Power outages can be very damaging, especially when they last for a prolonged period. Many families have been left without power for days due to natural disasters, which has created many additional problems when dealing with the weather. Choosing between the various standby generators on the market can be difficult, but it is made easier if you know exactly what you need out of your unit.
The Strength
Before purchasing a backup generator, you should decide if you wish to run your air conditioner during a blackout. If the answer is yes, you will need a more powerful generator than if you do not wish to run it. If you live in a location where an air conditioner is necessary, start by looking at the size of your air conditioner. If you have a 3-ton air conditioner that runs at 36,000 BTUs, for example, you will need a generator with at least 14kW of power.
Amount of Power Needed
When looking at standby generators, you will also have to look at how much power your breaker allows. For example, if you have a 200-amp breaker in your home, it means that your home can only consume a maximum of 200 amps of power at any given moment. Since your breaker rarely trips, it means that you rarely get to the 200 amp level and, therefore, do not need a 200-amp generator. Since the generator is only meant to provide temporary power, you can scale it back from your main breaker and use it to run necessities around the house.
Transfer Switch
Make sure that you choose the right type of automatic transfer switch, as your generator is useless without one. The switch can tell when the power goes out in your home and will automatically switch everything over to the generator. The switch should match the number of amps that you have running from your breaker. Therefore, if you have a 100-amp main breaker, you should run a 100-amp transfer switch as well. Avoid buying standard switches, as load centers provide a much better service. Standard switches require an additional sub-panel, while load centers include the sub-panel in their design, making them much easier to install.
ENER-G Rudox offers heating options, standby power, generator rentals and product support to all types of consumers.
