Portable Generator Guide Category:
As with any appliances or tools, I always believe that making sure that you are safe while operating the machine should be your top priority. This goes the same with portable generators. While having the best portable generator to assist you is beneficial, there are some hazards that comes with it. There is always the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, electrical shocks and fire.
I’ve listed some DOs and DON’Ts that you should be aware of while handling a portable generator.
Danger #1: Carbon Monoxide (CO)
- DON’T attempt to operate a portable generator in a closed or semi-closed space. Portable generators, even the small ones, produce CO rapidly even when there is ventilation. REMEMBER, you cannot smell or see CO.
- DO follow the instruction manual of the portable generator. Set up the portable generator outdoors and away from any openings (doors, windows, ventilation shafts) that could allow CO to drift indoors.
- DO install a CO alarm in your home and make sure that the model that you bought is has the certification to show that it meets safety standards. DO also remember to test the batteries monthly.
- If you feel dizzy or weak while the generator is running, go outside and get fresh air quickly.
Danger #2: Electrical Shock
- DO keep the portable generator away from any kind moisture. Operate your portable generators under a canopy-like open structure and mount it on a high surface to keep it dry from any sources of water. Again, always construct the instruction manual for grounding purposes.
- DO dry your hands before handling the portable generator.
- DO use heavy-duty extension cords to connect appliances to the portable generator. Make sure that the cords are long enough to ensure that the portable generator is placed away from your house or building. DO make sure that the total wattage of the appliances do not exceeds the wattage rating of the extension cord.
- DON’T attempt any “back-feeding”. This is when you’re trying to power your house wiring by plugging in the portable generator into a wall outlet. Even the best portable generators will not lessen the electrocution risk it poses to utility workers and neighbours served by the same utility transformer.
- DO make sure that the portable generator is kept away from children.
Danger #3: Fire Hazard
- DON’T store any fuel inside your home. Gasoline, propane and any other kind of fuel that you’re using for your portable generator should be kept outside and away from fuel-burning appliances such as water heaters in the garage. DO label them properly and store these flam able liquids in a glass container.
- DO turn off the portable generator and let it cool down before pouring more fuel into it. The hot surface of the portable generator may ignite fire if there is a fuel spill.
- DO have a fire extinguisher ready near the generator and in the area where you store the fuel. DO check if the fire extinguisher is fully charged and make sure you know how to properly use it.
- DO make sure to leave some room for fuel expansion in the fuel tank. This is to make sure that the fuel does not overflow onto the hot surface of the portable generator.
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For someone who loves bringing himself and/ or his family on an RV trip around the country, a portable generator comes in handy when I need to have some sort of electrical energy despite finding myself in the middle of nowhere. There are many things that I did not know about portable generators prior to writing this blog. One of those things is the types of usages of portable generators. They are basically divided into three types of usage: emergency, professional and recreational.
Emergency
If you tell my kids that there were no electricity centuries ago, they would be mortified to know that children did not watch Sunday morning cartoons or have the luxury of opening up the fridge to get a Popsicle. It goes to show that the modern world is very much powered by electricity.
Supposed that there is no electricity in your area due to some disaster. The unavailability of electricity will cause you a lot of problems; food would get spoiled, the security system is inactivated and if you rely on a well pump, water would be limited. That is why an emergency portable generator is good to have in your home all the time.
Depending on how much electricity you would need during the electricity outage, the best portable generator size would range from medium (3000 to 6000 watts) to large (10000+ watts). If you need to power a few appliances during the power outage, a medium portable generator will do the trick. A 7000 to 9000 watts generator will be required if you need to actuate several rooms in the house. However, this will not support a centralized AC unit. You would need a much powerful portable generator for that.
Professional
You would often see these kind of portable generators on construction sites. Depending on the size of the work, the best portable generator for professional use would be very much like the ones used for emergencies. However, they are in general much more durable than their home emergency counterparts so that they can withstand the rough environment associated with construction sites.
Recreational
Recreational portable generators are small, have low power consumption level and do not produce a lot of noise as compared to the types of portable generators used for the situations above. They are usually around 1000 to 2000 watts, which will allow you to use a couple of appliances at most. If you think you would need to power up a few more, a slightly larger one would suffice.
I personally use this when I go out on the RV for a tour across some states or camping with my kids. These portable generators allow me to bring a little home comfort while being on the road while being respectful to mother nature. It keeps my kids sane by allowing them to watch some TV shows while at the same time being quiet and do not use a lot of fuel.
Personally, I think each home would need to have the best portable generator they can afford in hand, especially if you live in a place where it is more likely to get blackouts at night. It will ensure that you are kept warm in your home and keep you safe by ensuring the the security system is working alright. Click here to find out how to find the best portable generator for you.
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There are four factors that you should think about before you can determine the best portable generator for your needs. A bad judgment on any of these four factors may cost you hundreds or maybe thousands of dollars on the wrong one; you may end up with one that consumes too much fuel (which you can’t afford) or one that will fizzle out in an instant (if you buy one that is too incompetent for your needs).
Below is the list of four important factors in choosing the best portable generator for yourself:
1. The Power Needed
Portable generators come in a wide range of power capacity so it is wise for you to get something that adequately fit with your wattage needs. You can determine the wattage requirement easily by going online and search for a wattage calculator. Add up the power usage of every appliances and lights so that you can determine how much of power your generator would need to generate at maximum usage.
For our house, we can get by with a 1000 watt generator when the electricity is down. Turning on the television set, a laptop and printer, and a few incandescent bulb would total up to about 300 watts during the night.
2. The Cost of Fuel to Run It
If you’re using gasoline, propane or diesel to run the generator engine, figuring out what the fueling cost would be like is important. Do also remember that fuel usage is closely related to the run time of your portable generator. Make sure to check the load size of the fuel tank to estimate the approximate run time of the portable generator. You would want to aim to use 12 – 18 gallons of fuel daily.
3. Price
When you already determine the perfect combination of the two factors above, do a little bit of market research and compare all portable generators available online and in the stores near you. The best portable generator would always generate you the needed amount of power, allows you optimum usage of fuel and also be economically priced.
4. Noise Factor
Now, noise pollution may seem to be a bit trivial, but believe me, it does matter. Take me as an example. Before I was married, I lived in an apartment building where it is prone to blackouts. And since I could not live in the heat without a fan, I bought myself a small portable generator – which was way too loud for its size. Yes, I was able to stand the heat but I could not even shut my eyes to sleep with that thing on. I bet you can just imagine how many complaints I got from my neighbours.
On the other hand, if you live in a neighborhood where the houses is at least a few feet apart, noise would not be a big factor. Or if you would only be using your best portable generator during emergencies like during hurricanes and snow storms, I would think that the neighbours would have other things to worry about than the noise coming from your generator.
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Hi world! I’m Greg, welcome to my Best Portable Generator blog. If you wonder who would bother writing a blog about portable generators, I’m just the type who goes camping my whole life long but simply couldn’t leave the modern world behind. So whenever my family and I go on my RV, we’ll bring portable generators with us.
A portable generator is a type of engine generator; the type you can bring along with you to generate electricity with the cost of fuel. Usually campers use portable generators to power a few appliances like the air conditioner, heater, electric pump for air mattresses or even laptop.
My kids love our camping trips. They love to play outdoors and see different places, but they couldn’t miss their weekend network cartoons. We try to keep the number of electrical appliances down, because one of the main reason to go camping is to get closer to nature. So we only use the portable generator to power our kids’ small TV set, some lights at night, and a couple of kitchen appliances to prepare food with.
Many other people are using portable generators besides campers. We keep a portable generator at home just in case we get a black out. At areas prone to natural disasters people keep portable generators for emergency use. And bigger portable generators get used on construction sites.
There are many brands and models of portable generators, each of different power capacity and runs at a different cost. There are a few things to note when buying a portable generator as well, such as the noise level it makes. I hope that my portable generator reviews and articles about how to choose the best portable generator will be helpful for those who are looking for the right model to buy.
Keep an eye out for updates in my blog then. 