Why Home Generator?
Purchasing a home generator for many people is a major expense, but one that becomes necessary because of frequent power outages. This is usually caused by an over demand on the available supply, or from downed lines during severe storms. Some areas just seem to get more of these problems than others, and there is not much that can be done about it except to be prepared. The best way to do this is to have on hand a home generator that can restore limited power supply to your home to keep the essential items running. We advise anyone interested in buying a home generator to spend some time doing a little research first, particularly if they know very little about them. This was the position that we were in, and when we were faced with all the dozens of different makes and models we found we were becoming more and more confused. To find our way through this maze we made a list of questions and then answered them. We then took this list and the answers to our generator salesman who was able to instantly recognize what types of makes and models would suit our needs.
1. The intended use - Is the generator going to be used exclusively at home, or will it be taken on vacation/camping? 2. Will it be used infrequently or more regularly, such as for the home handyman? 3. In an emergency what appliances do you need the generator to send power to? 4. Will it be powering computers or appliances which are computer controlled? 5. Will you be installing a transfer switch? 6. What is your budget? They seem such obvious questions, but you would be surprised at how many people will go ahead and purchase a home generator because someone else has the same kind without giving any thought to its workload. A great number of people do in fact buy a unit that is simply not big enough and we would always advise people to go bigger rather than smaller. All the leading manufacturers now have models where they make use of the new inverter technology. This means that the home generator is: a. Able to power computers and computer controlled equipment/appliances b. Much quieter c. Smaller and more portable These much more friendlier types of home generator are not offending the neighbors by their noise, and many of them now are becoming eco friendly as well with very low carbon monoxide emissions. This has always been a hot safety issue when using a home generator. Many people have died or become ill because of incorrect use. The home generator must be used outside and not by an open window where the lethal fumes can enter the home. Fortunately each home generator that is sold will come with its own set of safety instructions, but unfortunately not many people will bother to read it. The issue of installing a transfer switch to connect the home generator to the home's power supply is always a contentious one. Some people won't pay the extra money to get this done, and it has to be done by a licensed electrical contractor. With some home generators that are going to be used on permanent standby then there is no alternative but to have the switch installed. We think it is essential in the home environment where safety must always come first. |
