Whole House Generator: Keep Your Family Safe And Your Lights On During A Power Outage
Wednesday, October 14, 2020, 6:00 AM | Leave Comment
If a big storm slams and your home experiences a power outage, you must have a power generator ready on standby.
Many times people learn the hard way when they have to light candles and throw out spoiled food from the fridge.
Power generators protect the appliances by self-generating the electricity you need, instead of connecting appliances to the main electric grid while the storms unfold.
Don’t let another day pass by without securing your home with a power generator!
The best generator for the home is a whole-house generator that can secure your entire house.
Whole house generators are capable of powering multiple appliances and devices in the home simultaneously.
Whole house generators are effective for general-purpose electric protection. You may experience power outages even without a natural disaster or a big storm.
Example: The electric grid might be overloaded and cause a power crash. This leads to many inconveniences in the household such as loss of internet, food spoilage, no light, and lack of mechanical systems that leave you vulnerable during storms.
Below we’re going to introduce you to whole house generators and explain how they can benefit your family + their mechanical functionality.
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Benefits Of Whole House Generators
Generators operate on a kilowatt (kW) power rating. Depending on how many circuits you have, you’ll be able to connect equally as many appliances to the generator. Whole house generators come with a transfer switch that includes a certain amount of circuits integrated into the kW rating. These circuits connect to the main circuit breaker panel that delivers electricity to all appliances and devices in the home.
The following can all be covered with a whole house generator:
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Light fixtures/LEDs.
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Televisions.
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Microwaves, refrigerators, ovens, and other kitchen appliances.
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PCs, mobile phones, and gaming consoles.
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Garage door openers.
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HVAC systems.
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Furnaces.
Note: The following are only examples of things that can be covered with a whole house generator. These generators can virtually power every appliance in the home.
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How Whole House Generators Work
If you’re wondering how whole house generators function, the answer is simple – they monitor the utility voltage of the home. All appliances in the home are connected to the home’s electric grid which is connected to the city’s electric infrastructure. There are monitors that can watch for interruptions in the voltage and as soon as the voltage drops, the generator picks up on it and starts working. Whole house generators have a voltage monitor that works by monitoring the “Automatic Transfer Switch” (ATS).
If the home has a power interruption, the generator only takes between 10 to 15 seconds to pick up on the voltage drop and start generating electricity. The systems are designed in such a way that the ATS closes the main utility line and opens up for power coming from the generator. This also stops the power feed of utility lines that go through neighboring houses. Within less than 20 seconds, your entire house has electricity again! The generator also detects when the voltage returns at a steady rate and shuts down to transfer the electrical load back. However, it takes about 1 minute to do this in order to allow the generator motor to cool down.
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What Does “Whole House” Coverage Entail?
Whole-house coverage means that all appliances in the household are covered. There are multiple variants of this – ones you can inquire at your generator dealership. The most basic version is “Essential Circuit Coverage” which only focuses on a few essential circuits during a power outage. This is only sufficient to power the most essential appliances such as heating systems, refrigerators, and lights.
The mid-level option is to go for “Managed Whole House Coverage” which can connect the most essential appliances and other home devices. The most advanced option is “Whole House Coverage” that covers the entire house for all circuits – everything comes back on and remains active regardless of the number of circuits necessary to pull this off.
Pro Tip: Hire a professional to measure the power required to power every appliance in your home. The electrician will measure all devices in AMPs and give you an idea as to the exact coverage you need.
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Installation & Maintenance Of Whole House Generators
Are whole house generators hard to install in the home? Can you do this on your own? In some cases, installation can be a DYI project. Manufacturers offer the option to buy pre-wired and packaged systems that come with clear installation instructions. You can do half the job yourself such as to prepare steps and then hire an electrician to handle the electrical panel and fuel connections.
Alternative: Learn how to carry out the entire installation on your own. For larger systems and safety, we recommend hiring professionals. Consult the authorized dealers for installation when you purchase the generator.
Bear in mind basic maintenance is required for large generators. Most generators will require some basic periodic maintenance – similar to a car. You’ll have to swap out the oil and filters for the best performance over the years. There are also maintenance kits available for whole house generators.
