With unpredictable weather and power outages across the nation, home and business owners often prepare for the worst. That’ s why so many are purchasing standby power systems to protect their homes and businesses before the power goes out. Automatic
With unpredictable weather and power outages across the nation, home and business owners often prepare for the worst. That’ s why so many are purchasing standby power systems to protect their homes and businesses before the power goes out.
Automatic standby generators have become increasingly popular as an affordable solution to the threat of a blackout. “This system will operate automatically even if you’ re not home,” says Mike Carr, a spokesman for Generac Power Systems, manufacturer of residential and commercial standby systems. “The automatic transfer switch continually senses the presence of utility power, and when it’ s lost, commands the generator to start up. Within twenty seconds, the electrical load will be switched to the generator for the duration of the outage. When utility power returns, the switch will transfer the load back to the utility and shut down the generator.”
Automatic home standby systems operate on either natural gas or liquid propane, with power outputs that start at 7,000 watts, or 7 kilowatts (kW). Units up to 18 kW have air-cooled engines, and other models at 20 kW and above feature liquid-cooled automotive type engines. “When you’ re buying a generator,” Carr advises, “you can purchase a larger unit to cover your entire home, or buy a somewhat smaller model that will operate up to sixteen circuits that you want to have power during an outage. For whole house coverage, an electrician will need to calculate the load requirements of all circuits.”
A growing number of homeowners with portable generators are trading up to permanently-installed systems. “More than 45% of our residential customers have had a portable generator,” Carr explains. “They’ ve upgraded to an automatic system because of the many hassles involved with portables – refueling, noise, extension cords, and so on. There’ s only about a $600 difference between the cost of a 7 kilowatt portable and automatic system, but they’ ve found that the benefits in comfort and convenience far outweigh the extra expense.”
Backup power systems for commercial applications are also becoming increasingly popular, especially the latest gaseous-fueled models that are environmentally friendly and surprisingly quiet. “Investing in standby power is a smart business decision,” Carr says. “Commercial systems come in a wide variety of outputs and voltages, making it easy to protect most businesses in a very cost-effective manner. For supermarkets, drugstores, restaurants and gas stations, the cost of the generator could be recouped during the first lengthy outage.”
Installation costs will vary depending upon the site, Carr notes. “Ask your electrical contractor for an informal site survey and load analysis before you make your purchase. The survey will take into account the location of the generator, how close it is to the electrical service entrance, and how far it is from the natural gas or liquid propane vapor fuel source. Discuss what circuits you wish to power during an outage and listen to the contractor’ s advice regarding your options. Also check local ordinances and homeowner association rules to ensure that you’ re in compliance.”
The best news for potential buyers is that the price of automatic standby generators has been declining, making them increasingly affordable. “This solution is less expensive than most people realize,” Carr says. “The latest generation of products costs less, has more features, and is easier to install. Backup power is now a viable option for both home and business owners who want to protect themselves against blackouts.”
