Backup generator suggestions?

Hey Rene.

The age old question? How long is a piece of string?

I and others have posted plenty over the years on solar. Sizing solar is like sizing a generator and depends on your needs and of course budget.

On the grid if the power goes out you fire up the gen set sized to suit your needs and not overkill as they can be 2 to 3 times the price to run compared to shore power.

A grid tied solar system the same, power goes out you crank up the gen set while a stand alone system you don't notice if there is a black out though this is the most expensive way to go as quality lithium batteries will add at least 60% of the cost.

I think you need to do the sums firstly on how stable your grid is and simply pay the bill, have a generator back up sized accordingly and generally the cheapest way to go.

Research and good luck.

Cheers, Steve.

@PaveGrancaric

This is the generator we've been using for almost 3 years. It will run all the lights, TV,  1 1/2 hp and a 1 hp aircon all at the same time with no problem. The water heater puts a load on it but we no longer use the water heater so no problem. We have the planned 12 hour outages about once every couple months so it gets a workout. The engine is a single cylinder diesel with electric start and pull start but it takes two to pull start it because someone has to hold the compression release and know when to release it. I paid P50K for it but it may be around P65K now.

Thank you very much Steve

I've just about given up on bringing a gen from US to Philps.

So, can someone pls tell me:

Where to buy gen in Philps?

I saw Phil King brand.  Is that a reputable one?

Would you recommend a diesel or a gas gen?

And lastly, WHAT DO YOU ALL HAVE AT HOME, WHICH GEN, brand, size etc.

Many thanks to you all.

Paul (Pave from New York)

Relocating to Philps very soon.

I already answered your question to  Rene in post # 41. Personal research wins the day, google can be your best friend.

As for diesel or gas? Costs come into that equation no different to a car and needs.

Good luck Paul.

Cheers, Steve.

In my area of the provinces Brodeth Marketing had the best price on generators. Diesel would be the most economical and probably the most dependable. If I were in the market for a small 3 kw or smaller I would consider gasoline but for a machine that will power your house a diesel machine is the best choice.

Would I be assuming correctly to calculate my needs I would add up the wattage draw of the appliances I want to keep running and basically do the math division by 1000 to get KW need for gen size? Adding in some for lights, startups or surge from appliances etc?

Yes Larry, pretty spot on but don't forget power factor losses with generators, KVA and watts available are 2 very different things, there is generally a 20% difference between the 2. A 10Kva gen set will only give you around 8 Kw constant usage depending on efficiencies of what you purchase. For us a 5.5 Kva I allowed 4 Kw running for a very large fridge/freezer a smaller fridge in the bunk house as well as a water pump kicking in, some lights and the proverbial 1 H/P A/C at night in the master B/R, not that it happened often, maybe twice until we installed solar, it turned out a sensible purchase through 18 months of construction to keep the guys working. When the water pump kicked in (induction motor) the generator would grunt for half a second and settle. Choice and budget Larry, little else.

Good luck with your choice.

Cheers, Steve.

Hi Larry and group,

I won't pretend to understand all the numbers when it comes to calculating watts, amps, etc.  What is easy for me to calculate is how unreliable the grid is here between man made issues and mother nature.  Solar and battery is not cheap but I have yet to speak to anyone who has made the investment and regretted it.  My build will include Solar, with expected complete ROI in 5 to 9 years.  It is a significant outlay and not everyone can afford it so no judgement on anyone who chooses generator, but the hassle of starting up the generator and the cost of running it make solar a given for me.

Good luck with what ever you choose.

Donald

Thank you Steve for that wonderful info.

Can I ask where in Philps you are?

I'm in Visayes, Biliran, Leyte and will be going there in less than 2 weeks.

So if you're in that area, pls tell me where's the best place to buy generator.

PS

Heck, if you're not using your gen, maybe I'll buy it from you.  lol

Many thanks

Paul

Yes Steve, I'll second that.

If you don't mind telling us the price of your solar.

I won't do it now, but in a few years, yes I plan to go solar.

Many thanks Steve

Paul

From NYC, soon to be in Biliran, Leyte

@PaveGrancaric

If you're on Biliran Island you are no longer in Leyte. Biliran has been an independent province since 1992 and is no longer a sub province of Leyte. My wife and I have a house in the Cabucgayan municipality of Biliran.

You're in luck because there is a very good building supply in Naval called Brodeth Marketing. That is where I bought my generator and many other building supplies.

There is also a Citihardware in Naval but I buy what I can from Brodeth, cheaper prices and better quality.

https://www.biliranisland.com/directory … marketing/

Hi Paui

We have a Promate 7000 diesel generator, bought locally and been using it now 3 years not very often, run it just to keep things moving and charging the battery.

Cheers

Andre