Emergency Generators

Emergency generators can be a blessing in disguise. If your house is on a remote tranquil hillside somewhere you may be very familar with power cuts and the head ache they can cause. Even if you live in the suburbs, power shortages can be at least an annoyance, sometime life threatening. For hospitals and commercial establishments emergency generators are an essential fabric of the building, in homes they are extremely useful for running lights, heaters, refridgerators and medical equipment.

When power goes off for extended periods due to ice, hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes and other natural catastrophes, a backup emergency generator can be very beneficial. An emergency generator can provide important peace of mind: even short power outages can create dangerous situations or cost your business significant amounts of money.

There are two options when considering emergency generators, portable and permenant standby generators. Permenant generators are generally more powerful and cost more than their portable cousins. Portable generators, are much easier to move around, generally cheaper, and because of there smaller size have a lower power output.

Portable generators.

In times of emergencies, portable generators provide the most economical way of supplying back up power. Appliances are directly plugged into the generator using the recommended extension cord or alternatively are connected to the home wiring system using a transfer switch. Being portable they have other uses such as camping and other outdoor recreational activities, so may provide a more cost effective solution. 

Portable and permanent generators come in varying sizes and types. There are some generators that supply 120 volts while others come with a 120 to 240 volts supply. Determining the right size and type of generator is important. This depends on the individual house owner’s need for power in emergencies. A portable generator can provide power to run some basic electrical appliances like lighting, furnaces, televisions, refrigerators and water well pumps. Normally, for most homeowners a portable generator of the capacity of 5000 to 6000 watts may be sufficient.

There are a number of fuel options available, pertol powered generators are the most common. There are models that are powered by diesel, while some models available have multi fuel capabilities that run on gasoline, propane or natural gas. Petrol powered generators are the least expensive but have a relatively shorter life span and require frequent maintenance.

Diesel generators generally larger and more  expensive. They are fuel-efficient, require less maintenance and have a longer life. However, diesel generators are harder to start in the cold season. Using propane or natural gas powered generator is the best alternative if the fuels are readily available. These generators are expensive but require less maintenance and burn cleaner.

Permenant Standby generators.

Permenant emergency generators are hardwired into your building’s electrical system, and usually can get fuel from city gas or propane lines, alternative they have a separate fuel tank. An emergency home standby generator system can automatically restore power to your house in about 20 seconds. Standby generators are usually rated between 7-40 Kilowatts and automatically start whether you're there or not. Permanent standby generators always have protective switches that will turn off the generator when power is restored.

Because emergency generators are connected directly to your building’s wiring, proper installation is critical.  Before you buy determine which appliances are needed in an emergency, to do this work out the combined power consumption of the appliances required, this will give you the minimum power the generators should be capable of generating.

Finally, if you rent space, make sure your landlord approves your plans for installing an emergency generator. The generator is not intended to keep the entire house running, so think about what items must necessarily be operational during an emergency.