Generator Buying Guide ________________________________________ Things to Know Before You Buy Buying a generator can be a daunting process.

However, you can take control by b eing informed and getting organized. Here is a simple checklist to use to help i n choosing the correct generator to protect your home and family. Determine wattage needs. Determine how much power you need for the items you car e about. For help, try our power selection worksheet. If you decide to purchase a portable generator, don't forget you will also need a transfer switch to safel y power the circuits in your home. Understand electrical terms. Youll see a lot about watts, volts, amps and more. R eview the glossary for definitions. Decide: Standby or portable? Considering your budget, convenience, and power nee ds, choose which type of generator you want. Take care of home power issues. Locate your existing electrical service panel an d gas line to target any potential problems before buying a generator. Portable generators should be used with a transfer switch. Perform product comparisons. Compare power outputs, run times, and prices, as we ll as whats included in those prices, such as accessories, warranties, support an d installation. Determine financing options. Some retail stores offer financing options for gene rator purchases. Amazon offers FREE Super Saver Shipping and provides no interes t financing on select items. Consider included items. Does the generator come with warranty or maintenance pa ckage? What about a power cord, oil, wheels, and funnel? Consider additional costs. How much more will it cost for installation by a qual ified professional? Will you need an accessory like a cover for protection from the elements or a transfer switch? Establish your budget. Generator prices fall across a wide range, so determining how much youd like to spend is important. Go to the top of the page What Types of Generators Are There? Generators come in two basic types: standby and portable. There also are inverte rs, which are not generators but may meet your needs. The source of backup power you ultimately choose will be determined by many factors, including your power requirements. Standby Generators: A standby generator is permanently installed outside your ho me or commercial building and wired directly into the electrical system to provi de power to some or all of your home's circuits during a disruption of normal ut ility power. Depending on the model, they may start automatically when the power goes out and stop when the power returns. Standby generators are fueled by liqu id propane or natural gas and require professional installation, often with a pe rmit. The number of circuits to which a standby generator can provide power--and the n umber of appliances you can run on those circuits--is determined by the power ca pacity of the generator. Standby generators are typically fully enclosed and vary in size. Check the dime nsions carefully. A standby model may cost as little as $1,500 or as much as $15 ,000 or more--the greater the power capacity, the higher the cost. Portable Generators: Portable generators are versatile. You can use them for eme rgency power at home, for power in remote locations where utility power is unava ilable, or for recreational purposes, like boating or camping.

Portable generators are fueled by gasoline and include 120-volt power outlets li ke the ones in the walls of your home. When the generator is running, you can pl ug appliances and tools directly into these outlets. Some generators also includ e 120/240 or 240-volt outlets. These are especially useful for running powering into a transfer switch. Portable generators range in cost between a few hundred dollars to several thous and dollars depending on the capacity and features. Inverters: Inverters turn DC power into AC power, the type of current that power s everyday appliances. A common use of an inverter is to connect one into a car' s cigarette lighter and then plug small home appliances into the inverter. Inverters have added features over the years, and today many inverters include e mergency radios, lights, or their own internal battery to store power. When you purchase an inverter, you need one that can handle the wattage of the a ppliances you intend to connect to it. Some inverters are made specifically to p ower low-wattage appliances, like portable phones or digital music players. Othe rs can handle heavy-duty power tools. If you're buying an inverter that's powered by its own battery, you'll have to c onsider how many hours the inverter can provide power before needing a recharge. Inverter-Generators: These gasoline powered generators are typically smaller and run quieter than the open frame generators and they often vary the engine speed to the required load, saving gas and wear and tear on the generator. These gene rators are great for camping where noise may be a concern and for powering sensi tive electronic equipment.

Propane-Powered Generators: Similar to portable and standby generators, these cl eaner burning generators run on propane - making them ideal solutions in emergen cy situations where gasoline is scarce. Additional propane tanks can be saved an d used as backup tanks, keeping the power on. The rest of this buying guide focuses solely on standby and portable generators. Go to the top of the page How Much Power Do I Need? There are two basic power measurements for generators: starting watts (also know n as startup power, max watts, or peak power) and continuous or running watts. S tarting wattage is required for appliances at startup or when they are running a t their highest levels of power consumption. Continuous power is the wattage req uired for operation of those appliances under normal load. Both are measured in wattage. We've provided a worksheet to help you determine your specific needs based on th e peak and continuous wattage requirements of the appliances you want to power. What's below is a general guide. Standby Generators Standby generators create from 5,000 to 25,000 watts or more of power. You'll ha ve to choose a generator that supplies sufficient peak and continuous wattage fo r the appliances on the circuits you need to power. You can choose between an air-cooled and a liquid-cooled model standby generator . Generally, liquid-cooled models are bigger and create more power. Portable Generators: A small 1,000-watt portable generator may be all you need for recreational purpo ses. And you may use up to 8,000 watts if using a generator to power tools on th e jobsite. Because you plug appliances directly into a portable generator, you'll also want to make sure that your model has the number and type of outlets you need. The s

ize of the fuel tank also is crucial. The bigger the tank, the longer your gener ator can run without refilling and produce power. If you want to use a portable generator to power specific circuits in your house , a transfer switch is required. For running an entire house, follow the guideli nes for choosing a standby generator. Go to the top of the page What Features and Accessories Do I Need? Aside from pure power production, there are some useful features and accessories to consider when buying a generator. Transfer switch - If you want to use your generator to power part or all of your home, you'll need a sufficiently sized generator and a transfer switch. The tra nsfer switch safely closes off the utility power line to your house's electrical system and opens a direct line to the generator and reverses the process when u tility power is restored. Standby models can work either with a manual or an automatic transfer switch. Th e benefit of an automatic transfer switch is that it senses when utility power h as been lost and automatically switches to generator power. Wheeled Frames - As the name suggests, portable generators can be transported to different locations. The smallest portable generators are comparatively light-perhaps 50 pounds--and can be carried. Larger models can weigh as much as severa l hundred pounds, making a wheeled frame essential for moving it out of the gara ge or shed to power up when you lose power. Noise - Generators aren't necessarily quiet. Some offer extra features to reduce the noise created during operation. Look for large mufflers if noise is a conce rn. Go to the top of the page How Do I Install and Operate a Generator? Standby generator: Standby generators are wired directly into your current elect rical system and generally require professional installation. Installing a stand by generator by yourself may void the unit's warranty or violate local building codes, so research these issues before you begin. The basic steps are as follows . First, mount the unit outside your home on a concrete pad or plastic mounting pa ds that come with the generator. You may need a contractor to pour the concrete foundation and mount the generator. Next you'll need to contact your gas or propane company to connect the unit to i ts fuel source. Last, you'll have to call an electrician to hook the generator up to your home's electrical system. Some generators come with pre-wired kits that make it easier for the "do-it-yourselfer" to do the wiring. In most cases, it's probably safes t and best to have this work done for you by a licensed professional. Once installed, operation depends on whether you've used a manual or an automati c transfer switch. With an automatic transfer switch, if the generator senses a disruption in utility power, it turns itself on and takes over power production until utility power resumes. With a manual transfer switch, you have to handle t hese chores yourself. On a standby model, you'll have to change the oil and filters on a regular basis . Many manufacturers provide maintenance kits to make this easier. Portable Generator: Setup for portable generators is easy. Just make sure to kee p the exhaust port pointed away from your house, and to have the proper distance from your windows and other house openings. If you're not planning to hook your portable generator into your home or building's electrical system, there is not

a lot of setup involved other than finding a safe place outside your home for t he generator. Because portable generators create carbon monoxide, you should nev er run them inside a building, beneath a window, or near any opening to your hou se (doors, vents, etc.). Once situated, fill the generator with the required type of gasoline and oil and start the unit. Startup can be as simple as pressing a switch, but on some you' ll have to yank a manual recoil pull-cord. Of course, you will have to plug the appliances you want to power into the gener ator, refuel it as necessary, and shut the generator off when you're finished wi th it. If you want to connect your generator to your home's electrical system, you'll n eed a manual transfer switch. Make sure your generator's manufacturer supports c onnecting your model to a transfer switch. If supported, comply with your model' s safety and warranty guidelines as well any local building codes during the ins tallation. In general, it's best to hire an electrician to handle the wiring of your home to the generator and transfer switch. However you use your generator, over time you'll have to change filters, oil, an d spark plugs. Plus, you should not store gasoline in the generator when you're not using it. Either run the generator empty or add a gasoline stabilizer that w ill prevent the gasoline from "gumming" up. Many manufacturers sell tune-up kits for their models.Follow the instruction manual closely. Go to the top of the page Safety Tips and Sever Weather Preparation Generator Safety: Always read the owners manual and instructions for your generat or and carefully follow all instructions and warnings in order to safely start a nd operate the generator. These tips are merely supplemental and are not intende d to substitute reading of the owners manual. Never run a generator indoors or in partly enclosed areas such as garages. Only use outdoors and away from windows, doors, vents, crawl spaces and in an area wh ere adequate ventilation is available. Using a fan or opening doors and windows will not provide sufficient ventilation. Operate the generator only on level surfaces and where it will not be exposed to excessive moisture, dirt, dust or corrosive vapors Do not overfill the fuel tank. Always allow room for fuel expansion. Never add fuel while unit is running or hot. Allow generator and engine to cool entirely before adding fuel. Never store a generator with fuel in the tank where gasoline vapors might reach an open flame, spark or pilot light. Do not connect your generator directly to your home's wiring or into a regular h ousehold outlet. Connecting a portable electric generator directly to your house hold wiring can be deadly to you and others. A generator that is directly connec ted to your home's wiring can 'back feed' onto the power lines connected to your home and injure neighbors or utility workers. The generator must be properly grounded. If the generator is not grounded, you r un the risk of electrocution. We strongly recommend that you check and adhere to all applicable federal, state and local regulations relating to grounding. Allow at least five feet of clearance on all sides of the generator when operati ng. Inspect the generator regularly and contact the nearest authorized dealer for pa rts needing repair or replacement. Do not overload the generator. Do not operate more appliances and equipment than the output rating of the generator. A portable electric generator should be use d only when necessary, and only to power essential equipment.

Severe Weather Preparedness: Be prepared for severe weather or other events with this emergency checklist of emergency necessities. Store loose items in sturdy, easy-to-carry containers, and keep them together in an easily accessible place. This list is for introductory purposes only; you should customize your own Fami ly Disaster Plan. 3-day supply of bottled water (1 gallon per person per day) and canned goods First Aid kit with prescription medications Flashlight Extra generator fuel and extension cords Non-electrical can opener Batteries Weather radio/portable radio Blankets Emergency telephone numbers Having a generator for your emergency backup power is an additional way to be pr epared for any event that threatens utility power. An emergency backup generator will keep the lights on and the freezer cold, providing your family that feelin g of safety and security.