On Nov 2, 6:46*am, jtpr wrote:
Yes, the switch is included with the generator cost I mentioned. *I'm finding that an 8kw is ~$5,000 installed, and 10kw is ~$5700 installed. That is based on 2 quotes so far. *The second one was more helpful in breaking down the costs. *For example, he said the propane tank could run $1000. *I always thought the company supplying the gas provided that as they did a loooong time ago growing up in NY.

Then the hook up, electrician, permits, etc. *I can see how it can add up. *I was thinking it was a matter of the store delivering it to where you want it and the electrician running the necessary wire to the box, maybe $1000 more.

You got a good deal on the 16kw.

Live and learn,
-Jim

Here is my two cents. I'd buy a PORTABLE generator and have an inlet
and
Interlockit kit installed on the panel. You should be able to do
that for under
$1500. I don't think the expense and complexity of the automatic
gensets is
worth it unless you have a situation where no one will be available to
hook
up the generator and turn it on and that it's critical that it start
itself. You can
also get conversion kits for most generators to allow them to run on
natural
gas, which I think is the best option if nat gas is available.

I know a guy who had a $7K Generac automatic system that was 5 years
old and it failed after 4 hours during the August hurricane. Company
told him it was shot and not worth repairing. These systems are more
complex than the simple $400 portable generator you can buy and have
more failure points. And if the generator I recommended above fails,
you
could buy a whole new one for less than what it's going to cost to
fix the Genera if it fails.