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http://www.generac.com/

Go there. Ask for a generator and installation. Hand them your credit card or a check for $10-12k.

If you don't have natural gas, go to the local LP supplier and buy a 250 or 500 gallon tank and have them install it.

Done.

Seriously, unless you happen to have a very large electric demand, such as electric heat/heat pump (and it sounds like you don't), you can probably get by with a 17-20kW Generac automatic standby generator. That'll push close to 80A@240V, so as long as you're not running everything at once you can squeak by. The easy ones will even auto-cycle every week or two to keep them in running condition, and will automatically start and transfer power without you're ever needing to lift a finger. 500 gallons of LP will run this baby for 10 days... http://www.generac.com/Products/Residential/AirCooled/20KW.aspx

I work for a company that installs whole home generators. They range in size, but get up there pretty high. The cost obviously varies with the size. We install Guardian Generac generators. Check out this site: http://www.generac.com/Products/Residential/AirCooled/AirCooled.aspx. The advantage to a whole home generator is that it does not require you to refuel it. It ties right into your natural gas line and creates power from that. It also does not require you to do anything. Power goes out, generator starts up, transfer switch moves to generator power, lights come back on. It's that easy. I would recommend this option over any portable method becuase of the reliability and easibility it provides.

If you don't want to schlep the generator in the rain or snow (that's when the power goes out!), spend the money and get an automatic transfer switch and a pad-mounted generator in a weatherproof box.

Understand the difference between prime power and backup power. You want backup power unless you're made of money. Air cooled means less maintenance and more reliability. Propane or natural gas fuel means you don't worry about feeding it (as long as the gas co. keeps your tank filled!).

Every time that thing kicks on, especially when I'm out of town, I'm glad I bought it. 'Cause if mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.

It's not rated to run a central A/C, (not enough starting inertia) but it runs ours just fine.

The hardware cost us $3000, and comes with clear instructions for installation. I'd suggest hiring a licensed electrician to install it, but if you know the code, knock yourself out.

You can download the installation drawings and review them before you buy.

I just built a new house, and had a 20kW Generac air-cooled generator installed along with a 200A automatic transfer switch and buried 1,000 gallon propane tank. It can run on propane or natural gas, and is manly enough to run my whole house. I have heat pumps with backup propane furnaces. The outside units are small enough so that I do not have to sequence the startup of the compressors, but I could do that if necessary (and may anyway). It self-tests once a week. All told, minus the tank (since many/most of you will have NG service), about $8,000 installed and tested. Well worth it for totally automatic, no-worries switchover even if we're away.

A 12V car charger will do nicely. Most phones come with one, and even if yours doesn't they're widely available and don't cost much. The charger is low current, so you don't need to run the engine while charging.

The bigger concern is the cell company's infrastructure. I can't believe they fought the FCC's run time and maintenance requirements. Because the cell phone system is part of the 9-1-1 communications infrastructure, I'd expect at a minimum NFPA 110 Class 24, level 2 compliance (24 hours run-time before refueling).

What are you thinking?!?

You don't want a single, big, expensive generator which may or may not fire up when you need it. You want back-up generation with the same high-availability low-cost characteristics as your server farm.

You want Generac Power Systems' Modular Power System (MPS).

Yes, I'm totally biased. I helped design the controllers.

-- Rick Miller, Software Engineer. (See "/usr/src/linux/CREDITS")

Don't mess with that weak one I showed you... look at these and you can get a megawatt!