrigerator, heating and cooling systems, security system, medical equipment and lights. Add up the wattage required to run those items. Factor in the start-up wattage used for some appliances, such as HVAC systems and refrigerators. They initially draw more wattage than they do once they’re actually running.
The size of the unit also affects generator cost, so it’s often a balance of your budget and your electrical needs. Being conservative instead of buying the largest generator available lowers your initial cost and also reduces how much fuel you need, making the generator cheaper to use overall. Keep in mind that your electrical needs could increase over time, though, so buying the bare minimum now could leave you short on power in the future.
What Will a 10,000-Watt Generator Run?
If you choose a 10,000-watt generator, you can expect it to run most — if not all — of your larger appliances. You can weather a power outage without really noticing the power is out. Some examples of what it can run include:
Refrigerator
Freezer
Small appliances
Lights
Sump pump
Window air conditioner
Furnace
Washing machine
Electric stove
Dishwasher
TV
Keep in mind that running all of the major appliances at once could strain the 10,000-watt generator. That’s especially true when things like your refrigerator or air conditioner first kick on and suck more power. The more things you run at the same time, the more fuel your generator uses, which increases your costs. However, a 10,000-watt generator should let you do most of your activities like normal with very little disruption.
How Much Can a 7,500-Watt Generator Run?
A 7,500-watt generator is generally a good size, unless you have a very large home or want to run every appliance you have on the generator. It can handle most of your household appliances, although it’s a good idea to balance what you run at the same time. Doing dishes, cooking dinner, washing laundry and blasting the AC all at the same time can put a strain on a 7,500-watt generator.
Some things that can run on a 7,500-watt generator include:
Refrigerator
Freezer
Water heater
Lights
Electric stove
Air conditioning
Space heaters
Washing machine
Dryer
Small appliances
With this size, you can run most of your home items, so it’ll seem like you didn’t lose power. However, taking turns running items that draw a lot of power is a good idea.
What Will a 2,200-Watt Generator Run?
If you choose a 2,200-watt generator, you’ll likely need to cycle through different appliances because you won’t be able to use them all at once. While it can accommodate many of your large appliances individually, running multiple appliances at the same time can quickly blow past the 2,200 watts. This size is a bare-bones option that can help you keep just your essentials running during a power outage.
According to Lowes, these are the wattages of common appliances for reference:
Ensure your generator can run what you really need. Go larger if you have the budget so you can run things beyond the basics. Running anything and everything your generator can handle at the same time increases fuel consumption. Limiting how much you run helps conserve fuel and lower costs. Proper generator maintenance also helps keep it running efficiently.
We check our bank accounts, order lunch, and see who’s at our front door all from our smart phone. But did you know you can keep tabs on your KOHLER® standby generator from your phone or tablet? You can!
With the KOHLER OnCue® Plus Generator Management System, you can check the status of your generator, start or stop an exercise, check the oil temperature, contact your dealer, and so much more. Explore all of the capabilities here.
WHAT IS ONCUE PLUS?
The OnCue Plus app, available for download on Android and Apple devices, enables you to remotely monitor your generator’s performance wherever you are. The app is also compatible with Amazon Alexa with the OnCue Plus Skill and Google Home devices with the OnCue Plus Action.
The OnCue Plus app allows you to access everything related to your standby generator in one place. With the app, you can:
View real-time power status of your home or business
Manage up to six electrical loads remotely, turning circuits on or off from anywhere
Receive instant generator updates via text or email
Schedule generator maintenance appointments with your KOHLER dealer
Check your oil level and temperature
Check the engine temperature
Start or stop an exercise*
Change your next exercise
*An exercise refers to running your generator even when it is not needed to ensure it is working properly. We recommend exercising your generator weekly.
ONCUE PLUS VOICE COMMANDS
Checking in on your generator has never been easier! Simply use OnCue Plus Skill on Amazon Alexa or OnCue Plus Action on Google to control your generator using just your voice. Both are free.
Once you have downloaded and installed them on your devices, try voice commands like:
What is the status of my generator?
What’s the battery voltage?
What’s the oil temperature?
When was my last exercise?
Does my generator have any active alerts?
Integration with Amazon Alexa and Google Home is just one more way Kohler is innovating what it means to have reliable backup power.
DOWNLOAD ONCUE PLUS FOR YOUR KOHLER GENERATOR TODAY
How Much Does It Cost To Run A Generator On Natural Gas?
During a power outage, a natural gas generator is your best friend. Without access to electricity from the grid, we have to burn natural gas to generate electricity. We looked into how much does it cost to run a generator on natural gas.
The running cost of a generator depends on 3 primary factors:
Size of a generator. A 20,000W generator will obviously burn more natural gas than a 5,000W generator. You can use the natural gas running cost calculator to determine how much does running a generator cost per hour. We have also calculated generator gas consumption tables further on.
Price of natural gas in your area. The cost of natural gas generator fuel consumption per kWh is correlated with the price of natural gas. Example: Let’s say that we have a generator that burns natural gas at a cost of $20 per thousand cubic feet vs the same generator that burns natural gas at a cost of $10 per thousand cubic feet. $20 natural gas cost generator will have twice the running cost per kWh than the $10 natural gas cost generator.
Generator running load. Generators are run at anywhere between 0% and 100% of their maximum output wattage. If you run your generator at 60% load, the running costs will be higher than if you were to run it at 40% load.
If we know all these parameters, we can adequately calculate how much does it cost to run your natural gas generator per hour, per day, per week, or per month.
Running a generator on natural gas will cost you anywhere from $0.02 to $2.41 per hour (1,000W 25% load generator to 30,000W 100% load, respectively). It will consume anywhere from 1.86 ft3 to 222.90 ft3 of natural gas per hour.
Running this 10,000W generator at full load (100%) consumes about 74.30 cubic feet of natural gas per hour. At the cost of $10.83 per 1000 cubic feet, this results in a $0.80 running cost per hour.
We have designed a Gas Generator Fuel Consumption Calculator that estimates the running costs of any natural gas generator. You just enter the size of the generator, price of natural gas, and average load, and the calculator returns how many US dollars per hour worth of natural gas such a generator is consuming.
Further on, we have calculated the running costs of 1,000W, 2,000W, 3,000W, 4,000W, 5,000W, 6,000W, 7,000W, 8,000W, 10,000W, 12,000W, 15,000W, 20,000W, 25,000W, and 30,000W natural gas generators at average price and at 1/4, 2/4, 3/4 and full loads.
First of all, however, we need to look at how to calculate the running costs with a gas generator fuel consumption formula (this derivation is a bit mathematical, you can just skip to the easy-to-use calculator and calculated tables if you wish):
Gas Generator Fuel Consumption Formula
With this formula, we can determine how much natural gas does a generator use per hour. On top of that, if we know the price of natural gas, we can also calculate the dollar amount of natural gas we use to operate our generator per hour.
Note: By extension, we can calculate the running fuel usage and cost per day, week, and month.
Let’s derive the natural gas generator fuel consumption using a 10,000W generator example. Let’s also take the 2020 average residential price of natural gas ($10.83 per 1,000 cubic feet, according to Statista).
How much natural gas do we need to keep a 10,000W generator running at full load for 1h?
We will need an equivalent of 10 kWh (kilowatt-hour) of natural gas. According to EIA, we need 7.43 cubic feet of natural gas to produce 1 kWh (74.3 cubic feet for 10 kWh).
Note: If you wondered about natural gas generator fuel consumption per kWh, it’s 7.43 ft3 of natural gas or about $0.08 per kWh. That’s lower than the national average cost of electricity ($0.1319/kWh) by a hefty margin.
If 1,000 cubic feet cost $10.83 then 74.3 cubic feet cost:
Here is a formula for calculating gas generator fuel consumption:
Fuel Consumption Per Hour = Max. Wattage × Load × 7.43 Cubic Feet Of Natural Gas ÷ 1,000
We know the max. wattage of the generator, as well as load. We know that we need 7.43 cubic feet of natural gas to produce 1 kWh of electricity. The factor ‘1,000’ is there to convert Wh into kWh (watt-hours into kilowatt-hours).
With this equation, we can calculate how much fuel does a gas generator consume per hour.
Example: Let’s say we have a 5,000W generator and we run it at 0.6 load (that’s 60% of max. load). How much natural gas does such a gas generator consume per hour? Let’s calculate:
Fuel Consumption Per Hour = 5,000W × 0.6× 7.43 Cubic Feet Of Natural Gas ÷ 1,000 = 22.29 Cubic Feet Of Natural Gas
That means that a 5,000W generator running at 60% load will consume 22.29 cubic feet of natural gas per hour. That’s:
534.96 ft3 per day.
3,744.72 ft3 per week.
16,048.80 ft3 per month.
Now that we know how much natural gas does a generator consume, we can also calculate how much does running such a generator cost in US dollars:
Generator Running Cost Formula
If we know how many cubic feet of natural gas a generator will burn through, we can easily calculate how much that quantity of natural gas costs.
We can use the 2020 average natural gas price for residential users:
1,000 cubic feet of natural gas costs $10.83.
If we use the quantities of consumed natural gas from the previous example, we can determine that a 5,000W generator running on 60% load costs:
$0.24 per hour.
$5.79 per day.
$40.56 per week.
$173.81 per month.
The general formula for calculating the running cost of a generator looks like this:
Running Cost = Quantity Of Gas Consumed (in ft3) × Price Of Natural Gas (in 1,000 ft3) ÷ 1,000
We divide by 1,000 because the price of natural gas is given in US dollars per 1,000 cubic feet. Let’s solve an example to illustrate how this equation works.
Example: How much does it cost to run a whole house generator on natural gas? Let’s say that such a whole-house generator burns through 1,200 ft3 of natural gas per day. Let’s calculate the running cost per day:
Running Cost = 1,200 ft3 of natural gas × $10.83 per 1,000 ft3 of natural gas ÷ 1,000 = $13,00/Day
Such a whole-house generator will cost $13,00 per day to run.
Now that we have the theory with examples covered, let’s look at how you can easily calculate how much does it cost to run a generator on natural gas yourself with a help of a calculator:
Gas Generator Fuel Consumption Calculator
This calculator will calculate how much does it cost to run a generator on natural gas per hour. You have to input the maximum running wattage of the generator (in watts), the price of natural gas (average is $10.83 per 1,000 cubic meters of natural gas, and the average load (if you have a 5,000W generator and use only 3,000W of power, that’s a 0.6 or 60% load, for example).
You can play around with numbers, this consumption calculator will dynamically calculate the resulting running costs per hour:
Calculated Table Of Running Costs For Generators On Natural Gas
For running costs calculation, we used the 2020 national average residential natural gas price of $10.83 per 1,000 cubic feet.
Notice: This is a big table. You can scroll down and use the slider to slide it from left to right:
We are pleased to be able to welcome you to the new R&T Power Systems Website! We hope that you will find everything you need for your home, commercial and marine generator needs. Should you have any questions or if you would like to speak to one of our sales associates, please do not hesitate to call us today at 252-773-0739. You may also contact us here! Thanks for stopping by!
Lets talk about the benefits of a whole home generator. Think about what you would do if you lost power in your house for an extended period of time? You would have no lights, no appliances, the food in your refrigerator would be spoiled, and you can say goodbye to your electronics. Needless to say, power outages can cause extreme discomfort if you don’t have an alternate power source.
Having a backup generator in your home means that in the unfortunate event of a power outage, you will have a dependable energy solution that will allow you to use your lights, appliances, and other electronics. Whole-house generators, also known as standby generators, are typically much larger and more expensive than portable generators, but they offer maximum benefits when you need them the most.
What Are the Benefits of a Standby Generator vs. Portable Generator?
Unlike a portable generator, a whole-house standby generator can power all of your home’s major appliances, including your HVAC system, refrigerator/freezer, alarm system, garage door opener, sump pump, water heater, and more. Having power during an outage also means your electronics, such as cell phones and laptops, will be kept charged. While a standby generator’s purpose is to provide electricity to your entire home during an outage, it can also be tailored to only power specific appliances, based upon your preferences.
Benefits of whole-house standby generators:
Improved safety & security – Unlike portable units, whole-house standby generators don’t release fumes and therefore prevent carbon monoxide buildup inside your home. In addition, they allow for lighting in the event of a blackout, helping to prevent trips and falls, and other related accidents.
Enhanced efficiency – While portable generators can only deliver a limited amount of power considering they need to be refilled with gas every few hours, whole-house standby generators can provide any given amount power for as long as necessary since they connect to an existing gas line.
Super convenient – Standby generators turn on automatically as soon as the power goes out, providing electricity for essential appliances, including air conditioners, water heaters, refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, and more. Portable generators, on the other hand, must be manually turned on and may not be able to power items hardwired to the home.
Saves money – Since whole-house generators help to prevent problems like spoiled food in the refrigerator or frozen pipes during the winter, you can steer clear of unexpected costs and headaches. If you were to experience several power outages over ten years, for example, the savings that a standby generator could provide would add up, providing a positive a return on your investment.
Safety and Security
During a blackout in your home, the risk of falling or tripping over something because you can’t see your surroundings are much higher. A whole-house generator solves this problem and ensures you will be able to comfortably move from room to room without worrying about tripping over something in the dark.
Separately, whole-house generators do not allow for the buildup of carbon monoxide inside your home, which is a common issue with portable generators. Standby generators do not emit as many fumes as portable generators do, making them better for your overall health and home environment.
Standby generators essentially act as an insurance policy for your home, giving you peace of mind that your home will be protected during a blackout.
Efficiency
Whole-house generators can power as much as you need for as long as you need. Compared to portable generators, which have a threshold for the amount of power they can provide, whole-house generators can provide power to your home and there will be no need to refuel it. In the event you are away from your home or on vacation during a power outage, whole-house generators will ensure that your sump pump is running and your home’s alarm system is working.
Ultimate Convenience
With the flip of a switch, your whole-house generator will provide total home function during a power outage. When the power goes out, you simply turn on the power switch of the generator and your electricity will be up and running within a few seconds. Standby generators guarantee that you will have access to all of your major appliances and critical functions of your home.
Save Money Down the Line
While the initial purchase and installation of a standby generator can be costly, the investment will save you money down the line in appliance repairs and potential pipe replacements. If there is a power outage during the winter, a standby generator can prevent your home’s pipes from freezing. Whole-house generators also keep your refrigerator running, meaning you don’t have to worry about throwing away spoiled food.
Don’t wait until the next power outage to decide on installing a whole-house generator. If you want guaranteed safety and security during a blackout, R&T Power Systems is here to help. Contact us today to speak with one of our generator specialists.
If you are wondering whether a whole house generator will increase the value of your home, the answer is a resounding yes! It is worth it!
But why, you ask? Well, apart from being an excellent temporary power source that will restore any power interruptions from the grid, a whole house generator will also increase the value of your property.
Does a Whole Home Generator Add Value to Your Home? For those of you who don’t know, whole home generators are also known as standby generators.
They can be very useful, not just for providing your home with electricity when the power grid fails, but also for increasing the value of your home.
There are consumer reports that confirm that the installation of a whole home generator can increase your home’s value by 3% to 5%. So, if your home is worth a cool $1,000,000 before a generator is installed, after you install it, the home may be worth up to $1,050,000. That’s a big difference.
Moreover, it has been shown that whole home generators do make for good investments, as they can pay off up to 150% from the original investment. So, if you pay $12,000 to have it installed, it can increase your home’s value by up to $18,000. This is not a negligible difference!
How Big of a Generator Do You Need to Run Your Entire Home?
It has been said that you can run most of your essential household equipment with a generator that has been rated at 5,000 to 7,500 watts. Some of the equipment this includes is a well pump, a refrigerator, and lighting circuits. With 7500 running watts, you can power all of these appliances simultaneously.
To calculate what size generator will be best for your needs, you must consider the generator’s power output. This is measured in watts. Make a list of all the things you need to power in your home. Make sure to include all your critical appliances that still need to run even during a power outage.
Starting Watts: this is how much power is needed to start the appliances up. If the appliance has a motor, then it will typically require more wattage to start up. A good example of this would be a window air conditioner unit.
Running Watts: this is also known as rated watts and is how much energy is needed to run the appliance after the initial startup.
Is a Home Generator a Good Investment?
Most people would agree that even though the initial cost of the whole home generator and the installation can be quite high, these generators tend to be worth the money and the trouble. Why is this the case?
As we discussed in the first section, whole home generators can increase your home’s value by up to 5% and provide a return on your investment of up to 150%. For this reason alone, whole home generators are good investments.
Something else to consider is whether or not you live in an area where the power goes out a lot. If you rarely or never suffer from power outages, getting a whole home generator may not make much sense.
However, if you suffer from frequent power outages, then it can be worthwhile. Imagine that the power goes out three times a year, and every time it does, you have hundreds of dollars’ worth of food that spoils in your fridge or freezer. Food costs are a big factor to consider.
Moreover, if you happen to work from home, you need your internet and electricity to make money. If the power is out for a couple of days, those are two good working days where you didn’t make money. This is not a problem that you will have if you have a whole home generator. We will touch on this a bit more below.
Other Reasons to Purchase a Generator
Still need more reasons to purchase a generator? Always consider the reason you want to purchase a generator in the first place and then tack on these other important considerations:
Sump Pump
Do you have a sump pump? Then you want to make sure it is powered to prevent any flooding in the home.
A sump pump gathers all excess water and collects it into a sump pit. If the water rises to a level that has been predetermined, the pump will automatically begin to dispose of the water and transfer it into the sewage drain. Without power going to your sump pump, you will not be protected against flooding.
Home Business
Maybe you run a business from home or work from home. If this is the case, then you need power to work.
If there is a power outage, you obviously can’t work, and there will be a delay in your schedule. A whole house generator can help you avoid this problem and can help you maintain a steady work schedule even during a power outage.
Electric Medical Devices
Perhaps you need medical devices, and they use electricity. In this case, a backup generator can turn out to be a necessity. If you have critical medical devices that rely on power, you want to make sure to have a backup power source just in case there is an outage.
Well Water
If you have well water, then you probably already know that you lose water when you lose power because the water pump runs on electricity. A whole house generator can ensure that you have running water until the power comes back on.
How Long Do Whole House Generators Last?
Yes, a whole home backup generator is usually considered a worthwhile investment, but with all of this money you are spending, how long can you expect these units to last?
On average, you can expect a whole home generator to last anywhere from 20 to 40 years, with the median “shelf life” being somewhere around 30 years.
In the grand scheme of things, if it costs you around $5,000 to purchase and install the generator, that’s not a whole lot considering that it can last for up to 40 years. Of course, how long the generator lasts will depend on various factors, including the following.
How Often It Runs
To ensure that your generator has a long lifespan, it should be used for at least half an hour per week. They need to be “exercised.”
How Many Appliances the Generator Has to Power Will Make a Difference Too
If the generator is under a lot of stress (trying to power too much at once), it won’t last as long as it is only used for the most pressing lights/appliances.
Maintenance Is Key
If you maintain your whole home generator properly, it will go a long way in increasing its overall lifespan. You will get far more than what the generator is worth in the long run.
Get your free quote and walkthrough, contact us today and be on your way to unlimited power!
Simply put, Kohler strives for excellence. Since 1920, they’ve been dedicated to building the best generators the world has to offer.
A storied name in power and electricity for almost 100 years. Starting in 1920 with its first modern-day generator, it has cemented its place in technology’s history. Their generators have been a part of significant historical milestones such as helping Admiral Richard Byrd power the inaugural expedition to the South Pole, helping light the nighttime construction at Hoover Dam and powering factories during WWII.
A subsidiary of Kohler Company out of Kohler, Wisconsin, Kohler power has become a big name in commercial, residential and marine power needs. They have a wide range of products geared towards homes, small businesses, and larger industrial facilities. A global company with manufacturing plants worldwide, but almost all generators for the US market are manufactured in Wisconsin.
R&T Power Systems can help support your generator needs with Kohler products and get you paired up to the right generator with the exact features you need. Our products come in various models offering different fuel options, housing, and prime or standby configurations depending on your needs. Explore our selection of Kohler products and contact us today to request a quote on a new whole home generator.
