Thanks guys. I will try to answer all of the questions.
The house is on eastern Long Island. While that isnt a deep freeze area, it
certainly gets cold enough to freeze pipes. And, with electricity powered by
the infamous LIPA, being without power after a big snow storm is a definite
possibility.
The house is a small cottage: 780 sq feet, two bedrooms, one bathroom. Full
basemen, full attic. Minimal 1950s insulation in the walls (about 1 thick),
better in the attic roof.
Draining the house would be pretty easy and that is an option. However, my
daughter lives in Manhattan and does go out for a visit periodically. She
didnt inherit my DIY genes, so turning on and re-draining the system is
probably more than shed be able to handle.
The house is occupied less than half the winter, so any kind alternative heat
source is not going to meet the need.
The house has two large propane tanks and the gas company tops them off every
month, so the odds are pretty good wed be fine during a power outage.
While making the house more comfortable while we are there would be a nice
side benefit, my primary interest is in protecting the pipes when we are 1,000
miles away.
Finally, the $2000 number came from this:
http://www.amazon.com/Generac-5837-CorePower-Air-Cooled-Generator/dp/B003XQWY
W0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1388243033&sr=8-1&keywords=standby+generator. I
havent done any research at all; that was just a quick and dirty search.
And, of course, 2 grand doesnt include installation. While I suspect I could
handle most, if not all, of the job, I also dont think that would be legal,
so it would have to be done professionally. I am sure the total bill will
will be well above the 2 grand mark, especially given New York labor rates.
I suspect this is my only option, but I am open to other options. As I think
about it, it probably doesnt have to be totally automatic. I could get a
transfer switch and convert a standard generator to propane (thanks for the
conversion link, John) and then ask a friend to go over to the house to power
it up in an emergency. But, I suspect I may as well just go with the small
standby unit at that point.
Thanks again. Let me know if the above sparks any other ideas.
Jim
On Dec 28, 2013, at 7:59 AM, John Innis <jdinnis@gmail.com> wrote:
> Everything you ever wanted to know about propane conversion:
> http://www.propane-generators.com
>
>
>
> On Fri, Dec 27, 2013 at 6:04 PM, James Stone <jandkstone99@msn.com> wrote:
> I would like to set up a relatively inexpensive standby generator for my
> vacation home. The house uses propane for heat, hot water and cooking, so
the
> logical thing to do would be to get a propane powered generator or convert
one
> to run on propane. I really don t need much power; more than anything, I
want
> to keep the house from freezing if we lose power while we are away, so I d
be
> happy if all it powered was the furnace, But, all I have found are pretty
> substantial units that cost close to $2,000, which is more than I want to
> spend for something like this. Does anyone know if it is possible to
convert
> a smaller generator to become a standby unit? Are there any other options
I
> should consider?
>
> Thanks.
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