 Propane Portable GeneratorsPropane Portable Generators Propane portable generators are designed to provide power for those times when you go ‘off grid’ or for when the grid goes ‘off you’, i.e. in a mains power outage. They are a great temporary way to power the essential items around your home. By nature they are versatile. They come in all sizes and price ranges. It is up to you to determine what size is going to keep whatever appliances you neet to use, up and running for the duration of an outage. At the smaller end of the scale propane portable generators can run several appliances in your home, your trailer, your backyard and at the larger end they can keep a whole house going. Midsized propane portable generators will power essential appliances during emergencies. Propane Generators in the 4,000 to 8,000 watt size will provide enough power for a refrigerator, lighting and at the higher end, a small air-conditioning unit. It’s important to have a good idea of the size you want, and then round up by about 20%. Why round up, well this is because there are items that someone in your household will want to use during your power outage (that you will not have thought of). But more importantly, remember starting an appliance uses a lot more power than the actual running of that appliance. So if you are going to start lots of appliances at the same time, then you will either need a much bigger generator or you will probably blow the one you are using. So always bare this in mind. Make a list of what you believe you need to use in an emergency. Then work out the wattage needs of these appliances. If you don’t feel confident doing this then simply ask the supplier or manufacturer that you are thinking of buying from. They will all usually have this information readily available, they are the experts so let them work for you. The only thing you really have to have is an idea of what you want to run on the portable generator. Make sure you have ample propane available for your generator, and store this well and safely. Get some advice on the best way to store propane, this will help keep it in peak condition and ready for use when you need it. Test your generator regularly. Don’t just wait until you lose power, to see if it still works. Turn it on and give it a run once a month, and check the oil levels at the same time. 5 or 10 minutes should do it. Make sure you can get to your portable generator. Yes, if you can’t get to your generator then it surely won’t work. Think of the events in your area that will cause a power outage, like for example a bad snow storm. Don’t leave your generator in the garden shed, if you know the garden is impassable after a heavy snow storm or heavy rain fall. Make sure there is nothing blocking access to your generator now, and think of anything that could potentially block it in the future. Like a family member leaving a car in front of the garage or shed, and then leaving for college with the keys. You may laugh but these things happen more regularly than you would believe. The best time to consider buying a generator for home use is when you have power, not when you are without it. This means that you have the luxury of time to consider and make an informed choice, and will ensure that you are not making a desperate purchase. A backup propane portable generator is pointless unless it is ready to work during your next emergency. Simple. Here’s some advice to help keep your emergency backup system in top condition. Always check the suppliers instructions that come with all propane portable generators for detailed model instructions. Keep propane portable generators clean, dry and free of leaves and other lawn debris to help prevent overheating. Both Briggs and Stratton and Generac home generators offer a wide range of generators suitable for use in the home. Please also do take a minute to look at the video below. |
|