- Choose a generator that meets the requirements of the appliances you plan to power when electrical service is interrupted. If you only plan to run a few appliances, such as a refrigerator, freezer and other small appliances for basic necessities, you can choose a smaller generator. If you plan on switching to generated power for your entire house, you will need a larger system.
To determine the size of the generator that will meet your needs, calculate the wattage of the appliances you plan to power with the generator. Most appliances will have the wattage required on the appliance on the UL label. Some appliances will have this information in the owner's manual or user guide. You can calculate the watts required for an appliance even if you can only find the amps and volts. Simply multiply the amps times the volts. (watts = volts x amps). Generators are sold by the number of kilowatts they generate. One kilowatt equals 1,000 watts.
If you cannot find the wattage or amps and volts for an appliance, enter the make and model in an online search engine and type "PDF" after the make and model information. This will often return a link to the product PDF file provided by the manufacturer. Add the wattage of all of the appliances you plan to use together and add 20 percent to get a rough idea of how much electricity will be required to meet your needs. - A portable generator is smaller, easy to use and can power many appliances when there is a power interruption. There are models that can be fueled with gasoline, propane or natural gas. Portable generators require extension cords to reach the appliances and can take some time to set up in an emergency. However, this is a great choice for emergency power for most families.
A permanent standby generator can supply power to the whole house, but should be installed by a professional. It will need to be installed outdoors, preferably close to the electrical panel for ease of installation. When choosing this option, the dealer will probably include an assessment of your needs and suggest the right generator for your home. Similar to portable generators, stand-by systems can be fueled with gasoline, propane and natural gas. Larger generators are available to run with diesel. Your generator dealer should be aware of any permits that may be required for installation of a stand-by generator for your area. A stand-by generator will generally start automatically if the power fails. - All generators should be set up outdoors. The fumes from the exhaust contain harmful gasses that can make you and your family sick or even cause death. Most generators come with safety features that shut down the generator in the event of overheating or other malfunction. Be sure to check all safety features for the generator you choose for your home.
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -