Cost of putting backup generator to cover power cuts

[advancebooking]

We have a small business and today experienced a power cut for over an hr due to heavy rain. 

 

What are the steps involved / cost of installing a backup power generator that kicks in if the power cuts out?

 

Is this something any sparkie can do? Are there any specialist businesses in bkk, for example, that can do this?

 

thanks

[Crossy]

If you don't need full-auto it can be as simple as a small generator and a manual transfer switch. Any reasonably competent sparks can hook it up.

 

If you want full-auto (no mucking about in the rain starting the genset) things get more expensive and complex. But still not beyond a competent sparks or DIYer.

 

When we DIYed it back in 2013 there wasn't nearly as much readily available as there is now, Global House and Mega-Home both sell auto-start ready gensets and transfer switches (they may also offer installation).

 

Here's my thread on DIYing it (read to the end for all the updates):-

 

 

Task a) is to determine what you want to run during a power outage, a few lights, fans, TV and the POST or aircon, kitchen facilities etc etc.

 

Forums Sponsor Genset is worth talking to if you want something more than the few lights solution.

 

Also note that the cheap gensets are NOISY!! so you need to consider where it's going to live or shell more $$$ for a "silent" unit.

 

Let us have a bit of feedback on what you want and more directed advice will be forthcoming.

 

For costs, it can be as cheap as 20k Baht or as expensive as you want.

 

[sometimewoodworker]

7 hours ago, advancebooking said:

We have a small business and today experienced a power cut for over an hr due to heavy rain.

I understand your difficulty’s but am a little envious, we have just had the power restored after a typhoon took out the power for about 40 hours and the fibre internet is probably going to be another couple of day before service comes back.

[advancebooking]

3 hours ago, Crossy said:

If you don't need full-auto it can be as simple as a small generator and a manual transfer switch. Any reasonably competent sparks can hook it up.

 

If you want full-auto (no mucking about in the rain starting the genset) things get more expensive and complex. But still not beyond a competent sparks or DIYer.

 

When we DIYed it back in 2013 there wasn't nearly as much readily available as there is now, Global House and Mega-Home both sell auto-start ready gensets and transfer switches (they may also offer installation).

 

Here's my thread on DIYing it (read to the end for all the updates):-

 

 

Task a) is to determine what you want to run during a power outage, a few lights, fans, TV and the POST or aircon, kitchen facilities etc etc.

 

Forums Sponsor Genset is worth talking to if you want something more than the few lights solution.

 

Also note that the cheap gensets are NOISY!! so you need to consider where it's going to live or shell more $$$ for a "silent" unit.

 

Let us have a bit of feedback on what you want and more directed advice will be forthcoming.

 

For costs, it can be as cheap as 20k Baht or as expensive as you want.

 

3 hours ago, Crossy said:

 

thanks for your reply. We have a medical clinic and thus might need a high end solution only serving the ground floor of our building. 

 

We have back yard at the end of our building and can put it out there. Noise is not an issue

 

What does it mean when you say  'Forums Sponsor Genset'? Is that a member of this forum?

 

thanks so much for your help with this. First thing thats going in this week are some back up lights that activate in the event of a power cut. Should have put them in last yr...

 

 

[Crossy]

4 minutes ago, advancebooking said:

What does it mean when you say  'Forums Sponsor Genset'? Is that a member of this forum?

 

Yes, @genset is a forum sponsor/advertiser and member.

 

Send him a PM, he'll also get a message that someone mentioned him in a post.

 

[DekDaeng]

Hi AB,

Could I suggest you get with the C20th?

Put up some solar panels and a battery. All your sunshine can be used, reduce your power bills 365 days a year. No noise, quality & efficiency  is getting better all the time. How much is your monthly power bill & cost / kw/hr? 

 

I have not done this yet, considering to do it - things are 'in flux' a the moment.

 

There are DIY kits available online.

 

P'raps Genset might consider to offer solar / batt as an option, rather than dead dinosaurs. I imagine a few might be interested to do this?

 

Chok Dee

 

P.S. Put up enough panels you can charge your car (iff'n you've got an EV), as well - ????

Edited March 5, 2020 by DekDaeng

[advancebooking]

28 minutes ago, DekDaeng said:

Hi AB,

Could I suggest you get with the C20th?

Put up some solar panels and a battery. All your sunshine can be used, reduce your power bills 365 days a year. No noise, quality & efficiency  is getting better all the time. How much is your monthly power bill & cost / kw/hr? 

 

I have not done this yet, considering to do it - things are 'in flux' a the moment.

 

There are DIY kits available online.

 

P'raps Genset might consider to offer solar / batt as an option, rather than dead dinosaurs. I imagine a few might be interested to do this?

 

Chok Dee

 

P.S. Put up enough panels you can charge your car (iff'n you've got an EV), as well - ????

if theres a power cut what happens? does the solar panels kick in keeping all my ground floor working as normal?

[alacrity]

2 hours ago, advancebooking said:

if theres a power cut what happens? does the solar panels kick in keeping all my ground floor working as normal?

Depends on the switching arrangement as would be the case with a generator. A generator would be the cheapest option though.

 

All depends on your green credentials.

[Crossy]

With a hybrid inverter solar may be an option if the power failures are usually relatively short (a couple of hours, otherwise the batteries become a major cost point). 

 

A plus of doing it this way is that the solar is always generating power and offsetting the bill but it's not a cheap option.

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32819324929.html

 

[genset]

22 hours ago, Crossy said:

 

Yes, @genset is a forum sponsor/advertiser and member.

 

Send him a PM, he'll also get a message that someone mentioned him in a post.

 

Thanks for the mention Crossy,

 

For anybody who is interested, here is my original post on the forum which dates back to 2009 (apologies for the website which is truly amateurish and out of date, I'm not a web guy, just a humble engineer, we are working with a web designer to bring it up to speed):

 

DekDaeng - Not sure 'dead dinosaurs' is a fair interpretation of a fully automatic transfer switch and generator solution. Solar certainly has it's place and is becoming more cost effective as the years roll on and i have a good friend who offers solar solutions if anybody is interested; but it really depends on your peak load requirement at the end of the day. If you don't have the space to install a sufficient number of panels and batteries to keep a 10, 15, 20kW solution immediately available then a generator and ATS (which has a footprint a fraction of the size required for a solar panel array of those sizes), is obviously a reasonable option to consider... One size never truly fits all.

 

I've PM'd advancebooking, drop me a line and we'll have a chat, thanks to all.

[Metropolitian]

For some commenters here:

 

With a generator which kicks in automatically when the mains power falls out;

And having/wanting an ongrid solar solution, how and where is that connected in the schematic?

 

The most safe is to keep it on the main input side of the automatic switch. It will be usefull again when the mains come back.

Having it on the output side of th switch, it will still support energy from the sun as long as the generator is clean and of "mains comparable quality".

 

Does this matter or not? What is your experience/expertice on this? 

 

The answer(s) could be usefull for the op and all others.

[natway09]

How much juice do u need ??

[Captain 776]

Get help......make sure its sized correctly for the load.

if you go to the expense of putting in a generator, spend the extra and out in the ATS.....Automatic Transfer Switch.

Its worth it for many reasons......ne being, if you are away during the outage, it happens automatically.

[Metropolitian]

On 3/7/2020 at 11:18 AM, Metropolitian said:

For some commenters here^:

^{@Crossy@sometimewoodworker@bankruatsteve@genset}

 

Following up the post #11

 

An alternative could be having two groups, like one did for himself and for the rest including missus her tv.

 

Generator and ATS should feed the group for the lights and internet, while the solar stays on the other group making the power consumption lower.

No grid power means no energy returning to the grid, and away with the fear of having the PEA noticed of the supply with digital meters.

 

 

 

[brianthainess]

On a much smaller scale, i have an inverter for the car (700 baht) enough to run a small floor fan, computer/WiFi  just an extension lead and i'm up and running. ok for a few hours.