GENERATORS
What Generator Size Is Best For You?
In order to determine the generator capacity for your home, determine the electrical requirements of the items you expect to use when using a generator. Add up the amount of watts needed to power the items. If you want to use items that have a motor, they may require more power to start than they use when running. As an example, a refrigerator that needs 1,200 watts to run, might require up to 3,000 watts to start.
Three typical sizes of generators:
3,550 watt generator can power:
Refrigerator
Television
Air conditioner (10,000 BTU)
4 Lights (75 watts ea.)
5,000 watt generator can power:
Refrigerator
Television
Microwave (1,000 watts)
Air conditioner (10,000 BTU)
4 Lights (75 watts ea.)
Deep freezer
8,000 watt generator can power:
Refrigerator
Television
Microwave (1,000 watts)
½ HP well pump
Security System
Air conditioner (10,000 BTU)
8 Lights (75 Watts ea.)
Deep freezer
Electric stove
Garage door opener
Portable generators are useful when temporary or remote electric power is needed, but there are potential hazards. If you plan on using a generator in the event of a power outage, you should take steps before the storm to protect yourself from the dangers of toxic engine exhaust, electrical hazards and fire hazards.
- To prevent against carbon monoxide poisoning from toxic engine exhaust, install battery-operated carbon monoxide alarms or plug-in alarms with battery back-up in your home, according to the manufacturer's installation instructions. Alarms should be certified to the requirements of the latest safety standards for carbon monoxide (UL 2034, IAS 6-96, or CSA 6.19.01).
- Test your alarms frequently and replace dead batteries.
- Test your generator each year before the start of hurricane season on
June 1.
AFTER THE STORM
- NEVER use a generator indoors, including in garages, basements, crawl spaces or other enclosed or partially-enclosed areas, even with ventilation. Generators can produce high levels of carbon monoxide very quickly. You cannot see or smell carbon monoxide, and exposure to it can rapidly lead to full incapacitation and death.
- Opening doors and windows or using fans will not prevent carbon monoxide buildup in the home.
- Try to be considerate of neighbors and locate your generator away from bedroom windows where noise can interfere with sleeping.
- Plug appliances directly into a portable generator. Or, use a heavy-duty, outdoor-rated extension cord.
- Check manufacturer's recommendations and follow them for proper use and load.
- Each generator has a rated wattage, which provides a limit for how many appliances it will safely power. Add together the wattage of different appliances and DO NOT exceed the manufacturer's total rated wattage for the generator.
- Do not attempt to hook up a generator to the main electric panel of a home or business. Only a licensed electrician is qualified to do this.
- If you improperly connect to a main panel, power can "backfeed" from the generator (including RV generators) into utility lines and injure a neighbor, property or utility crews working to restore service.
- If you have any doubts about the operation of your generator, consult a licensed electrician.
- Keep ample fuel on hand and store it safely outdoors in a properly labeled, non-glass safety container. Do not store near fuel-burning appliances such as a natural gas water heater or dryer.
To Protect From Toxic Engine Exhaust:
Most generator-related deaths are from carbon monoxide poisoning, which is a result of toxic engine exhaust produced by generators used indoors or in partially-enclosed spaces.
- If you start to feel sick, dizzy, or weak while using a generator, get to fresh air RIGHT AWAY. DO NOT DELAY.
- If you experience serious symptoms, get medical attention immediately. Inform medical staff that you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning.
- If you experience symptoms while indoors, exit the building and call the fire department. Do not re-enter the building until the fire department tells you it is safe to do so.
To Protect From Electrical Hazards:
Electrical hazards from operating a portable generator include shock and electrocution.
- Keep the generator dry and do not use in rain or wet conditions. To protect from moisture, operate the generator on a dry surface under an open, canopy-like structure. Dry your hands if wet before touching the generator.
- Plug appliances directly into the generator, or use a heavy duty, outdoor-rated extension cord that is rated (in watts or amps) at least equal to the sum of the connected appliance loads. Check that the entire cord is free of cuts or tears, and that the plug has all three prongs, especially a grounding pin.
- NEVER try to power the house wiring by plugging the generator into a wall outlet, a practice known as “backfeeding.” This is an extremely dangerous practice that presents an electrocution risk to utility workers and neighbors served by the same utility transformer. It also bypasses some of the built-in household circuit protection devices.
- If you must connect the generator to the house wiring to power appliances, have a qualified electrician install the appropriate equipment in accordance with local electrical codes. Or, check with your utility company to see if it can install an appropriate power transfer switch.
For power outages, permanently installed stationary generators are better suited for providing backup power to the home. Even a properly connected portable generator can become overloaded. This may result in overheating or stressing the generator components, possibly leading to a generator failure.
To Protect From Fire Hazards:
- Never store fuel for your generator in the home. Gasoline, propane, kerosene, and other flammable liquids should be stored outside of living areas in properly-labeled, non-glass safety containers.
- Do not store generator fuel near a fuel-burning appliance, such as a natural gas water heater in a garage. If the fuel is spilled or the container is not sealed properly, invisible vapors from the fuel can travel along the ground and can be ignited by the appliance's pilot light or by arcs from electric switches in the appliance.
- Before refueling the generator, turn it off and let it cool down. Gasoline spilled on hot engine parts could ignite.
Updated June 2008