Newsletter

So you’re considering the purchase of a generator to prepare for storm season… What you should know about portable and home stand-by units.

Portable generators are units operated on gasoline, using a cord connected to a transfer device which isolates the generator’s power from ‘back feeding’ the utility company electric lines.  The proper connection of these units is crucial to their safe operation.  If you are using a portable generator that is not utilizing an approved manual transfer switch – Stop Immediately!  You could injure or kill a line worker. Home fires and home owner injury are real concerns.  Most people do not have an in-depth knowledge of generator operation.  We have seen written ‘cheat sheets’ left by the past ‘electrical expert’ on how to connect the generator to the power source.  These are not what you want to follow in an outage which already has you under pressure.  A simple mistake could be fatal.  The proper switch, connection wiring, generator placement, and usage area, as well as grounding, all need to be understood in the use of a portable generator.  These units typically use approximately one gallon of gasoline per hour of operation.  Keep in mind that during an outage fuel may be inconvenient to locate.  Gas stations need electricity to pump fuel!  During the 2003 outage which affected parts of Livingston County (and numerous parts of the country) power was out for several days.  Local gas stations could not service customers. People were hauling 10 to 20 gallons of gasoline in containers that were placed in there trunks!  This can create dangerous fumes in a confined area or flammable spills.   Transporting fuel over a distance is dangerous in containers.  Operating a portable in your home or garage (even if the door is open) can be deadly. Every year stories are published about a family being overcome by the fumes of a generator placed in a basement, garage or near an open window.   Always read your operators manual before use.  Most portables (and you get what you pay for), produce a ‘clipped sine wave’ output for power.  If you recall from high school physics, an electric current is seen as a wave form.  From the Power Company to permanently connected standby units, this wave form is a full wave that can be seen on a test device called an oscilloscope.  In most portables the wave is clipped or flat at the top.  This can cause problems with the operation of circuit board utilizing devices.   Circuit boards are everywhere, from your ice dispensing refrigerator to your furnace controls.  We have performed home standby upgrade installs where customers have found their portables unable to operate their new furnace. 

Standby generators are permanently connected to your home.   They start and transfer automatically within 20-40 seconds after a power outage.  This is the primary advantage for this type of system.  Your refrigerator, sump pump, furnace and alarm can all have power even while you’re enjoying your weekend away from home.  Unlike portables they operate on natural gas or LP.  Because these are vapor fuels, they do not have the long term storage issues of liquid fuels like gasoline. The fuel will not gum or loose its potency overtime.   An automatic standby unit starts itself weekly to self test its operational readiness and alerts you of any errors.  Nothing is required of you to put the generator on-line producing power.  There is no physical labor on your part to move or pull start a machine.  Several people have heart attacks every year from pull starting their gas powered equipment.  No one person in the family has to ‘understand’ how to connect the generator as in a portable connection.  Everything is automatic.  We install many generators for people after they have lost a freezer full of food or are cleaning up a flooded basement.  If you face these concerns, act before they happen.  The unit’s connection usually takes two electricians a day.  We place the unit a few days before, the gas connections are made.  Then we return for final connection.  Nothing is rushed and the operation of the unit is fully expanded.  Smaller standby units can run basic items; larger units can operate your entire home.  Typically, the most economical install is to choose a given number of circuits.  These circuits are then moved from your house panel to an automatic generator transfer switch installed next to your house panel.  During a normal day both panels operate in the same manor.  If an outage occurs, the generator supplies power to the selected circuits.  When power is restored the generator transfers back and shuts down, all automatically!

Whether it is a portable or standby unit, purchase a quality unit from a reputable dealer.  Does your dealer service the units they sell?  Do they stock parts?  Are their technicians factory certified?  When your generator isn’t operating, your family is suffering and your property is at risk. We recently received a call from a customer in New York.  He found our website during the massive snow storm.  He could not find any local help.  Our on-call tech (of course these problems always occur on weekends or after hours) was able to walk him thru trouble shooting his unit.  He was using his stove to heat his house!  Not a good idea due to carbon monoxide poisoning.  They only had his wife’s cell phone to use for calls.  Lucky, he did not need parts and we were able to help.  If you choose a supplier which doesn’t have an emergency 24 hour on call service, beware!  Many people are doing whatever it takes to make a living in this tough economy.  Although these folks may seem to offer a cost saving, the quality of their install may be dangerous and they have not invested in training their personnel.  We are competitively priced and have spent thousands of dollars on factory training classes and specialized test equipment for the soul purpose of generator service and installation.  If installing an automatic standby generator, hire a licensed contractor experienced with generators.  A generator company is an electrical contractor with cross-training in mechanical systems.  These devices are electro- mechanical units.  Basic installation knowledge will not provide you with quality after the sales service.  Permits are legally required and insure a code compliant installation. They are for your protection and if an improper installation is made the county will pursue the contractor to make corrections.   We have had at least two units that were installed by others and not properly placed and wired.  These customers paid to have these units installed twice.  We also are a warranty service center.  We are happy to help other electrical contractors less familiar with installation and provide their customers with our warranty service technicians.  We have encounter companies that are so proud they cannot openly ask for help.  They have had trouble installing the unit; it may not start and want us to visit the installation site while customers are at work.  Bottom line, be careful who you hire and trust, they should be open and honest with you about there abilities.  No one knows everything and the proud person helps no one by guessing verses asking for help.  Any contractor that performs work in your home must have liability and workman’s compensation insurance.  Ask for proof, it insures you will not be held liability for an injured worker on your property.  This is a real issue for you the homeowner.  We have a neighbor that hired a roofing crew.  One of the roofers fell and has now been suing this neighbor for the last several years.  These are expenses in operating a business.  The permit and the insurance forms proved you have hired a reputable business.  If you’re not doing the work, you don’t take out the permit.  First this is illegal, and second if the company you hired is in good standings with your local community, they should have no issue pulling a permit.  The permit holder is responsible for the proper completion of the work performed.

Sizing units is done by meeting with the customer and discussing their needs.  Over the years we have received many calls stating; ‘I have a 1500 sq ft house and a contractor generator sizing.  Anyone that ‘phone quotes’ a job based on square footage has little knowledge of generators.  The devices you want the generator to operate determine the size of the unit.  Air conditioners, pool pumps, and other large wattage items can push you toward a larger generator.  Typically, people do not turn on every light in their homes and leave them on!  Your dependence on electrical devices helps you determine the size of the unit. Do your research and choose a company that best suits your families’ values… Remember never pay for an estimate!  When you make any purchase you are in effect beginning a relationship. This is a large item that will be in use at your home for many…many years.   Don’t forget to pick up a free FEMA preparedness manual.  They are full of useful information, websites, and phone numbers.

Thank you for taking the time to visit our site.  I have been a Master Electrician and contractor for the past 17 years.  I am also a licensed burglary alarm contractor and builder.  We service a variety of equipment in our business, visit our other website at www.diversifiedcontractors.com.  If you have a need and don’t know who to call, we can probably help….so do not hesitate to call. 

Andy Lekarczyk