Mother Nature can be harsh and severe at times. Tornadoes, cyclones, and hurricanes often wreak havoc along the coastal regions of countries.
During the cold winter months in many countries, you cannot depend only on the services of power companies. Grid malfunctions and damage are common after natural calamities and severe conditions.
Power supply failures for several hours can be critical for children and elderly citizens.
The standby generator is what you need most during such emergencies.
About standby generators
A standby generator is an alternate power supply that stays connected to the main power supply point of a house or building.
- If there is a power outage, the generator will automatically detect it and get started.
- It can be an immediate backup power resource for any building or house in case of a sudden power outage.
- A difference between this and a whole-house generator is the size and capacity.
- These operate with diesel or natural gas and can run for several hours to ensure a steady power supply.
Features
Standby generators have come a long way to evolve as more eco-friendly machines that are low on emissions.
Manufacturing companies have invested in R&D to bring out a new generation of home standby generator machines that offer added features for safety and better operational controls.
- Sensors for oil levels detect the low oil levels in machines and automatically turn them off. A generator will start malfunctioning if they continue to operate on low oil levels.
- The safety of the generator and the appliances operating with its power supply are vital. The voltage regulator feature function will balance voltage fluctuations.
- Some generators operate with diesel while some operate with natural gas, known as biogas. Modern generators are manufactured with fuel efficiency features that ensure low costs and lesser emissions.
- Automated activation is available with transfer switches. So when the main power supply is stopped due to a power outage, the generator will be activated automatically and immediately.
Solar-powered generators
A solar-powered home standby generator works in the same way as ordinary generators.
- If you have solar panels installed in your house they will store power throughout the day.
- This is converted to electricity with the inverter and automatically activated if the main power supply is down.
- Another option for power generation is the use of solar batteries. The excess energy of the solar panels is stored within these batteries.
- This surplus energy can be used when the Sun is down or there is a power outage from the main supply provider.
Solar batteries do not require fuel to operate. It is functional with solar energy only. Power generated with it can be sufficient for a whole house. Power generation capacity will depend on the battery size.
You will need to assess the required power supply of your premises and buy batteries accordingly.
Buying a standby generator – Things to remember
If you are buying a standby generator for your home or office, you need to consider a few factors.
- Safety features should be present. Oil level meters and automatic switch-off features at low oil levels ensure the safety of your machine’s longevity.
- Fuel gauge features in diesel-operated machines enable you to see the amount of oil left in the machine before operating it.
- Voltage regulator components are another essential feature you must consider. This is significant in controlling and balancing fluctuations that can otherwise affect appliances and equipment working at the time.
- If a machine allows you to opt for an alternate power source like biogas, it is an advantage compared to fuel operations.
- You must assess the voltage capacity of the generator compared to the household or building requirement. It will depend on the number of appliances and other electrically operated systems that will run.
You must ensure that the generator is connected to the main supply circuit of your house with a single cable. This is called a transfer switch. The other alternative to this will be using an extension cord that can be potentially dangerous.
Extension cords are easily overloaded and it can lead to overheating and a fire breakout. It will be difficult or even impossible to control the fire from spreading to parts of the house.
Safety features are always primary when you are looking for the best generator machine for your home.
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