Hi,
John here. If you're not one of my regular
visitors,
besides cutting my electricity bill to nearly zero using
wind power; many readers are also looking for
information on
small power generatorsas standby
power sources using cheaper fuels .
For some time now I have been looking into
the types of
small power generators. My
speciality it has to be said is on home
power systems and not only saving the
earth's energy but also a whole load of
money at the same time.
I
have spent considerable time reviewing the
many types available on the market
to find the best
"Small
Power Generators", I have
been scouring the forums reading the reviews
and also the problems on these products.
After all my research these are the top products that I would
recommend.
Buying a
generator can be a daunting process.
However, you can take control by being
informed and getting organized. Here is
a simple checklist to use to help in
choosing the correct generator to
protect your home and family.
•
Determine wattage needs.
Determine how much power you need for
the items you care about. If you
decide to purchase a
portable generator, don't forget you
will also need a transfer switch to safely power the
circuits in your home.
•
Understand electrical terms.
You’ll see a lot about watts, volts,
amps and more. Review the glossary for
definitions.
•
Decide: standby
or
portable?
Considering your budget, convenience,
and power needs, choose which type of
generator you want.
•
Take care of home power issues.
Locate your existing electrical service
panel and gas line to target any
potential problems before buying a
generator.
Portable generators should be used
with a
transfer switch.
•
Perform product comparisons.
Compare power outputs, run times, and
prices, as well as what’s included in
those prices, such as
accessories, warranties, support and
installation.
•
Determine financing options.
Some generators are available with financing
options for generator purchases. We
recommend Amazon
as they also offer
FREE Super Saver Shipping and provide
no interest financing on select
items. Larger generators can also be
purchased with a local installation
service should t be required.
•
Consider included items.
Does the generator come with warranty or
maintenance package? What about a power
cord, oil, wheels, and funnel?
•
Consider additional costs.
How much more will it cost for
installation by a qualified
professional? Will you need an accessory
like a cover for protection from the
elements or a
transfer switch?
•
Establish your budget.
Generator prices fall across a wide
range, so determining how much you’d
like to spend is important.
Generators come in two basic types:
standby
and
portable. There also are
inverters, which are not generators
but may meet your needs. The source of
backup power you ultimately choose will
be determined by many factors, including
your power requirements.
Standby Generators:
A standby generator is permanently
installed outside your home or
commercial building and wired directly
into the electrical system to provide
power to some or all of your home's
circuits during a disruption of normal
utility power. Depending on the model,
they may start automatically when the
power goes out and stop when the power
returns.
Standby Generators
are fueled by
liquid propane or natural gas and
require professional installation, often
with a permit.
The number
of circuits to which a
standby generator can provide
power--and the number of appliances you
can run on those circuits--is determined
by the power capacity of the generator.
Standby Generators
are typically fully enclosed and vary in
size. Check the dimensions carefully. A
standby model may cost as little as
$1,500 or as much as $15,000 or
more--the greater the power capacity,
the higher the cost.
Portable generators are versatile. You
can use them for emergency power at
home, for power in remote locations
where utility power is unavailable, or
for recreational purposes, like boating
or camping.
Portable generators
are fueled by gasoline and include
120-volt power outlets like the ones in
the walls of your home. When the
generator is running, you can plug
appliances and tools directly into these
outlets. Some generators also include
120/240 or 240-volt outlets. These are
especially useful for running powering
into a transfer switch.
Portable generators
range in cost between a few hundred
dollars to several thousand dollars
depending on the capacity and features.
Inverters turn DC power into AC power,
the type of current that powers everyday
appliances. A common use of an
inverters is to connect one into a
car's cigarette lighter and then plug
small home appliances into the
inverter.
Inverters
have added features over the years, and
today many inverters include emergency
radios, lights, or their own internal
battery to store power.
When
you purchase an
inverter, you need one that can
handle the
wattage of the appliances you intend
to connect to it. Some
inverters are made specifically to
power low-wattage appliances, like
portable phones or digital music
players. Others can handle heavy-duty
power tools.
If
you're buying an
inverter that's powered by its own
battery, you'll have to consider how
many hours the inverter can provide
power before needing a recharge.
These gasoline powered generators are
typically smaller and run quieter than
the open frame generators and they often
vary the engine speed to the required
load, saving gas and wear and tear on
the generator. These generators are
great for camping where noise may be a
concern and for powering sensitive
electronic equipment.
Similar to portable and standby
generators, these cleaner burning
generators run on propane - making them
ideal solutions in emergency situations
where gasoline is scare. Additional
propane tanks can be saved and used as
backup tanks, keeping the power on.
The rest
of this buying guide focuses solely on
standby and portable generators.
There
are two basic power measurements for
generators: starting watts (also known
as startup power, max watts, or peak
power) and continuous or running watts.
Starting wattage is required for
appliances at startup or when they are
running at their highest levels of power
consumption. Continuous power is the
wattage required for operation of those
appliances under normal load. Both are
measured in wattage.
•
Standby generators create from 5,000 to
25,000 watts or more of power. You'll
have to choose a generator that supplies
sufficient peak and continuous wattage
for the appliances on the circuits you
need to power.
•
You can choose between an air-cooled and
a liquid-cooled model
standby generators. Generally,
liquid-cooled models are bigger and
create more power.
•
A small 1,000-watt
portable generators may be all you
need for recreational purposes. And you
may use up to 8,000 watts if using a
generator to power tools on the jobsite.
•
Because you plug appliances directly
into a
portable generators, you'll also want
to make sure that your model has the
number and type of outlets you need. The
size of the fuel tank also is crucial.
The bigger the tank, the longer your
generator can run without refilling and
produce power.
Aside
from pure power production, there are
some useful features and
accessories to consider when buying
a generator.
Transfer Switch
- If you want to use your generator to
power part or all of your home, you'll
need a sufficiently sized generator and
a
transfer switch. The
transfer switch safely closes off
the utility power line to your house's
electrical system and opens a direct
line to the generator and reverses the
process when utility power is restored.
Standby
models can work either with a manual or
an automatic
transfer switch. The benefit of an
automatic
transfer switch is that it senses
when utility power has been lost and
automatically switches to generator
power.
Wheeled Frames
- As the name suggests,
portable generators can be
transported to different locations. The
smallest
portable generators are
comparatively light--perhaps 50
pounds--and can be carried. Larger
models can weigh as much as several
hundred pounds, making a wheeled frame
essential for moving it out of the
garage or shed to power up when you lose
power.
Noise
- Generators aren't necessarily quiet.
Some offer extra features to reduce the
noise created during operation. Look for
large mufflers if noise is a concern.
Standby
Generators: Standby generators
are wired directly into your current
electrical system and generally require
professional installation. Installing a
standby generator
by yourself may
void the unit's warranty or violate
local building codes, so research these
issues before you begin. The basic steps
are as follows.
First,
mount the unit outside your home on a
concrete pad or plastic mounting pads
that come with the generator. You may
need a contractor to pour the concrete
foundation and mount the generator.
Next
you'll need to contact your gas or
propane company to connect the unit to
its fuel source.
Last,
you'll have to call an electrician to
hook the generator up to your home's
electrical system. Some generators come
with pre-wired kits that make it easier
for the "do-it-yourselfer" to do the
wiring. In most cases, it's probably
safest and best to have this work done
for you by a licensed professional.
Once
installed, operation depends on whether
you've used a manual or an automatic
transfer switch. With an automatic
transfer switch, if the generator
senses a disruption in utility power, it
turns itself on and takes over power
production until utility power resumes.
With a manual
transfer switch, you have to handle
these chores yourself.
On a
standby model, you'll have to change the
oil and filters on a regular basis. Many
manufacturers provide maintenance kits
to make this easier.
Portable generators: Setup for portable
generators is easy. Just make sure to
keep the exhaust port pointed away from
your house, and to have the proper
distance from your windows and other
house openings. If you're not planning
to hook your
portable generators into your home or
building's electrical system, there is
not a lot of setup involved other than
finding a safe place outside your home
for the generator. Because portable
generators create carbon monoxide, you
should never run them inside a building,
beneath a window, or near any opening to
your house (doors, vents, etc.).
Once
situated, fill the generator with the
required type of gasoline and oil and
start the unit. Startup can be as simple
as pressing a switch, but on some you'll
have to yank a manual recoil pull-cord.
Of
course, you will have to plug the
appliances you want to power into the
generator, refuel it as necessary, and
shut the generator off when you're
finished with it.
If you
want to connect your generator to your
home's electrical system, you'll need a
manual
transfer switch. Make sure your
generator's manufacturer supports
connecting your model to a
transfer switch. If supported,
comply with your model's safety and
warranty guidelines as well any local
building codes during the installation.
In general, it's best to hire an
electrician to handle the wiring of your
home to the generator and
transfer switch.
However
you use your generator, over time you'll
have to change filters, oil, and spark
plugs. Plus, you should not store
gasoline in the generator when you're
not using it. Either run the generator
empty or add a gasoline stabilizer that
will prevent the gasoline from "gumming"
up. Many manufacturers sell tune-up kits
for their models. Follow the instruction
manual closely.
Generator Safety:
Always read the owner’s manual and
instructions for your generator and
carefully follow all instructions and
warnings in order to safely start and
operate the generator. These tips are
merely supplemental and are not intended
to substitute reading of the owner’s
manual.
•
Never run a generator indoors or in
partly enclosed areas such as garages.
Only use outdoors and away from windows,
doors, vents, crawl spaces and in an
area where adequate ventilation is
available. Using a fan or opening doors
and windows will not provide sufficient
ventilation.
•
Operate the generator only on level
surfaces and where it will not be
exposed to excessive moisture, dirt,
dust or corrosive vapors
•
Do not overfill the fuel tank. Always
allow room for fuel expansion.
•
Never add fuel while unit is running or
hot. Allow generator and engine to cool
entirely before adding fuel.
•
Never store a generator with fuel in the
tank where gasoline vapors might reach
an open flame, spark or pilot light.
•
Do not connect your generator directly
to your home's wiring or into a regular
household outlet. Connecting a portable
electric generator directly to your
household wiring can be deadly to you
and others. A generator that is directly
connected to your home's wiring can
'back feed' onto the power lines
connected to your home and injure
neighbors or utility workers.
•
The generator must be properly grounded.
If the generator is not grounded, you
run the risk of electrocution. We
strongly recommend that you check and
adhere to all applicable federal, state
and local regulations relating to
grounding.
•
Allow at least five feet of clearance on
all sides of the generator when
operating.
•
Inspect the generator regularly and
contact the nearest authorized dealer
for parts needing repair or replacement.
•
Do not overload the generator. Do not
operate more appliances and equipment
than the output rating of the generator.
A portable electric generator should be
used only when necessary, and only to
power essential equipment.
Severe Weather Preparedness:
Be prepared for severe weather or other
events with this emergency checklist of
emergency necessities. Store loose items
in sturdy, easy-to-carry containers, and
keep them together in an easily
accessible place. This list is for
introductory purposes only; you should
customize your own Family Disaster Plan.
•
3-day supply of bottled water (1 gallon
per person per day) and canned goods
•
First Aid kit with prescription
medications
•
Flashlight
•
Extra generator fuel and extension cords
•
Non-electrical can opener
•
Batteries
•
Weather radio/portable radio
•
Blankets
•
Emergency telephone numbers
Having
a generator for your emergency backup
power is an additional way to be
prepared for any event that threatens
utility power. An emergency backup
generator will keep the lights on and
the freezer cold, providing your family
that feeling of safety and security.
, don't forget you
will also need a 
