Green Cars & Green Fuel Center

By: Kerry A. Francis
Home and cottage generators are great backup power systems to have in case of an emergency. Emergencies can happen at any point.

Floods, hurricanes, ice storms etc to just name a few cases where an emergency power generator system can be a godsend. With our increased dependence on electricity not only for electric heat and lights , water systems in our cottages and vacations homes as well as electricity for communication purposes - phones ,cell phones and computers having an emergency power generator backup system is not only handy but more and more become a essential necessity. Like everything else generators need to be properly used as well as maintained in order to be reliable and safe.

First of all you should make it a first rule and practice never to work on live electrical circuits or perform work that you are not technically qualified to do or perform. Treat the output cables or terminal box of a generator or generators with the greatest respect. They have the great potential to kill either you or a loved family member or friend.

Do not allow a child or inexperienced person to operate or connector the generator to any circuits. Never operate a generator inside your house, home, cottage, chalet or garage or any other enclosed building because more than potentially dangerous levels of carbon monoxide (dangerous car motor exhaust gasses) may build up.

Carbon monoxide can be a killer. You may have read stories in the newspapers from time to time of carbon monoxide gasses seeping from garages and poisoning whole families. Why take such a risk? Good ventilation for your generator is critical since the typical 3500 watt generator burns about ½ a gallon (2 liters) of fuel an hour at full load. As well, overheating from lack of ventilation can damage your valuable, important and essential generator.

Because of the uncertainty of the power generated from portable generators, sensitive equipment and loads can sustain permanent damage. You cannot expect the same smooth level of power generation and output that you are used to receive from your professional power utility, being professionally monitored and maintained, as from a small temporary gas driven generator, which is only used sporadically and under different conditions. Delicate equipment such as electronics - medical equipment, computers etc may well be secured with a surge protector or battery storage apc device. These come with different load storage capacities and different sized batteries to power these devices for an extended time period. The ratings are done by power load. The power load needed can be determined by the amperage needs of the devices that need essential power. In addition for more protection, both local and general, a surge protector can be physically installed in the essential loads panel of the home, cottage, chalet or trailer needing electrical surge protection capacity and coverage. These devices, the essential loads panel, looks similar to a smaller version of your main breaker service and most likely will be mounted and installed close to it.

Generators are great backup power systems to have in case of emergencies. Ensure that whether your generator is located in your home, trailer or cottage chalet that your generator system is used and maintained properly and safely.