Jason Palmer, CPA, CITP

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Hurricane Tech – Powering your Generator – Natural Gas

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It is quite common for Whole House Generators and some Portable Generators to support both Natural Gas and Liquid Propane as Fuel sources.  However, the Generator must be specifically configured to accept either Natural Gas OR Liquid Propane as the fittings and pressures are different for each Fuel type.

If an option, usually the best Fuel choice for your Generator is Utility Supplied Natural Gas.  It is delivered in pipes buried in the ground under high pressure.  Delivery is based on pressure physics and not at all dependent on Electricity.  Natural Gas is stored in huge tanks with floating tops at the Utility.  As the Natural Gas in the tank is consumed by customers, the delicately balanced weight of the top of the tank lowers and forces the Natural Gas out of the tank and in to the Distribution pipes to your home.  The Utility Gas Supply is rarely disrupted during even the worst storms specifically because the delivery system is not dependent on external electrical power and the pipes are mostly underground.

I have never lost my Natural Gas Service due to a Storm.  Check with your local Natural Gas Utility for the history of outages in your area.  For example, in the North Shore of Long Island, NY, Gas Service is virtually 100% reliable.  But in parts of the South Shore of Long Island, due to an antiquated delivery system, every time severe flooding occurs, Gas Service is suspended.

The significant advantage of Natural Gas as a Fuel source for a Generator is that it is a continuous, 24/7 supply – provided that Gas Service has not been disrupted – which as stated for most areas is rare.  Natural Gas is usually the least expensive of all Fuel Options.

The only significant disadvantage of Natural Gas is that it is not necessarily the most efficient of the Fuel sources.  In my article, “Hurricane Tech – The Whole House Generator Option”, I discuss the efficiency differences between Liquid Propane and Natural Gas.  However, the convenience and low cost of Natural Gas far outweigh the marginal loss in Generator efficiency.  A minor issue is also the increased cost of initial installation.  You may need Permits from your town and are usually required to use a Licensed Plumber.  A Town Building Inspector will want to perform a Pressure Test to make sure the connection is at the proper specification.

Hurricane Tech – Powering your Generator – Liquid Propane

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Some Portable Generators can use Liquid Propane (LP) as a Fuel.  (See my article, “Hurricane Tech – Keeping the Lights On with a Portable Generator” for information on Portable Generators.)

It is quite common for Whole House Generators to support both Natural Gas and Liquid Propane as Fuel sources.  However, the Generator must be specifically configured to accept either Natural Gas OR Liquid Propane as the fittings and pressures are different for each Fuel type. (See my article, “Hurricane Tech – The Whole House Generator Option” for information on Whole House Generators.)

Liquid Propane is a slightly better option than Gasoline or Diesel.  Liquid Propane (LP) is available in BBQ Grill Tank size of 20lbs and significantly larger “whole house” 420lb tank sizes – and everything in-between.  The advantage of Liquid Propane is again it is usually readily available at reasonable cost and, at least in the smaller tank sizes of under 50lbs, can be easily transported.  The key advantage is that is supports longer run times between Liquid Propane tank changes than would be achieved between refilling a fuel tank with Gasoline.

The disadvantage of Liquid Propane is similar of that to Gasoline or Diesel:  as the Generator consumes the Liquid Propane, additional supplies must be obtained. However, since it is stored in Gaseous form, the ability for a Propane Distributor to re-fill your portable tanks is not dependent on Electricity but just basic physics:  The pressure in the Distributor Storage Tank is sufficiently great so that when the Storage Tank valve is connected to your tank and opened, your smaller portable tank fills up.  In the case of smaller Liquid Propane tanks, you tend to bring them to a Propane Supplier.  For larger Liquid Propane tanks, the Supplier delivers the Liquid Propane to you in a Truck in the same fashion as a Fuel Oil delivery for a Heating System.  The truck pulls up to your house, extends a long hose, and fills your tank(s).

Small portable Liquid Propane tanks are subject to the same safety handling issues as those that you follow now in safe handling of your BBQ Grill tanks.  In fact, they may be the identical size and style of tank.  The major safety concern arises with larger 100lb, 200lb, and 420lb or larger Liquid Propane tanks that may be permanently installed.  Unlike Natural Gas connections, Liquid Propane connections can be flexible and the fittings and hoses require more frequent inspection to make sure they are in good working order.

A few hundred pounds of Liquid Propane is like storing a “Rocket Engine” next to your house.  We have all seen the results when a large Liquid Propane tank explodes – there is usually nothing left of the house.   The point is simply that as long as proper maintenance and inspections are performed by your Liquid Propane Supplier and/or Licensed Plumber of your tank, fittings, and supply lines, Liquid Propane poses no more risk than other Fuels and can be used safely without issue.

Hurricane Tech – Powering your Generator – Gasoline

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Most Portable Generators use Regular Grade Gasoline, the same type that most automobiles use.  (See my article, “Hurricane Tech – Keeping the Lights On with a Portable Generator” for information on Portable Generators.)

The advantages of Gasoline (or Diesel Fuel) are obvious:  it is usually readily available at reasonable cost and can be easily transported.  The disadvantage is that the supply is limited to what is in the Generator Fuel tank or that which you have on hand, stored in Fuel Containers.   The Generator will be continuously burning Gasoline or Diesel Fuel and therefore you must continuously replenish your supply.

Depending on the capacity of the Generator fuel tank and the rate at which Fuel is consumed, you may be re-filling the fuel take as frequently as every four hours.  This can be a real drag but a necessary trade-off for having electricity vs. sitting in the dark.  Your entire day becomes consumed with “feeding the beast” and obtaining a sufficient supply of Gasoline to “Keep the Lights On.”

During the recent Hurricane/Tropical Storm Sandy in the Northeast, a significant majority of Gas Stations lost power and could not pump Fuel.  Those stations that had Power quickly exhausted their Fuel supply or strict limits and rationing were put in place.  This made Gasoline and Diesel a scarce resource during the power outage.

Given the “Liquid Gold” nature of Gasoline during a crisis, it would be a good idea to have a locking shed to store your Fuel Containers or at least a locking cable or chain to weave through the handles to deter and attempt to prevent theft.  Try not to store Fuel Containers in plain site of the road to deter opportunists.

Some General Safety Considerations:

When properly handled and stored, Gasoline is a relatively safe Fuel source.  Although highly flammable, Gasoline tends to just burn and not explode (unless stored under pressure).  It is critical that Gasoline containers be stored away from any ignition sources and in a well-ventilated area, preferably outside.  Gasoline expands and contracts with the changes in temperature so it is important to periodically open the containers to relieve any built up pressure.

It is a good idea to wear heavy duty, chemical resistant rubber gloves when handling Gasoline to protect your skin from any spills while Fueling the Generator.

Some States require “Spill Proof” nozzles like the one displayed in the photo for this article.  The spout usually has a mechanical release that requires the edge of the spout to be in contact with the edge of the tank to allow the flow of fuel.

Make sure the Generator is completely OFF and allow the Generator to cool down for a few minutes PRIOR to re-fueling.

It is a good idea to have a properly rated Class B, for flammable liquids, and Class C for Electrical, Fire Extinguisher when fueling.

Periodically check all Fuel Containers for cracks, leaks, broken rubber seals at the spouts and vent the pressure as necessary.

NEVER SMOKE OR HAVE ANY FLAME NEAR GASOLINE – vapors can ignite.

Hurricane Tech – Powering your Generator – Fuel Choices

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There are a variety of Fuel choices available for both Portable and Whole House Generators including Gasoline, Diesel/Fuel Oil, Liquid Propane, and Natural Gas.  However, the most popular Fuel type for a Portable Generator is Regular Grade Gasoline.  (See my article, “Hurricane Tech – Keeping the Lights On with a Portable Generator” for information on Portable Generators.)

It is quite common for Whole House Generators to support both Natural Gas and Liquid Propane as Fuel sources.  However, the Generator must be specifically configured to accept either Natural Gas OR Liquid Propane as the fittings and pressures are different for each Fuel type.  (See my article, “Hurricane Tech – The Whole House Generator Option” for information on Whole House Generators.)

Some Portable Generators, known as “Tri-Fuel” models, ship with the ability to support Gasoline, Natural Gas, or Liquid Propane.  This offers the best of all worlds, as these are the three most common Fuel types available.  Again, some mechanical configuration changes are required when switching between Fuel types because the fittings and chambers required to burn Gasoline, a liquid, are different than those required to burn Natural Gas or Liquid Propane, both in gaseous form at time of combustion.

Regardless of the Fuel type selected, ONLY use the Fuel type for which the Generator is specifically configured to accept.  FUELS ARE NOT INTERCHANGEABLE.  Failure to use the proper Fuel type for the Generator may result in significant damage to the engine as well as possible explosion and fire.

The advantages and disadvantages of each Fuel type will be discussed in future articles.

Hurricane Tech – The Whole House Generator Option

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In my article, “Hurricane Tech – Keeping the Lights On with a Portable Generator”, I discuss the benefits and basics of having a Generator to keep critical devices such as Refrigerators, Freezers, Heating, and Communications operational in the case of a Utility Power Outage.  The limitation is that a Portable Generator can only provide electricity to a limited number of devices such as those mentioned above.

If you want the ability to power most every device in your home – as if Utility Power were still present – you need a Whole House Generator that is able to produce a similar number of Amps.  The average home with a 100amp electrical panel would require a Generator capable of producing approximately 12,000watts.  And, with a 200amp panel, the Generator would need to produce approximately 20,000watts.

It is possible to power an entire home with a Generator producing less than the above approximate output wattage ratings if using a “Load Shedding Generator Switch.”  (See my article “Hurricane Tech – The Load Shedding Generator Switch” for an explanation of how this can be accomplished.)

It is more common to use a properly sized Whole House Generator so that the average load on the Generator is between 50% and 70% of rated capacity.  If you have 200amp service and a 20,000watt Whole House Generator, and assuming normal living patterns so that only selected lights and appliances are in use at any one time, the Generator should be operating in that range.  Rarely are Electrical Circuits in any home at capacity but more likely at a similar 50% to 75% of maximum capacity.

The Whole House Generator is usually connected to the Main Electrical Panel of the home using an Automatic “Utility/Generator Transfer Switch” which works with the Generator to sense loss of Utility Power, Turn-On the Generator, and then switch the Power Source of the Electrical Panel to the Generator from Utility Power.  (See my article, “Hurricane Tech – The Utility/Generator Transfer Switch”.)

Other than following local Electrical and Plumbing codes and using Licensed professionals for the installation, the other major decision after the sizing capacity is the Fuel Source for the Whole House Generator.  The most popular use Natural Gas (NG), Liquid Propane (LP), while some use Diesel Fuel or Fuel Oil.  The actual output of a Generator can be affected by the Fuel selection.  NG/LP rated Generators will produce approximately 10% less output with NG.  With LP, the output is closer to the actual rating.  A 20,000watt Generator may actually produce 19,500watts with LP but only 17,280watts with NG

A Whole House Generator requires periodic testing/”exercising” and maintenance.  Typically, a Whole House Generator will turn itself on once per week and “exercise” for approximately 20 minutes.  Like any other Engine, Oil needs to be changed.  For most Whole House Generators this is approximately every 100 hours or annually depending on usage.  IT IS CRITICAL TO FOLLOW ALL MANUFACTURERS MAINTENANCE RECOMMENDATIONS.  Failure to do so may cause the Generator to fail or not to start when it is needed most during a Power Outage.

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE:  CONSULT WITH A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN AND GENERATOR PROFESSIONAL TO CONFIGURE AND SELECT A PROPERLY SIZED WHOLE HOUSE GENERATOR SUITABLE FOR YOUR NEEDS.  ALWAYS USE A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN AND LICENSED PLUMBER TO PERFORM THE INSTALLATION.  FAILURE TO INSTALL A GENERATOR, TRANSFER SWITCH, NATURAL GAS OR LIQUID PROPANE CONNECTIONS CORRECTLY MAY RESULT IN FIRE, EXPLOSION, SERIOUS INJURY, OR DEATH.

Hurricane Tech – The Load Shedding Generator Transfer Switch

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A Load Shedding Generator Transfer Switch allows you to do more with less.

A standard Generator Transfer Switch provides a one to one relationship for the Main Electrical Panel Circuit being protected by the Generator.  (To learn more about the technology, read my article, “Hurricane Tech – The Utility/Generator Transfer Switch”)

A Load Shedding Generator Switch assumes that the demand by protected circuits is less than the maximum potential load thereby allowing more Circuits to be protected.  It does this by splitting the Circuits in to two or more groups of Critical/Priority Circuits and Non-Critical/Secondary Circuits.   Under normal operating conditions, assuming total sustained operating load is within the capacity output rating of the Generator (i.e. the Generator is producing enough electricity to power all of the devices presently turned “On”), all Primary and Secondary Circuits receive electricity from the Generator.

When a Primary Circuit demands additional electricity, such as when Heating System circulator pump or fan turns on, the draw of electricity may be greater than that being produced by the Generator.  To mitigate the problem, the Load Shedding Generator Transfer Switch will automatically “Shed the Load” or shut-down Secondary, Non-Critical Circuits such as lights or perhaps another high wattage appliance like a dishwasher to re-balance the available electricity from the Generator and provide it to the Primary, Critical Circuits.

Here is why it works:  The average electrical circuit in a home is rated at a maximum of 15 amps.  But rarely does the actual sustained load, (the amount of electricity required by the plugged in devices while “On”), approach the rated maximum of 15 amps.   And certainly the surge load, (additional electricity that is required when a device is turned “On”), does not exceed it.  If either the sustained or surge turn-on load exceeded the rated 15 amps, the Circuit Breaker would be tripping to “Off” frequently.  When this does happen, you remove devices, (un-plug them), such as that 1000 watt Hair Dryer and you “shed load” by turning off other devices on the same Circuit until the Circuit Breaker stops tripping to “Off.”

The same exact principle and math apply to the Main Electrical Panel in your home or office, which is usually rated at 100amps or 200amps.   As noted above, an individual Circuit Breaker may trip.  But rarely does anyone have a Main 100amp or 200amp Breaker trip (to “Off”) because the whole house load requirement, (total amount of electricity in use), never gets close to the maximum rating.

The Load Shedding Generator Switch takes advantage of this principle by allocating the total amount of electricity being produced by the Generator to all connected Circuits on a Priority basis determined by Critical and Non-Critical Groups of Circuits.  Instead of you having to be explicitly mindful of which devices are “On” or “Off” and personally managing the available electricity from the Generator, the Load Shedding Generator Transfer Switch can do it for you.

NOTE:  Keep in mind that unless you have a Generator capable of powering your entire home or office, one where the Generator output capacity closely matches the rating of the Main Electrical Panel at 100amps or 200amps, that the primary purpose of Emergency Generator Power is for Life Safety and Critical Services.  Non-Critical Circuits and Devices will need to be managed or remain “Off” during the Power Outage.

With a standard Generator Transfer Switch, the Emergency Load Demand, (amount of electricity and Amps) required to run these critical Circuits will be determined in advance and is fixed.  The same is basically true for a Load Shedding Generator Transfer Switch except that you have the added benefit of adding and allocating power Non-Critical Circuits – if excess Generator power is available.

Put simply, I definitely want my Living Room TV, FiOS Router, Set-Top Box operational along with my Refrigerator, Freezer, Heating System, and Electronic Start Gas Oven as a “Critical Circuits.”  If after all other Critical Circuit Loads are met, there is excess Generator capacity available, I would like to be able to power up the TV and related electronics in the Master Bedroom.  But as soon as a Critical Circuit needs more power (like when the Circulator Pumps to the Heating System kick “On”), it is O.K. for the Load Shedding Generator Transfer Switch to cut power to the Master Bedroom TV to meet the demand and allocate the available Generator Power to the Heating System.

As a reminder, when running on Generator “Emergency Power”, you should be mindful of what devices are “On” or “Off” at all times.  If you do not have the Generator capacity to “light up the entire house like Times Square” then you need to manage the available capacity either manually or with a Load Shedding Generator Transfer Switch.

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE:  It is CRITICAL to consult with a Licensed Electrician to determine the proper device and appliance load demand along with Circuit ratings and configuration.  A Transfer Switch is connected to LIVE ELECTRICTY provided from either Utility Power or a Generator.  FAILURE TO FOLLOW MANUFACTURES INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS AND MAXIMUM LOAD RATINGS MAY RESULT IN FIRE, SERIOUS INJURY, SEVERE ELECTRICAL SHOCK, OR DEATH.

Hurricane Tech – Advantage of Verizon FiOS vs Cablevision

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One of the key advantages of having Verizon’s Fiber Optic Service (FiOS) for your Telephone service is that all of the equipment from the Central Telephone Office up to your home is completely powered by Verizon.  This is a significant difference from Cablevision which relies on the Utility Company to provide electricity to power its’ equipment on the Utility Poles.

When the Power goes out, Verizon is 100% self-reliant.  Verizon takes responsibility for making sure that all of its’ FiOS transmission equipment is properly powered by using a combination of backup electrical generators and battery backup units.  Verizon trucks will periodically visit Transmission equipment locations to re-charge batteries so that equipment stays fully operational when Utility power is out.  Even if it is days before Utility power is restored, there is a high degree of probability, short of physical damage to the FiOS transmission lines, that FiOS Services will stay operational.

With Cablevision, all Services start to fail shortly after Utility power is lost as the batteries in the Transmission Equipment drain to zero.  Once the Cablevision equipment batteries run-down, Services cannot be restored until Utility Power is restored.  (This is true for most Cable Providers, not just Cablevision.)

Important Note:  In both the case of Verizon FiOS and Cablevision, there is a piece of equipment installed in your home or office that requires “electricity” to work.  In the case of Verizon FiOS, this is called an “O.N.T.” or Optical Network Terminal.  For Cablevision, this is usually a Cable Modem.  (This is true for most Cable Providers, not just Cablevision.)

As discussed in my article, “Hurricane Tech – Powering your Land Line Phone Service”, with a properly installed Backup Battery, Telephone Service will remain operational, on average, for up to eight hours provided that your respective provider: Verizon FiOS or Cablevision has their Transmission Equipment powered and functioning.  If you add a decent size Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) of approximately a 1,500watt rating, you may get almost a full twelve hours of Internet and TV Service in addition to the Telephone service.

Case in point:  During Hurricane Irene, I lost power and even though I had a Generator to power my Cable Modem, within a few hours all of my Cablevision Services failed – No Telephone, No TV, No Internet – because Cablevision relies on Utility Power for its’ Transmission equipment on the poles.  My Cable modem had power but the Transmission facilities between my home and Cablevision were dead.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, even though power was out for several days, my neighbors who had Generators had their Verizon FiOS Telephone, TV, and Internet without issue.  In my case, even when Utility Power was restored it was another week before Cablevision services returned.

Considering the connected world I live in and the fact that I am in the “Technology Consulting” business, I thought it would make sense to hedge my bets against the next natural disaster and install Verizon FiOS alongside Cablevision so that I would have both for redundancy.  I had no idea at the time of my decision how fortuitous a move that would be.

On October 18th, 2012, just two weeks before Hurricane/Tropical Storm Sandy hit, I had the Verizon FiOS Ultimate Triple Play deal installed.  In the middle of Sandy, at approximately 9:30am on Monday, October 29th, my super reliable, traditional Copper Telephone Service, that usually always survives severe storms, failed.  It was not until around 5:45pm that Utility Power failed.  Since my phone system had a battery backup unit, as did my Verizon FiOS and Cable modem, I still had Telephone Service.  I powered up the Portable Gasoline powered Generator and TV and Internet immediately returned on my Verizon FiOS set-top box and Internet Router.  As expected, my Cablevision TV and Internet service had failed.

Remarkably, even though our area was without Utility power for over eight days, Verizon FiOS remained fully operational and completely without issue.  It was not until Utility Power was restored that any Cablevision services returned (TV, Phone, Internet) and then once they did, they went out the following day again for another twelve hours.

The reason Verizon FiOS was operational was because Verizon completely controls the Power for its Transmission equipment and is 100% self-sufficient.  Again, it is important to note that I had a Generator to keep the Verizon FiOS equipment in my home, the ONT, “powered” with electricity.

The combination of an extremely robust infrastructure, as designed and built by Verizon, along with my own Disaster Recovery Preparedness, (a Generator), allowed me to stay fully “connected” to the outside world during Hurrican/Tropical Storm Sandy and beyond.  With a working Verizon FiOS Triple Play package of Phone, TV, and Internet – including WiFi, I was able to receive critical Life Safety information from News Stations as well as the Suffolk County and Huntington Township Telephone and Email Emergency Alert Communications.

Verizon FiOs – It’s the next best thing to the reliability of Copper.