A portable generator is a necessity in your home since it provides you with energy in case of a power outage. There are different types of portable generators available on the market that are designed for household use. However, choosing the right portable generator can be a daunting task for many people.
For instance, before buying a standby generator, many people will ask the following question: What size of generator do I need to power my entire home? When sizing a portable generator, here are some of the things that you can consider to determine the power needs of your whole house.
How Do You Want To Use The Generator?
Before you buy a standby generator, the most important thing that you should consider is how you would want to use it. In most cases, a standby generator acts as a home backup power to provide you energy when you experience a power outage. However, to get the right generators that can power your entire house, you need to list all the critical appliances that you would wish to power when you experience a blackout in your area. Some of these appliances can include fridges and freezers, lighting, water pump as well as a television set.
Whole House Generator Size Calculator
A whole house generator can be portable, or it can be placed in your home permanently. These generators come in different sizes, and you can choose something that suits your needs. Expert technicians at https://generatorgrid.com explain that you need to have an estimate of the total wattage that you may need to power your appliances so that you can get the appropriate generator. There are two types of wattage that you should consider when buying a portable generator.
For instance, the starting watts include the amount of power that your home appliances will need to startup. When the appliances successfully start, the demand for energy supply will go down to reach the required constant supply of running wattage. Therefore, when choosing a portable generator, you need to consider both starting and running wattage so that you get the right thing.
Choosing The Right Generator
When you have calculated the wattage required to be powered by a single portable generator, it is important to get a generator that is slightly bigger than your total needs. Having extra wattage is advantageous in that it can sustain a heavy load, unlike a generator that can shut off suddenly due to overload. The other important thing that you should know is that running your standby generator at full load will greatly shorten its lifespan in the long run. Therefore, it is a good idea to ensure that you have a bigger generator that can operate at optimum efficiency to avoid challenges that can disrupt the smooth power supply in your home.
How Big Generator Do You Need For Your House?
A portable generator in the range of 5,000 to 7,500 watts can run most of the critical equipment in your house. Some of the most important things that you can power using a generator include lighting circuits, well pump, TVs, freezer, and refrigerator. You can run all these appliances concurrently if you choose the right portable generator for your home needs.
When you have selected the right generator, you should also make sure that it is equipped with a transfer switch to prevent damage to your household property. A transfer switch automatically switches on when the power goes out and it will also facilitate a smooth transfer of power from a generator to the main electric grid when energy is finally restored. A generator without a transfer switch can also pose a danger if you do not handle it carefully.
If you live in a place that is prone to disasters such as floods, and thunderstorms that can affect the supply of power, it is essential to invest in a reliable portable generator. There are different types of portable generators that you can consider to power your whole house. All the same, when choosing the right generator for your home, you need to consider factors such as the wattage that would be required to power critical appliances in your home.
You can use a whole house wattage calculator to come up with the total power required for your home to determine the right size of the generator that you can get. It is recommended that you should get a slightly bigger standby generator for your home to avoid issues such as overload which can affect the power supply.
