WE ARE SPOILED -- GET A GENERATOR

Imagine this. All is quiet in the house, kids are asleep, you are winding down by reading a book, and oops, the light flickers and then everything is dark. POWER OUTAGE!!! Don’t be caught without power. It can be very costly, unhealthy, and aggravating. Consider purchasing a whole-house generator.

HOW TO CHOOSE A GENERATOR

First let's go over the different types that are out there. Home generators for power outages can be portable or stationary (standby). They run on a variety of fuels, such as gasoline, diesel, natural gas (NG), and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Each type has its pros and cons. Portable gas models are relatively cheap.

For example, you can buy a 4000W set for under $300. However, such devices have short run time: you would need to refill their tank several times a day if you run them continuously at rated load. In addition to this, they are not suitable as a long-term power backup since gas pumps may not work during a wide spread blackout. For a long term emergency consider standby sets. They can provide continuous power for the home because they are hooked up to an external fuel source, such as NG line. Some portable devices can also be fueled from an external source and can therefore provide extended run time too. The main differences between them and stationary models are in their connection and activation. A portable device has to be rolled out from the storage, filled with fuel or hooked up to a fuel line, manually started, and connected to your loads. A fixed standby generator by contrast is already connected to both the house wiring and the fuel source. Therefore it can start immediately either by a push of a button or automatically. Automatic systems have an auto transfer switch. It can sense a power outage, isolate your electrical wiring or designated emergency circuits from the grid, and start the genset. When grid voltage is restored, such a system will connect you back to the utility lines and will turn itself off. You don't even have to be at home to activate it. Note that the typical transfer time of an automatic system is 10-30 seconds. Therefore, if you run important computer applications, you may still need a UPS. It can prevent data loss during the transfer time. Note that even though permanently installed natural gas powered gensets can provide practically unlimited run time, you still need to periodically shut them down to change the motor oil. With some engines you will need to do it as often as every 50-100 hours of operation. This is another reason why a UPS will be useful.

In addition to the convenience of an auto starting option and practically infinite run time, permanently connected standby systems offer power levels higher than portables. Their rating ranges anywhere from 5 kilowatt up into hundreds of kW. All this makes them the best whole house generators for power outages, especially for the long-lasting ones. Of course, they are more expensive than portables and require professional installation, which are their main disadvantages. Note however, such systems do increase the value of the house.

So, what to look for when you are choosing a generator for the home? My advice is: aside from wattage and cost, the main things to consider are the duration of time you may need emergency power, fuel availability, and convenience of use.

SELECTING THE FUEL

If you go for a stationary type, your choice of fuel should be determined primarily by the source you already use for the home's heating or by the fuels available in your area. Note that most residential generators are bi-fuel and can run on both natural gas and LPG (casually called propane). You will normally need a simple field adjustment to convert from one fuel to the other. If like most homes your house is already supplied with gas, or if LPG is readily available in your area, a bi-fuel NG/propane genset is your logical choice. See our detailed standby genset review for ratings and characteristics of various systems. Among major brands, the Generac's Guardian® and Briggs & Stratton IntelliGen models probably have the lowest cost per kW. In my view they are the best buys. You just need to pick the right size. Kohler and GE are a bit more expensive, but they offer a longer warranty. As a rule of thumb, an average house with up to 5-ton central air conditioner typically needs a system rated between 15kW and 17kW.

Give us a call to talk to the experts.