Power outages in winter or during bad weather can cause problems with heating and access to hot water in many homes with a heating system equipped with a modern central heating furnace and a heat pump. Furnace automation does not consume much energy – a small generator with a few kW is enough to power the furnace. However, powering strong heat pumps requires much more powerful equipment.
Protect yourself against winter and bad weather – a generator as an emergency home power supply
Power outages in winter or during severe weather conditions can cause problems with heating and access to domestic hot water in many homes equipped with a modern central heating boiler and a heat pump. The automation of boilers does not consume much energy, and a small generator with a power of a few kW is enough to power the boiler. However, powering strong heat pumps already requires much more powerful devices. When power outages or voltage drops occur frequently, it is better to invest in a stronger emergency home power supply that will be able to supply electricity to the most important household appliances, or even the entire installation.
How to choose a generator? Emergency power supply for your home in winter
When choosing a generator for the home as an emergency power supply for heating devices and other receivers, you need to make sure the generator has sufficient power. The rated power of a home generator for emergency power should cover the load generated by all connected devices. It is important to know that in order for home emergency power to work smoothly, the generator’s power must also account for the inrush current drawn by devices at startup. When buying a generator for home use, you should also check whether the emergency power supply should power three-phase devices and choose a unit that matches the installation conditions.
Make sure you need emergency power for three-phase devices
When selecting a generator for home use, you need to ask yourself what kind of devices it should power. Many homes use both single-phase devices and three-phase powered equipment. To ensure emergency power for all household appliances, you need to choose a generator that generates electricity with the right parameters. In homes where emergency power does not need to supply three-phase devices, single-phase generators of sufficient power are enough. In cases where three-phase equipment is used, a proper three-phase generator must be chosen.
Choose a generator that will not be burdensome for users and surroundings
When buying a generator for home use, keep in mind that an improperly selected device of this type may be somewhat inconvenient for household members and neighbors. Generators generate a certain noise level, which negatively affects comfort. It is also important to consider the size of the device and the rules for selecting a proper installation location.
- Noise level generated by the home generator – when choosing a unit, consider how its installation and operation will affect household members.
- Installing the generator inside the building – installation in, for example, a basement, boiler room, or garage may cause discomfort due to the limited space occupied by the generator. If installed indoors, it is also necessary to provide exhaust gas removal and consider the level of vibration generated by the running unit.
- Ventilation and exhaust removal – when installing a generator indoors, proper ventilation must be ensured, along with a professional exhaust system leading gases outside. It may even be necessary to build additional chimney ducts. This issue can be solved by placing the generator outdoors.
Sometimes, given the conditions, it is only possible to install a small generator to provide emergency power to key devices. If the conditions allow, you can choose a home generator capable of supplying electricity to all household appliances, including lighting and home appliances such as the refrigerator and cooking or induction hob.
Lightweight generators with gasoline or gas-powered combustion engines are the foundation of emergency power supply in homes with C.H. (central heating) boilers equipped with automation that controls the combustion process. Such units are usually installed near the boiler. When emergency power for the home needs to supply more devices, it is worth considering a more powerful generator. A good solution for such applications is stationary generators with large fuel tanks. Outdoor stationary generators are available in enclosures that allow them to be used outdoors. This is an excellent solution that ensures uninterrupted access to electricity produced by the generator for many hours.
