Sunday, October 15, 2017

Portable Generator Buying Guide

A portable generator is a good power solution if you don't want to invest in a standby generator or if you need electricity for activities away from the home. Learn how to calculate your power requirements and find the best portable generator for your needs.

Portable Generator Basics

Portable generators can supply power to vital devices around the home when you're facing a blackout. Outside the home, a small portable generator can provide power for TVs, small appliances, power tools and lights while camping. You can put medium to larger portable generators to work at construction sites to operate power tools such as drills, saws, paint sprayers and air compressors.

Backup Power with Portable Generators

Portable generators run on gasoline or liquid propane (LP) to back up important devices and appliances (such as lights, a refrigerator or a sump pump) during an outage. Add a manual transfer switch and you can deliver the full output of your portable generator to your home's electrical system, letting you back up hardwired appliances.

You should regularly maintain and test backup portable generators for readiness. Have a safe outdoor location to operate the generator, and be familiar with the manufacturer's operation recommendations.

Power Requirements and Portable Generator Size

The wattage a portable generator produces will determine the items it can power. Deciding how much power you need is an important part of selecting a portable generator size. Use this worksheet to estimate the power requirements of the items you want to run and determine how much power you need from a generator.
  • Portable Generator Features
  • Portable generators are available in a wide range of sizes and features:
  • Circuit-breaker-protected outlets to guard against generator overload 
  • Larger fuel tanks for extra run time
  • Integrated fuel gauges to help prevent power interruptions
  • Power that is safe for computers and other sensitive electronic devices 
  • Low-tone mufflers for quiet operation   
  • Fold-down handles and wheel kits for easy portability 
Read Full Article Here: Portable Generator Buying Guide

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