Standby Generator Review

Calculating the size of your standby generator can be a difficult task, especially since the power draw of your home is constantly fluctuating. Your refrigerator, central unit, water heater and other automatic appliances turn on and off throughout the day and night. Power draw surges upon startup and levels out as the motor or compressor runs. Lights are switched on and off and your turn your washer, dryer and dishwasher on at various times. Your power draw changes with the weather and the seasons. There is seldom a time when all of your appliances are operating simultaneously.

Often it won’t be necessary to install a standby generator large enough to power your entire home. You can install your system in such a way as to power only select appliances. You will definitely need your refrigerator, freezer and well pump. It is doubtful that you will want to power your swimming pool pump.

Using an online wattage calculator is a popular method but they can be inaccurate since they seldom take into consideration the energy efficiency of your appliances. Most older appliances use more electricity than their newer counterparts. Your standby generator will need to produce less power if you have energy efficient appliances.

Most people use the BWYCA method of sizing their standby generator. That stands for Buy What You Can Afford. Larger standby generators can be cost prohibitive due to the cost of the unit and the installation. A good rule of thumb for most homes is that a 25-kilowatt standby generator will be sufficient. If you find that your home overloads the system you can power down certain appliances and rotate their use. Having a system that is constantly overloaded can damage the system and your appliances, not to mention the potential safety and fire hazards.

The very best way to size your standby generator is to hire a licensed professional. An electrician has the right tools and experience with load calculations to help you choose the proper size standby generator for your particular home based on your energy needs. Even if you plan to install your standby generator yourself, the assistance of a licensed electrician is recommended.

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This entry was posted on Sunday, June 7th, 2009 at 6:12 am and is filed under Articles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.