Protect Your Investment: A generator can provide power during an emergency

If you live in a hurricane-prone area, say along the East Coast or Gulf Coast, you might want to consider getting a portable or stationary power generator.

Before you head to the store, determine how many watts of power you’ll need by using our free calculator. Then see the Ratings to find the right model for your home. Also consider installing a transfer switch, which will eliminate having to run extension cords into and out of the house and make it easier to power your refrigerator, air conditioner, and lights.

Don’t neglect to maintain your generator—this will ensure that you’ll have power when you need it. And be sure to use your generator safely:

• Prevent carbon-monoxide poisoning by always running your generator outdoors and at least 15 feet away from the house. (The exhaust from a generator can be drawn into the home by the wind and even your heating or cooling system.) And never run it in the basement or garage or other enclosed space.
• Install a transfer switch to connect the unit to your home's wiring system. Never connect a generator directly to your home.
• Reduce fire risk by turning off a gasoline-powered generator before refueling.
• Store gasoline in an ANSI-approved container and in a cool, well-ventilated area.—Ed Perratore

Essential information: Refer to our free Storm & Emergency Guide for expert advice on dealing with a range of storm-related topics. And check out the NOAA's hurricane tracker.

Comments

[Brad W. Byers]

We purchased a Craftsman 30250 portable generator in July (2008) due to a lengthy power outage caused by storms. We live in Indiana, so the weather was quite hot at the time. The Craftsman is powered by a Briggs & Stratton engine, and has all the features my family needed. We were able to save two deep freezers full of food, and operate a portable fan without taxing the unit at all. It was very easy to operate out of the box, and once we filled the crankcase with oil and the fuel tank with gas it started on the first pull. It is a bit noisy, but during an outage it is music to my ears. I would personally recommend this unit to anyone who needs an economical back-up generator for 110 volt applications only.

[Jill]

You mention in this article that you should not operate it in an enclosed area, but usually people lose electricity during storms (hurricane, thunder), so someone might think they can operate it in the rain.. they'll get electricuted!

[Rudolf R. Boentgen]

Starting (surge) currents for some devices such as motors can greatly exceed their full load current. Does this need to be accounted for in rating a generator? If so, how much margin needs to be allowed?

[everett whitney]

For: Rudolf - 19 Sept - "How Does the starting amperage count?"

It is Critical ! The alternator must be able to "quickly" provide the full starting amps being "asked for" or there may well be two problems immediately :

a - that motor trying to start may experience a 'low voltage" severe enough to burn out.
b - hopefully the supplying unit will have adequate circuit breaker protection to avoid issues but it might do the same to that alternator!

That is precisely why getting a unit small enough to be able to lug sufficient fuel 24 hours a day, etc., yet powerful enough to run a furnace (gun) oil burner, large blower on a central hot air heating system, etc., is a catch 22 !

Usually, one alternative - most inconvenient - is simply to operate one motor at a time, with an individual 12 ga extension cord. Get that hot air blower running & leave it on "continuos run" .... allow the burner to control the house temperature instead of cycling all as normally.

Then, this will present a steady, yet vastly smaller amp loading & the refrigerator or freezer can be safely connected or a few of the lighting circuits or a small TV, etc..

Capacitor start motors may triple the "F.L. Amps" ... house lighting is the same as stamped upon the bulb. But run a HDTV without any HD Box / Surround Sound! Lastly, because of "frost-free", many refrigerators need over 800 - 1000 watts, during that "internal defrost cycle!"

[John]

We just went through a storm in Maine. Luckily (and unluckily) we purchased a 3500 Watt Unit from Home Depot last July (they were selling them real cheap). I plugged my refrigerator and oil burner into it using 2 different 12 guage extension cords. Unfortunately, I killed my refrigerator somehow. On the 2nd day of the outage, I noticed only the light in the refrigerator came on - no motor and a strange plastic-y smell. I have my appliance guy coming, but I am wondering if I should not have had both oil burner + refrigerator on simultaneously or was there a spike that fried my refigerator motor and electronic controls?

[benjamin]

Bought a coleman generator, sat for almost 8 years, started up fine and died after 3 days. Obviously not under warranty anymore, a little disappointed.

[Bob]

There are just so many reviews out there about generators that it is so difficult to figure out which one is really the best for your own purpose. Does anyone know whether the off brand name models are really sufficient? Thanks for your time.

[Charles Bronson]

Where exactly are the ratings for these generators? I am a subscriber and just spent an hour trying to find the link on Consumer Reports? Where? Help! Also, the explanation about why an appliance motor may immediately burn out w/o proper juice from the generator is rather scary!

[Mike]

Like Charles Bronson, I signed up for Consumer Reports Online just to access the generator ratings.

Huh. Pretty stupid of me. I guess there needsto be a "Consumer Report' Report" to independently rate Consumer Report's Online and its failure to check its own website since April 2009. Oh, and forget contactin "customer service"... Jeez, have I slipped into AOHell?