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Message: [QUOTE="Chuck, post: 3876502, member: 1646"] I love having back-up power. I bought a much smaller generator (5kw) right before Sandy hit. I ran extension cords through the house, and it was helpful. I had a transfer switch put in the next summer and it is significantly more useful. I'm able to run everything I need for a while. That includes 2 fridges, most lights, internet, hot water heater fan (heater is gas), furnace (gas), garage doors. Doesn't run the kitchen appliances, central AC, or some rooms (lights/outlets). This fall we lost power for about 36 hours and we didn't really miss much. Pros: [LIST] [*]Much cheaper than full house. [*]Portable, so you can also lend it to a friend, or take it somewhere else (including a move). [/LIST] Cons: [LIST] [*]Much louder than my neighbor's full-house, autoconnected. [*]Need to put it in place and start it. I made sure to shovel the area and I keep it in a rubbermaid shed. My neighbor's just sits there. [*]Similar to above, they aren't really made to run in wet weather, which is generally when we lose power. The built-ins sit in their own weather protected (I assume) case. I've looked into options to run the portable in rain/snow, but have only found umbrellas that attach or DIY kits (that's not something I can do). [*]If you aren't home, they don't kick on automatically. That can lead to pipes bursting (cold) or water in basement if you have a sump pump, etc. [/LIST] All-in my cost was $1,400 (transfer switch and generator). I'm thinking of upgrading the generator to 7.5kw and keeping the smaller as a back-up. Since Sandy, we've only used it 5 times or so. The automatic is a superior option (in my opinion), but not necessary in my situation. [/QUOTE]

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