Many municipal infrastructures are declining faster than they can be maintained, and home electric is even more of a necessity today than ever. It's no wonder that home generators are becoming more and more common.
Unfortunately there is a myriad of generators available. It's often difficult for a homeowner to decipher which generator will suit his or her needs.
Few of us want to spend more money than we have to, but none of us want to spend any money on a generator that doesn't meet our needs. Here are some basic steps towards choosing the right generator for you.
Determine the intended use of the generator
Are you looking for a generator that can run your entire home? Do you only need to run emergency equipment, like a heater and refrigerator? This is the most important decision you will make when choosing a generator.
The total wattage required by the equipment you intend the generator to run will determine the size engine you need. Generators can be wired to only run certain equipment, but if you intend to power the entire house, you will need a much larger generator.
Determine the horse power you need
Add the wattage required for each piece of equipment you have intended to operate from the generator, making sure to consider the maximum wattage drawn (this number includes the watts required to start motors, and is usually listed on the appliance.) This is the total wattage required.
Many home appliances will list the maximum amps drawn at a given voltage (either 120 or 240 volts in the U.S.). Multiply the amps by the volts to determine the watts. Many salesmen will tell you that you only need to account for the start-up watts in your largest appliances, since motors will rarely start at the same time.
They then tell you that you should increase the size of your generator beyond your calculations just to be on the safe side. If you account for the maximum draw, you can be certain that your generator will be capable of running your appliances. You will need roughly 1 h/p per every 1,000 watts.
Determine the voltage
Virtually every home in the U.S. is single phase 120 volts (220 volts in Europe), but commercial buildings and heavy duty wood working shops often have three phase electric. Generators are manufactured for all voltage demands. You will need to make sure your generator corresponds to the voltage of your home.
Determine the type of generator you want
There are two major types of generators, standby and portable. Standby generators are permanent fixtures in your home that can run off municipal gas lines or home heating fuel.
Portable generators are common on construction sites, but they can also be used to power your home. This decision rest mostly on your budget, because portable generators can be considerably cheaper than an automatic standby.
Here is a break down of three main categories of generator in descending cost order.
Automatic Standby generator:
An automatic standby generator is hard wired to your homes electric and can run of your heating fuel. It also automatically turns on in the event you lose power. This is by far the most convenient option, but also the most expensive. It's better to sacrifice convenience than power if cost becomes an issue.
Manual-start Standby generators:
Manual-start stand by generators are hard wired to your homes electric just like automatics, but they won't start by themselves. This is an important consideration if there is a high likelihood you won't be at home during a power outage and need to keep electric going. For many of us, however, the cost savings of a manual- start can outweigh the benefits of an automatic.
Portable generators:
You can fit your home with connections that allow you to "plug in" your home to a portable generator. This is by far the least expensive type, but portable generators are only designed to run for short periods of time. They have smaller built in fuel tanks, and will need to be filled to keep running.
Most portable generators will also only deliver enough watts to run a few appliances. Once you have determined what you need out of a generator, find a manufacturer that offers a generator that fits your demands with an acceptable warranty.