For backup during blackouts or even brownouts, people often resort to electric generators. But sometimes, people end up making the wrong decisions when buying the generators. In this article, we shall throw some light on what features should be considered when buying a generator for home utility.
Fuel Efficiency
For domestic use, the most important feature is the cost of fuel. Certainly, there are generators that use diesel, gasoline (petrol), or natural gas for producing electricity. Petrol is the most expensive fuel option, while natural gas is the cheapest source. However, both of these fuels are not easy to source, especially in remote locations. On the contrary, diesel is the most easily available petroleum-based fuel. Besides, diesel has the highest energy density amongst the three options, which makes it both economical and efficient.
Safety Switches
Although a regular-sized home would rarely feature an extra-expensive appliance or equipment, still the safety of regular appliances cannot be simply ignored. It means you should look for safety features such as auto cut-off in case of overloading or short circuit. Some generators also feature auto-switching between the backup supply and the grid supply. But, of course, such high-end features come at a higher cost. So, keep track of your budget and include the safety features that are more important than others.
Portability
A common feature that most of the households prefer in their gen-sets is portability. If you go to a generator manufacturer’s website, you shall find several portable models with varying power capacities. Essentially, when choosing a portable generator for homes, consider it’s fuel tank capacity, ignition procedure, and also the weight. Of course, a portable generator that’s too heavy to carry is not portable in true sense.
Power Load
When choosing a generator to power homes, a common mistake that most buyers make is choosing a lower power load. Essentially, when you’re considering a generator, consider all the appliances that you are currently using. You must also include a few additional kVA units for any new appliance that you’re planning to purchase in the near future. For instance, adding up the power load of your refrigerator, ceiling fans, lights, and any other appliances that you wish to supply with your backup generator can give you a rough estimate of the total power consumption. Once you have the power consumption, do not go for the exact match or even a slightly higher one. As a rule of thumb, you should prefer buying gen-sets with at least a 10% higher power load capacity to support initial loading resistance when you plug in the mains to the backup.
Maintenance Cost
Lastly, maintenance is one of the recurring costs that you simply cannot ignore if you wish to be using your generator for years to come. Depending upon the make and model and the fuel engine of your generator, the maintenance cost will vary. For instance, gasoline and natural gas generators are usually more expensive to maintain and repair due to complex constructions. On the other hand, diesel generators are rather cheaper both in repairs and maintenance.
Whether you’re planning to replace your old generator or you’re all new to this purchase, accounting these features before you buy can help assure that your generator lasts longer. And you need not fuss around with its failures.
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