What you should know before buying a Generator?

Residential backup generators have become more than just a luxury in some parts of
the country, especially those that receive regular bouts of severe weather that strain the
infrastructure of the electricity grid. In fact, they’ve become regular items on many
suggested emergency preparedness lists for your home.

But while setting up one might sound as easy as just going down to your local home
improvement store, creating a permanent stand-by system is actually complex and
incorporates safety features best handled by professionals. So, if you’re thinking about
investing in a generator for your home, it will pay to understand what these systems are
and how they work.

The Basics of the Grid-Tie Standby Generators

The average residential standby generator is placed outside the home on precast
concrete slabs. And since an engine spins the generator to make electric power, the
noise created by that engine is definitely a factor when choosing which system is right
for your needs.

For grid-tie installations, the generator and the incoming grid wires must be tied into the
transfer switch. This works by monitoring the incoming grid power. If the power fails, the
generator switches off contact with the grid and starts up its engine to generate power
for your home.

By disconnecting contact with the grid, the generator’s electricity will only power your
house. This usually takes no more than thirty seconds. When the grid power becomes
available again, the switching circuit will automatically switch over and then the
generator will turn off.

Know Your Fuel Options

Residential standby generators commonly use natural gas for fuel, which means you’d
need to set up a natural gas line from your gas meter right to the generator. However, if
your neighborhood lacks natural gas lines, you can use liquid propane (LP). A standard
residential-sized LP tank holds 500 gallons and would require piping to to the generator.
If you want another option, diesel-powered generators are also available.

The amount of fuel the generator burns depends on its size and the electrical load, so
you’ll also want to examine the energy efficiency of your home in conjunction with that
of the generator.

Know What’s Watt

Residential backup generators are sold by wattage capacity – aka, how much power
they put out – and it’s usually measured in kilowatts (kW). You’ll need to know the
wattage-usage of your home, and this can depend on where you live and the time of
year, as blasting your air conditioner in the summer can really add onto your electricity
usage.

To find an approximate average watts used by hour in your home, find the average
kilowatt/hour (kWh) usage per day on your electricity bill and divide that number by 24
hours. For additional help, generator manufacturers like Cummins, GE, Generac, and
Kohler have home wattage tools on their websites to help you calculate how much you
need.

It’s better to buy a backup generator that meets your power needs instead of one that
delivers 3/4 of what you need just because it’s cheaper. Over-burdening a generator
can negatively affect its voltage output and damage the things it’s powering, including
HVAC motors and compressors. Overloads can also overheat the generator and melt its
components.

Bringing the Power into the Home

Because of all the sensitive electronics in our homes, you should have Alternating
Current electricity with a nice, clean sine-wave cycling at a frequency of 60 hertz.
Unfortunately, noise and harmonics in the electricity (from electric motors, transforming
circuits, and more – from anywhere on the grid) disrupts that sine-wave, which can
damage these valuable electronics.

Thankfully, residential backup generators include power filter circuitry to remove

damaging noise and harmonics. Most portable generators don’t, requiring you to
purchase add-on filters.

Talk to a Professional

Installing a generator for your home is complex and must meet local and state safety
regulations. This is especially true when you consider the safety requirements of
different fuel systems and making safe electrical connections.

Contact the electricity professionals at Mister Sparky to learn what it would take to
install a permanent standby generator in your home. You will want a safe, reliable, and
affordable system so your family can be safe – and not in the dark – if you ever lose
power because of a weather emergency.