Running a petrol generator vs the cost of batteries compared

[Lupus]

I quite like my config at the moment.

2 x 100Ah Lithium's on a Mecer 24v inverter.

This setup is in my garage, with cabling running through the roof into the house. One connection point at my TV with a large lamp for some light (also my fiber connectivity), and the other going all the way to the other side of my house, into my gaming room. This runs my laptop with screens, as well as a switch with 3 IP camera's outside.

This is perfect for my needs, and ran my equipment without issue yesterday for about 4 hours without even dropping a bar on the battery icon.

View attachment 1334676

Yeah the 100ah lithiums are what helped, has those been 100ah LAs, they'd have died an hour maybe 2.

 

[_TrXtR_]

Stage 2 is up to twice a day, stage 4 is 3 times a day, for most areas with 2 hour schedules.

ok...

 

[Lupus]

ok...

You'll run it more hours on stage 4, cause it's 3 times a day, sure one of the schedules is probably early morning.

 

[mpdjhb]

Generators like those are a pain - having to refuel them, maintain them, change oil, go out in the cold to start and stop them. All that adds to the "cost" of ownership and the "cost" of your time. Also the on/off hard cycle on the appliances are not great (OFF when then power goes out, ON again when gennie runs, OFF again when you turn gennie off, and then ON again when you switch house back to mains feed).

They also do not work when you are away and then your fridge/freezer defrosts, lights alarms and fences dont work, etc.

 

[panic mechanic]

My main concern with the article is that they are pouring water into a petrol tank

 

[Lupus]

Generators like those are a pain - having to refuel them, maintain them, change oil, go out in the cold to start and stop them. All that adds to the "cost" of ownership and the "cost" of your time. Also the on/off hard cycle on the appliances are not great (OFF when then power goes out, ON again when gennie runs, OFF again when you turn gennie off, and then ON again when you switch house back to mains feed).

They also do not work when you are away and then your fridge/freezer defrosts, lights alarms and fences dont work, etc.

You're supposed to remove your appliances before stopping generator.

 

[hj007]

Service costs for generator.
Replacement cost every 5 years for batteries.
Future price of fuel.
Lots of moving parts in this analysis...

 

[Tiggerxi77]

How much it costs to run a generator vs buying a battery backup

Although generators are cheaper than an equivalent battery backup, the cost to run them can be quite high depending on load-shedding intensity.

MyBroadband determined how much smaller generators — capable of running your internet, computer, TV, and a few other appliances — cost to run at varying frequencies of stage 2 and 4 load-shedding.

With a generator there is no return on investment. A small power trolley (600va) with 1.2kva lithium battery and 2 solar panels may cost around R12000 but you can use it all year round to power your entertainment area and fridge / freezer. During its lifetime it will pay itself off. Don't forget that generators need maintenance too.

 

[JustAsk]

You'll run it more hours on stage 4, cause it's 3 times a day, sure one of the schedules is probably early morning.

Actually 2 of those stage4 cycles will always fall outside most people's usable time in the week. Hell many stage2 cycles will too, so this "cost calculation" is pointless.

You're supposed to remove your appliances before stopping generator.

Think you misunderstood. He means there's much more on/off cycles with gennies.
.

 

[Danie_V]

Been happy with my batteries for last three years, and I was planning to use them for 8 years, but I suppose that also depends on how hard you run them. Apart from silence, no emissions, and solar charging, batteries also get to save you electricity every single day regardless of whether there is load shedding ie. solar charging in day, plus about 6 hours runtime on the batteries through every evening, then grid use to sunrise. So they cost a lot more upfront, but my thinking was they are not only for load shedding.

 

[Lupus]

Actually 2 of those stage4 cycles will always fall outside most people's usable time in the week. Hell many stage2 cycles will too, so this "cost calculation" is pointless.

That's not what he said...
.

Not here in JHB, 3 sessions with one normally being out, they are 6 hours apart, is especially annoying WFH.

 

[Lupus]

Been happy with my batteries for last three years, and I was planning to use them for 8 years, but I suppose that also depends on how hard you run them. Apart from silence, no emissions, and solar charging, batteries also get to save you electricity every single day regardless of whether there is load shedding ie. solar charging in day, plus about 6 hours runtime on the batteries through every evening, then grid use to sunrise. So they cost a lot more upfront, but my thinking was they are not only for load shedding.

No solar saves you, batteries don't. They require charging which happens when power comes back.

 

[Tiggerxi77]

Yeah the 100ah lithiums are what helped, has those been 100ah LAs, they'd have died an hour maybe 2.

You get what you pay for. They may cost 4x more but you can get 1kw out of them and probably 5000 cycles... Then they are down to maybe 80% capacity. LA or AGM is kaput after 500 cycles... Spend the extra money if you have it.

 

[Lupus]

You get what you pay for. They may cost 4x more but you can get 1kw out of them and probably 5000 cycles... Then they are down to maybe 80% capacity. LA or AGM is kaput after 500 cycles... Spend the extra money if you have it.

Sho if that I think if you're lucky you'll get 500 cycles, but most it's like 300 and with stage 4 that could be done in 5 months.

 

[Tiggerxi77]

Yeah the 100ah lithiums are what helped, has those been 100ah LAs, they'd have died an hour maybe 2.

I was being kind and optimistic. Problem is to get 1kw worth of power out of 100ah LA or AGM you need to get 2 or 4 so you end up paying the same price, take up 4x the space and if 1 dies they all have to be replaced. Not worth getting as backup.

 

[dillinger]

It would be interesting to find out how much a replacement inverter board costs, with Kipor the inverter board cost more then a new generator.

 

[xumwun]

This is once again such lazy journalism. You compare 4 generators and the price of fuel to run them and put that against a battery system but neglect to state how much it will cost to charge that battery system at current KWh prices. Basically a pointless comparison...

It also assumes batteries last forever.

 

[Morph69]

My question is what type of batteries are they referring to as I have about 4 ups which after 6 to 12 months barely last 5 min (not counting how much we loosing when not working) and would cost quite a bit more to replace the batteries so maybe a gennie /inverter would be better..

 

[deesef]

It also assumes batteries last forever.

Even worse, the article assumes that the generator only lasts for 1 year! There are so many holes in the article on both sides of the battery/gennie arguement that it is totally worthless.