Generators Keep You in the Juice

It’s my experience that the local electric utility company Dayton Power and Light is pretty good about dealing with most service disruptions. But it’s not unheard of for pockets of homes in surrounding towns to be without lights for a couple days.

If you live in an area where extended power outages are fairly common, some sort of standby generator might make sense. But generators can be expensive and potentially dangerous, so getting one is not a decision to be taken lightly.

Temporary generators

One approach to emergency power is to use a portable, gasoline- powered generator to supply enough electricity to maintain power for some lights and a few essential appliances.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warns, however, that portable generators pose threats for carbon monoxide poisoning, fire and shock or electrocution. It’s imperative that homeowners using portable generators understand the risks and follow proper procedures.

A typical portable generator has a gasoline engine that provides a flow of electricity to a handful of electrical outlets on the side of the unit. In an emergency, the user starts the generator in much the same way you start a gas lawn mower, and attaches the unit to electrical appliances using heavy duty extension cords.

Generators are rated by their wattage capacity, so you’ll need to select a generator that will meet the needs of the items you will run from it. Ratings on units will be expressed in running watts and starting watts.

Keeping food fresh is a priority during a long power outage, so your first 1,000 watts of capacity or so will go to keeping your refrigerator running. Another 1,000 watts approximately will be needed if you have a freezer. But refrigerators and other appliances may take more power to start than they take to keep running, so a refrigerator that takes 1,000 watts of running power might consume 2,500 watts when it’s first turned on.

Sump pumps are also important because many outages are associated with storms, and you don’t want your sump pump out of service during a gully washer. A typical sump pump might take about 1,000 watts to run and up to 4,000 to start.

You might have enough juice for a space heater in winter, but air conditioning will probably be out of the question.

Generators offering 5,000 to 6,000 running watts (6,000 to 9,000 starting watts) cost in the $500 to $800 range. They typically hold enough gasoline to keep running 10 to 12 hours with moderate usage.

Here are some safety tips from the Consumer Product Safety Commission:

– Never use a generator indoors or in an enclosed space such as a garage because that would quickly lead to the buildup of potentially deadly carbon monoxide.

– If you start to feel dizzy or weak while using a generator, get to fresh air immediately. If the symptoms are serious, seek immediate medical attention.

– Keep the generator dry and do not use in wet conditions. Place the unit under a canopy, carport or other covering to protect it and elevate it on a sturdy, stable platform off the ground. Don’t touch a generator if your hands are wet.

– Use only heavy-duty, outdoor-rated extension cords rated for as many or more watts than the sum of the appliances connected to it. Use grounded, threeprong cords only. Check the cords carefully and discard any that are cut or frayed.

– Store generator fuel a safe distance from the generator, but not inside the house. Before refueling the generator, turn it off and allow it to cool down.

Permanent generators

Tom Evans, president of Evans Electric Co. in Dayton, said he lives in a rural community where power outages are common and can be long-lasting. Because his home uses electric pumps to deliver well water, power outages quickly render his home unlivable.

For people like him, Evans said a permanent emergency generator tied directly into his house’s wiring is a necessity. When the power goes out, a permanent generator can be activated to maintain basic functions, including electricity for the fans and controls that keep a natural gas, oil or liquid propane heating system going.

Permanent generators come in two types: manual and automatic- transfer switching.

With a manual system, when the power goes out the homeowner must go through a series of steps to disconnect his house from the public power grid, then turn on the generator and activate the connections between the generator and his house’s appliances and receptacles.

“You have to follow the series of steps just right, or you can cause serious problems like electricity feeding back into the grid and electrocuting the workers trying to restore power,” Evans said.

Kyle King, a manager for Dayton Power and Light, said utility workers are trained to be on the lookout for houses that might be using generators, but he said it would help if homeowners always remembered to turn off their main circuit breakers before turning on a generator.

According to Evans and Rick Smythe of Ohio Electric Services in Dayton, you should expect to pay at least $4,500 to $5,000 for a professionally installed manual generator of about 10,000 watts.

A system with an automatic-transfer switch and capacity of about 12,000 watts starts at about $8,000 installed, Evans said.

Automatic systems start up as soon as they sense the house has lost power, disconnect the house from the public power grid and power all the house’s circuits or selected circuits with generated electricity.

Adding a permanent generator is definitely not a do-it-yourself project; it takes advanced wiring skill and know-how to complete safely.

Fueling a permanent generator takes a separate set of skills. They can be tied to natural-gas lines or powered from a liquid propane tank, and in both cases a licensed plumber is needed to make the connections.

Have an idea, question or concern?

Contact James Cummings at 225-2395 or jcummings@DaytonDailyNews .com, or write to the Features Department, Dayton Daily News, 45 S. Ludlow St., Dayton, Ohio 45402.