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During a power outage, the only options used to be lighting a candle or finding a flashlight and patiently waiting by the fireplace. Today, homeowners unwilling to wait out an outage are installing backup power generators.<\/p>\nDuring a power outage, the only options used to be lighting a candle or finding a flashlight and patiently waiting by the fireplace. Today, homeowners unwilling to wait out an outage are installing backup power generators.<\/p>\n
A generator converts energy from fuel\u2014usually gasoline\u2014into electricity. Provided the generator is large enough, it can run a few appliances and lights.<\/p>\n
While a generator certainly makes it more comfortable to endure an outage, improper use can be deadly.<\/p>\n
If you are planning to use a generator, hire a licensed electrician to hard-wire a transfer switch adjacent to your existing circuit breaker box. Using a transfer switch eliminates the risk of electrical \u201cbackfeed\u201d into power lines, which can kill utility workers repairing downed lines, and damage the generator and any equipment connected to it.<\/p>\n
During an outage, the transfer switch isolates your home from the power lines and connect your generator to the transfer switch. Once the generator is running, you can choose which appliances and circuits you want to use by flipping the switches.<\/p>\n
Because the transfer switch often is wired into more circuits than the generator can handle all at once, keep track of what is being powered. Running too many appliances at once can overload your generator. As a rule, the total running (rated) and starting watts of all the appliances used at one time should not exceed the generator\u2019s wattage.<\/p>\n
Other tips:<\/p>\n