Owner who revived a $150 generator puts 10-year standby costs at $9,000 before repairs

After restoring a $150 portable generator, one homeowner began questioning whether the convenience of automatic backup power justified the expense.

Here's what to know

By their estimate in Reddit's r/Generator, a standby system could cost $8,000 to $9,000 over 10 years before repairs. At present, they use a 7,500-watt tri-fuel generator powered by two 100-pound propane tanks. They said the system worked admirably when 2018 nor'easters knocked out electricity for nearly a week, keeping refrigerators running for multiple households. 

But they wondered whether investing in a newer standby unit was worth it. "I keep doing the math on a standby unit and it never quite closes," the poster wrote. They listed annual service visits, labor costs, and a cold-weather kit as expenses they worried wouldn't pay off. 

One commenter reported that the cheapest installed 13-kilowatt system at their shop cost more than $14,000. Another said they received turnkey quotes above $12,000 over seven years ago.

One technician pointed out that most calls they responded to were for routine work — batteries, spark plugs, valve adjustments, and oil changes — rather than major breakdowns. Across a dozen years of service work, they reported three engine replacements.

What can be done?

As one Texas homeowner put it, "You just have to decide what is worth paying for." For them, a 13-kilowatt dual-fuel portable generator was enough to get them through two weeklong freezes, and they didn't mind managing demand by switching off an HVAC unit. 

"Our outages are short and pretty infrequent, so I didn't want to pay for a whole house generator," they added. Plug-and-play battery backup is another option for households that want to power a few essentials and is available for a fraction of the cost of whole-home systems. 

"You are never going to get your math to math on portable vs standby," another commenter said. "It is a completely different product with a different level of convenience. [Standby] comes on automatically, whether you are home or not. You don't have to drag it out and set it up."

"I am happy with my portable setup because where I live we rarely [lose] power," they concluded. "On the rare occasions when we do, I am willing and able to live with a certain amount of inconvenience."

Where can I learn more?

Once a generator is installed, service, repairs, and warranty coverage can all affect what owners pay. 

• A generator owner learned one repair could justify the cost of 10-year coverage.

• A homeowner questioned a $620 generator service bill after an unapproved battery replacement.

• A generator faced a potentially $100 regulator fix after ants nested inside.

• An owner questioned servicing a generator after 12 days without maintenance during operation.

• A shopper comparing generators learned service could outweigh warranty when choosing.

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