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Comment by cheschire | Hacker News Reader

I feel like I must be missing some obvious thing because I simply don’t feel the need for a generator. Otherwise, why are whole-home generators so wildly popular, including so-called “solar generators” that are just batteries with crazy expensive solar panels and a convenient plug. And now this EV whole home generator concept taking off after the Ford F-150 Lightning made it well known.

But I’ve survived multi-day power outages with nothing more than some flashlights, a camping stove and a camping heater. The cost of replacing my frozen foods is negligible compared to the cost of generators.

What am I missing? Obviously some edge cases like CPAP, O2 concentrators, and other health things. But I have to imagine that is a small portion of the population compared to who’s buying these things.

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We have a wood burning fireplace insert (vs free standing stove) and a few days each winter we lose power. The blower on the fireplace uses about 100 watts and can help keep the house comfortable in sub-zero weather. That’s why we have a small battery/inverter. We have a “generator switch” near our electrical panel that powers just the circuit that the fireplace blower is on. In normal mode the circuit is powered by mains.

>But I’ve survived multi-day power outages with nothing more than some flashlights, a camping stove and a camping heater. The cost of replacing my frozen foods is negligible compared to the cost of generators.

How are you venting the exhaust gases? It's not an issue to run them briefly, but when you're talking during a multi day outage and extended run times in a confined spacer with limited air flow, that's a problem.

>What am I missing? Obviously some edge cases like CPAP, O2 concentrators, and other health things. But I have to imagine that is a small portion of the population compared to who’s buying these things.

Obvious case I can think of is air conditioning in extremely hot climates. An extended power outage in Phoenix, AZ during the summer would probably kill a decent number of people.

>But I’ve survived multi-day power outages with nothing more than some flashlights, a camping stove and a camping heater

But why would you want to do that? Would you still want to do it that way if it were 0°F or 110°F outside?

0f isn’t that hard in a house. Doors compartmentalize the place pretty good. Safety is a valid concern, but one that can be mitigated in straightforward ways with just mild discipline.

110f is something I would just drive away from. So the same question in return, why would you want to do that?

Why would I want to what, live in a comfortable house with modern amenities?

No, the question is why would you stay in your house if the power is out and it’s over 98 degrees? Just leave the immediate area. Whatever caused the power outage is likely dangerous enough to justify leaving as well.

If you have a generator, the power isn't out.

Crazy expensive solar panels? Depending on where you live they can be gotten for less than $120 USD for a half kW panel, retail cost.

It gets expensive if you insist on a hybrid inverter and battery. But even then, you can get full ROI in less than five years in some locations. ROI is highly dependent on local labor costs, tariffs, grid electricity costs, local solar irradiance, and net metering arrangements.

95 degrees, 100% humidity, and hurricane season.

Also:

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_storm

Just because you can does not mean you have or should.

Also just because YOU can, does not mean others can as easily.

Okay so convenience and ease are the justification you’re suggesting here?

Huh?

I am suggesting that just because its easy for you to survive does not mean its easy for others. Older people, families (especially those with young children). Areas with weather on either side of the spectrum. These are not just "edge cases".

If I had to replace every single item in my fridge I could see it easily being $500. If I lived in an area with annual outages I can see the benefit again.

A simple portable generator with a plug installed to your homes panel, probably $1500 all in. A whole house probably $10-20k. If I lived in an area that is prone to outages I can definitely see the possible benefit of installing the whole house generator. But I would say that the $1500 option is much much more common.

If you have plenty of resources, they aren't really all that expensive.

I don't have one but give it a lot of consideration just because it would be the easy way to deal with an extended winter outage where I would otherwise have to drain pipes and hope for the best.

A family with small kids?

Do kids need electricity to run these days?

For sure, they run on iPads.

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