Portable Generators
In hurricane season, thoughts often go to portable generators. Regardless of whether
or not our homes sustain wind or flood damage from the hurricane itself, the aftereffect that
affects the most people is power outages. Portable power generator, whether
portable diesel
generator, portable gas generator or portable electric generator, can vastly increase your
ability to conduct your daily life without misery in the absence of electricity. The type
and size of the generator you should buy depends upon your perceived needs. They can range
anywhere from portable power generators that create just enough power for a few light bulbs to
whole-house generators that are wired into your electrical system and can power many if not
all of your appliances. The power source for your generator is another question to address.
The most widely available generators, including Coleman and Honda portable generator, are those powered by
gasoline; other variations get their power from diesel fuel or propane gas. A generator is
essentially an engine that, like a car, runs on fuel. When considering a generator, you also
need to think about where you will store the fuel, since fuels are combustible and cannot
safely be stored inside the home. Keep in mind also that many service station fuel pumps are
electrically powered and may not be operational in the wake of a widespread power failure, so
when possible, stock up on the fuel your generator requires in advance of an oncoming storm.
This may be an investment where it is better to be safe than sorry, because fuels degrade over
time. If you wind up not needing to use your generator, you may have to discard the unused
fuel, but in the worst-case scenario you will be happy that you laid in a supply. Most
generators are rated by their wattage. That refers to how many watts of power they produce and
how much demand they can handle. For example, a 1,000-watt generator is enough to
simultaneously power a TV, a few lights, and perhaps a computer or a microwave oven. A
2,500-watt generator can power a refrigerator, and perhaps one or two small lights. A
5,000-watt generator can handle multiple appliances and apparatus such as not only your
refrigerator but your well pump, water heater, and perhaps a room air conditioner (or furnace
pump, if it's a winter storm); these are considered "whole house" generators and should be
wired into your home's circuitry. Always keep in mind that a byproduct of running a gas or
diesel generator is carbon dioxide. These machines must not be run indoors. Plan a safe place
to keep your generator, from which you can run extension cords to supply power. You will need
to use heavy-duty extension cords; it's wise to check and see what sort of extension cords the
manufacturer of your portable power generator recommends. |
