Generators

We’ve outlined a lot of “what’s worse” scenarios on this site, but could there really be anything worse than running out of power? Well, getting attacked by a bear is bad. So is heli-skiing and returning to no helicopter to take you off the mountain. Oh, and getting into a head-on collision with a Ford F-150, that’s not great. But being without power – perhaps the worst.

The antidote to being without power – the generator. When shopping for a generator, the first thing you’ll notice is they’re sold by power output. This is expressed in watts, and for most of the basics to run at the same time, we’re talking roughly 5,000 watts. For example, a refrigerator will run on 600 watts, a portable heater, 1,500 watts, lights, anywhere from 60 to 600 watts, and computers, 60 to 300 watts. Generators come in all shapes and sizes, and home standby generators are one of the more popular. Installed permanently and able to run on propane or natural gas, a standby generator will kick into high gear the moment an outage is detected. They come in a range of sizes but are generally light weight enough to be portable and moved around. The wattage here is anywhere from 5,000 to 20,000, and another perk with the standby generator is it will run a self-diagnosis to let you know where maintenance is needed.

While some standby generators are portable, not all are which naturally leads us to the portable generator category. These generators are cheaper than standby options, run on gasoline for the most part, and for prolonged storage require fuel to be added. Portable generators cannot be used in an enclosed space and it’s critical to make sure the exhaust is facing away from the house. Deadly levels of carbon monoxide can be produced which is a nasty gas responsible for 149 deaths every year in the U.S. It is recommended to place portable generators at least 20 feet away from any structure and if it is raining, use a cover or a tent. Portable generators will provide 3,000 to 8,500 watts and cost in the range of $400 to $1,000.

Next are inverter generators. These are quieter machines mainly because they throttle up and down to hit the demand rather than running at top speed/power all the time. Like some smart engines that respond to driving conditions, inverter generators contain more sophisticated exhaust systems and produce fewer emissions as a result. The typical cost of an inverter generator is $500 to $4,000.

Last are portable power stations. These are new to the market, don’t use propane or gas, and are powered by a battery. They can be charged by plugging the unit into an outlet and portable power stations also from time to time include a solar panel. These units are super quiet, produce no fuel emissions/carbon monoxide, and are some of the most efficient on the market today. While you might spend north of $3,000, at least you know that carbon footprint is low as low can be.