'Standby Power' Enjoys Surge of Popularity
Jun 13 - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
But service disruptions and bad weather go hand in hand.
Is it any wonder a growing number of homeowners are turning to emergency
generators to keep their houses comfortable, their sump pumps running and their
lights on?
"Standby power is coming of age," said Tom Harris of Desa
International of Bowling Green, Ky., which manufactures the Reddy line of
portable generators.
"The concern over Y2K was definitely the catalyst in 2000, but a lot of
people believe the deregulation of electric utilities will become more of an
issue over time."
Small businesses are buying generators to keep computers and cash registers
operating. But "it's a rural problem, too," said Desa salesman Ron
Rabby.
Many uses
Chicken farmers are using them to ensure that the coops are always
ventilated. Dairy farmers need them to run milking machines when the power goes
out.
Rabby's company is among a number to introduce a system in which a generator
can be wired into a basement utility box. When the power goes out, the generator
starts.
Although folks living in the North Woods use propane-run generators to keep
them warm and fed in the winter, the Eastern seaboard remains the biggest market
for generators, thanks to storms and hurricanes, said Rob Zajac, a member of
Sears' "Craftsman generator team."
Generators can be used to power lights, refrigerators, furnaces, televisions
and other appliances necessary in a power-related emergency.
There are two types of residential standby generators, Zajac said.
The first, and most versatile, is the portable -- a gasoline- fueled,
manually operated model. These range in price from $500 to $1,000 and range in
power from 4,000 to 10,000 watts.
Permanently installed generators, which connect directly to the home's
natural-gas supply or operate on propane gas, range in wattage from 5,000 to
20,000 and cost $5,000 to $10,000, Zajac said.
Not as versatile
These units can sense a power failure and start without human intervention,
then shut off automatically when power is restored.
If permanent units have any disadvantage, it is that "they are not as
versatile as portables, most of which come with wheels so that they can be
hauled to job sites," Zajac said.
DeWalt, a division of Black & Decker, makes portable generators for work
locations, but spokesman Todd Walter said the portables, which range from 2,900
to 7,000 watts, "could feasibly be used during an emergency" such as a
power failure.
Over and above the cost of a portable generator is the "power- transfer
system," Zajac said.
Transfer systems and their accessories include cord sets with special locking
and recessed connectors, electrical boxes with controls for the branch circuits
that will receive temporary power from the generator, and feeder cable to
connect the existing electrical panel to the transfer switch.
Having a licensed electrician install a permanent transfer system allows you
to choose which circuits will receive power, eliminates the hazard of using
extension cords, and prevents dangerous power surges that can be fed back
through utility lines by generators, Zajac said.
Determine exact requirements
How do you determine what kind of generator to buy?
You will need to figure out your wattage requirements. The essential
appliances in a typical home can be powered by a 5,000- to 7,000-watt generator.
To determine your exact requirements, make a list of appliances you plan to
run simultaneously during a power failure.
"Find the data plates on the appliances and the number of volts and amps
each uses," Zajac said. "Then multiply the volts times the amps, and
that will give you the wattage."
That is not quite all, however. Zajac said most appliances were rated for
running wattage and surge wattage.
"Run wattage is the amount of electricity needed to run an appliance
continually," he said. "Surge wattage is a higher amount of
electricity needed to start electric motors found in household appliances such
as a furnace or a refrigerator."
2 chief dangers
Since appliances almost never start up simultaneously, you will only need to
factor in the surge wattage with the largest difference between running watts
and surge watts, he said.
If you will need 6,000 running watts, for example, and the appliance with the
greatest difference between running and surge is 2,000 watts, you should select
a generator that will accommodate up to 8,000 surge watts.
A portable generator with an electronic ignition is good for people who do
not want to spend too much time outdoors starting it.
Some generators have a low-oil shutdown feature that turns off the machine
when it goes below a safe operational level.
The two chief dangers from generators are carbon monoxide poisoning and
electrocution, according to the Consumer Products Safety Commission.
Never use a generator indoors or in attached garages. Operate the generator
outdoors only, in a well-ventilated, dry area, away from air intakes to the
home, and protected from direct exposure to rain and snow, preferably under a
canopy, open shed or carport.
To avoid electrocution, plug individual appliances into the generator using
heavy-duty, outdoor-rated cords with a wire gauge adequate for the appliance
load.
Observe the generator manufacturer's instructions for safe operation. Do not
plug the generator into a wall outlet.
If connecting the generator into the house wiring is necessary, have a
qualified electrician hook up the standby electrical system, or have the local
utility install a linking device, if available.
Gasoline, kerosene and other flammable liquids should be stored outside
living areas in properly labeled, non-glass safety containers.
They also should not be stored in a garage if a fuel-burning appliance is in
there.
Vapor from gasoline, for instance, can travel invisibly along the ground and
be ignited by pilot lights or arcs caused by activating electric switches.
WATTAGE GUIDE FOR GENERATORS
Guide is based on appliance running watts* and surge watts*
Central air conditioning: 3,250 and 5,000 Computer system: 1,500 and 2,000
Electric heater: 1,500 and 1,800 Freezer: 500 and 1,000 Light bulbs: 100 and 100
(each) Microwave oven: 1,000 and 3,000 Refrigerator: 800 and 2,000 Sump pump:
1,000 and 1,500 Television: 400 and 400 Water heater: 3,000 and 3,000 Well pump:
1,000 and 3,000 Window air conditioner: 1,200 and 2,100
*Approximate wattages
Source: Briggs & Stratton