While one doesn’t really acknowledge the importance of power as a resource provided to the common man, it would be next to impossible to sustain our businesses or our home lives. There is backup required to let the flow of our lives going as smoothly as it should. It is something to be grateful for that in today’s world, there are backups available for anything and everything.
Such is the utility of power generators. They make lives simpler and convenient. Backup power generators come to the rescue when nothing else does. People can stay connected, regulate the home temperature on a cold night, stop the food from going stale and a lot more.
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Best Home Generator for Emergencies & Backup 2020
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Top 2 Home Generators for Emergencies & Power Outages
#1. Champion Power Equipment 42436
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This one is a 1200- watt, well-built and a multi-purpose serving equipment. The company support provides a 3-year limited warranty with a lifetime of Free technical support and assistance. It runs on propane or natural gas. It has a durable steel frame which is ready for standing for about 150 mph winds. It is a model which does not require much maintenance apart from a yearly or bi-yearly changing of oil and filter. It is ultimate go-for product powered by an 80cc Champion single cylinder and 4-stroke OHV engine that produces 1200 running watts and 1500 starting watts.
The outlets are 120V 20A household outlet with a voltmeter, monitor stable power and monitors. A spark arrestor kit, vibration mounts, oil funnel and a spark plug socket are provided along with the main component. The gasoline capacity is 1.5 Gallons i.e. 5.5L
PROS-
- Value for money
- Durable steel frame protecting
- Cold start accessory for unsuitable weather conditions.
- USDA Approved Spark arrestor.
- Easy to install
- 3 year limited warranty.
- Lifetime technical support.
- Runtime of up to 10 hours
CONS-
- Inconsistent Voltage Regulation
- Some users may face difficulty in assembling
- Obstructions in working in Economy Mode
Ignoring a few cases of a manufacturing defect, it is an appropriate example of a superior quality product which goes easy on the pocket too. It is ideal for running a small number of essential appliances in power outage – fan, microwave, TV, lights, or a trailer.
#2. Westinghouse WH6500E Portable Generator
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With 800 starting watts and 6500 running watts, It has a run time of about 11 hours on 25% load. The generator comes with a high capacity of 6.6 Gallons of the fuel tank which also has a quick fuel drain system. It features an L14-30R 120/240 VAC 30 Amp Twist Lock Power Outlet, an L5-30R 120VAC 30 Amp Power Outlet, a CS6369 50 Amp 12V DC Power Outlet, Four 5-20R GFCI 120VAC 20 Amp Power Outlets.It comes with a 3-year limited warranty; customer service and support. It features a 420cc Westinghouse V-Twin OHV Engine with Pressurized Lubrication System with Shock Mounted Oil Cooler.
PROS–
- highly safe for sensitive electronics.
- best to use for an extended power outage. It is a reliable product.
- has a less than 5% Total Harmonic Distortion.
- remote start.
- User-friendly.
- has a very powerful engine with heavy-duty features.
- The packing includes a Battery Charger, Lifting Hook, Oil, an Oil Funnel, and a Tool Kit so that there is no delay.
- minimal effort required for assembling .
CONS–
- High noise
- Slow customer support services.
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Keeping in mind the benefits of the product and understanding the fact that even the best of companies make a small percentage of faulty products, it is a one of a kind home generator which is affordable, durable and highly powerful. Westinghouse has been going well as a company for about 130 years and still topping the charts with their unmatched performances.
Best Home Generator Buying Guide
An automatically operated power supply which senses the loss of power and transfers the electrical load to the backup power supply. It is usually run on fuel (natural gas, diesel, liquid propane gas). They provide a readily available power source in situations of Electrical Blackouts.
When the power supply is disrupted, the generator automatically senses it, and starts transferring the load to the generator and hence, saves the day. Major and minor appliances, electrical gadgets stay safe and charged up in events as these. It henceforth prevents loss of important data or even the slightest chance of it. Whereas a 20,000-watt generator is not feasible for homeowners, the small generators are usually low consumption and generally pocket-friendly. One should make a note of his/her needs and then consider the below-given factors before getting one.
Why Should You Buy a Home Generator?
We cannot survive without power as a resource. But there is no assurance that there would be no interruption in its supply. So, it is important to invest in a good home generator to make sure that these disruptions cause no unwanted loss or bring a gap in the comfort. These reasons are there to make sure that you invest right:-
- Long running time- Portability is a much-desired feature in a product such as a generator, but the most important one is the runtime. Home generators are portable with standard run time and hence, are the ultimate choice.
- To keep the food fresh for longer- We tend to rely on our refrigerators to handle our entire weeks’ grocery, and that too fresh! A power outage can result in the food going stale. We need to be prepared for not letting our grocery shopping in vain. In order to make sure the food stays fresh, it is important to have backups for the same.
- Feeling of Safety- Kids tend to freak out during blackouts which may cause unwanted panic. Power backup providers make sure that the kids and other members of the family do not lose their cool by keeping lights and other appliances on.
- Expensive Appliances and Gadgets stay safer- There are a number of expensive electrical toys that we use today. We rely so much on them for our day-to-day tasks. Regulating the power source for them will make sure that they do not face any kind of damage. The same goes for the big appliances as well.
- Peace of mind? Achieved! – Backup power generators were invented to make certain that you sleep at night with no worries about the power supply causing undesired problems to you or your loved ones.
Factors to consider before buying Home Generators:
While it is certain that market competition brings the best of products for you, it is more important to get the best out of the available lot. Certain factors to be kept in mind while buying home generators-
- Noise Level– It is important before buying a generator to check the decibel levels and the noise silencer of the generator. Loud generators can sometimes make you lose your peace of mind, which is quite the opposite of what they are supposed to do. High noise generators can sound like a Tuned Ford-GT but won’t provide you the luxury of one.
- Fuel Type- The powerhouse of the power backup is fuel. It is hence very important to make sure that the fuel type chosen is the best of all the options available. Some fuel types are propane, natural gas and kerosene oil. The fuel type chosen should be cost effective, readily available and be environmentally friendly.
- The frequency of Power cuts- You need to be certain about how frequent do you have to face the situations involving power cuts. People living in areas where such disruptions are more frequent should go for more cost-effective options with readily available fuel options.
- Location of Generator- If the generator is supposed to be installed outdoors, there should be a proper protective shelter for it in cases of storms or other external factors. An indoors based generator should be smaller in size and should not create much noise.
- Voltage requirement- In the U.S., the common low voltages are: 120/240 volts single phase, 120/208 volts 3 phase, 120/240 volts 3 phase, and 277/480 volts 3 phase. A licensed electrician can provide information on this if you are unaware.
- Maintenance- Power Generators require high and timely maintenance to work properly and efficiently. It is henceforth important to finalize the detailed work of maintenance of the generators and implement the plans at the earliest.
- Accessory Requirements- For home generators, various options are available as an accessory along with the main component. Remote monitoring systems and cold weather kits are available. They can be bought along for further convenience.
- Duration of warranty – The equipment is supposed to be used over several years and so it should have a good warranty time period in case the equipment gets faulty. The buyer should always make sure that he gets the best deal in warranty as well.
- Budget- Since a backup generator is a utility that is supposed to go over the years, the budget needs to be assigned accordingly. The equipment should be friendly on the pocket as well as should serve the purpose.
- Automatically or Manually operated- According to the needs of the people who are supposed to use the equipment, it is very vital to choose the correct type. Remote operated or manually operated or automatic power disruption sensing generators are a few types
What types of Generators are available?
There are two considerable ways to backup power through generators. The two types of generators available for backing up power at your home are portable and standby.
- Portable Generators: A portable generator is the least costly solution to power up your essential needs. Power Generators do not get involve the hassle of calling up of an electrician. You can just power the generator, plug in the extension cords which run the appliances and you are ready to go. They are easy to ignite, easy to carry which makes them the ultimate product to use on the go.
- Standby Generators: Among other things, standby generators reduce the manual efforts by automatically sensing power outages. They are usually powered by propane or natural gas. Standby generators are usually more than enough to run all the appliances at your place. These kind of generators are the product for areas facing long term power outages For customized needs regarding sizes, power requirement, you can always contact the manufacturers.
Within these types, a few other subtypes such as remote monitored, manually operated and automatic power disruption sensing are a few types.
Final Words
On one hand, it is important to consider all the above-mentioned factors when buying a home generator for emergencies & power backup, on the other hand, it is also very vital to keep in mind the brand name of the equipment. A good brand name would always provide good after sale services and support. So, keeping in light the utility, efficiency and the cost factors, a generator should be bought as an investment into a peaceful, worry free future. Making mistakes while buying generators can be costly both in terms of time and money. So, it is more than necessary to make this decision very wisely to get the best product for your usage. Hope this article was helpful.
