Home Generator Musings

Home Generator Musings.

First of all let me welcome you to my blog. This is literally the first on topic post and I hope you will become a frequent participant here.

Here in the Pacific Northwest we have been experiencing what they are now calling a "Bomb Cyclone" The scientific term for what we have been experiencing is "Explosive Cyclogenesis" This is not a new storm definition at all. It's been a documented event going back many decades and it is the exact type of storm event predicted to be occurring with greater frequency in the future.

What does this mean for my customers and homeowners in general. I personally love electricity and all it can do for me. I've owned and used generators to supply me with power all over the world from Kirkland WA to the Jungles of Borneo to literally the Geographic North Pole. The convenience of what electricity provides us in our lives goes uncelebrated and unnoticed by most until we no longer have it. The aftermath of a storm like we've experienced this week in the PNW often drives people to rush to the nearest home center to buy a portable generator at a premier price just to power a light and small space heater or hot plate and possibly charge up their cell phone or other such device. These generators usually end up living in our garage, collecting dust and taking up valuable floor space. When we finally get tired of tripping over them after not needing them since we first purchased them we sell them en mass online for a fraction of what we paid and are happy to toss in the 2 gallons of stale fuel we've been storing for them.

There's no one right or better way of doing things when it comes to "Personal Power" so I'll offer some things for you to consider before purchasing a generator or if you've already bought one you may find some of my suggestions helpful to your future needs.

First things first. The type of generator we are looking at here fall under the type known as "Backup Generators" because they are to support short term power needs only at times when our regular power supply is inactive.

Unlike your love life, When it comes to generators size really does matter. The amount of power one can deliver has to be matched to the amount of power draw you plan on pulling. The smaller the generator the less you can power with them.

Bigger isn't always better. Start by making a list of systems you need and a list of things you desire. Most people will want to be able to run their heat if possible. You may also want to run your kitchen stove, Lights, TV, etc. etc. etc. Oversizing your generator however may simply lead to excess use of fuel to run the generator so keep this in mind when choosing your equipment.

Power demands by gas appliances are far less and more easily accommodated by smaller generators than electric appliances. Televisions, DVD players etc. don't usually draw very much power and neither do lights.

Generators can be used independently of the inhouse electrical system by the use of extension cords or they can be wired into the inhouse system allowing you to power the wall outlets, light switches, furnace etc. etc. etc.

Generators can be small and stored in your garage then moved outside when used or they can be large and permanently mounted outside your home similar to a heat pump or air conditioner. Generators can be manual startup or automatically started when they sense the power grid has gone down.

Automatically started generators can be exceptionally useful by those less able to manually operate other generators and they can be life savers if someone in the home relies on powered medical devices to keep them alive. Portable generators can be electrically started from a battery/starter motor assembly or pull started like most lawn mowers.

The fuel that feeds the engine of the generator can be basic or more exotic. The most usual fuel for small generators is gasoline. Gasoline is fine but it is one of the hardest to store mostly due to the speed at which it degrades beyond use and the quantity you may need to store for extended power outages. Couple this with the need you may have to fill the gas tank of your car and you may run out of gasoline very quickly. Long term storage of gasoline isn't very practical due to is degradation so rotational storage is suggested. With rotational storage you are tasked with frequently consuming your stored fuel (usually by using it in your car) then refreshing your supply as necessary. The fuel of choice for most large (Whole House Generators) is natural gas. The owners of these generators love that they don't have to worry about stored fuel or filling fuel tanks etc. Unfortunately however one of the main events that will necessitate the long term use of personal power is earthquake. Earthquakes can take down miles and miles of power grid leaving huge areas without power for potentially months at a time. The problem with natural gas powered generators in this scenario is that when the earth moves the underground utilities are shutoff fearing broken feed lines which leave natural gas fueled generators and appliances useless. A better way to go in this instance would be LP Gas / Propane fueled generators however this necessitates the installation of a large propane storage tank on your property and many people don't want one so...

Final Thoughts:

Generator usage is mostly personal and relies on multiple factors. Do you need one for heat if so are there other options available to you such as a fireplace or woodstove or oil heater etc. In winter we have far less light than summer. Can you cook on a BBQ or Camping Stove. For many of us the need simply doesn't exist. For some of us the desire is enough and for some of us the necessity is very real.

Keep in mind that you should never store a generator with fuel in the tank or the carburetor of the engine. This way you are giving yourself the best chance of it functioning when needed. Having said this you should also do regular maintenance on the system to insure it functionality when needed.

Personally I installed a system many years ago to insure my wife and small children were covered while I was spending extended periods of time working remote duty jobs around the world. My system allows me to tap into my home electrical panel so I can power my furnace, lights, TV and more. My generator however is a small portable that I need to drag out and hook up whenever needed. Due to the associated hassle of dragging it out and hooking it up I only do it if it looks like I will be without power for more than one full day or if the weather is colder than freezing. In over 30 years of having my generator setup operational I've only needed it 3 times.

I think I need another cup of coffee.

Feel free to ask questions in the comments section and I'll do my best to answer them.