You might be wondering if a portable generator is a worthwhile purchase for you. Is it worth it? In this short articles we will give some uses for these handy little devices, and try to help you decide.
The great thing about small portable generators is that they are highly versatile machines. They have a purpose for almost everyone in all kinds of different situations. For most people they can act as a backup power source during power outages. For builders they can be indispensable to power their tools. They can be a great power source in an RV or holiday cabin. We don’t actively realise anymore how reliant we have become on electricity. You will find this out quickly after your lights go dark, connectivity with the outside world is cut off and the food in the fridge goes bad. Be prepared for these situations. It does not have to cost an arm and a leg, small backup portable generators are available for a few hundred dollars.
In Case Of Major Emergencies / Natural Disasters
Generators can be indispensable for people who live in area’s prone to natural disasters. Think about hurricanes or tornado’s, torrential rains that cause power grid failure, floodings, or tsunami’s. If you live in an area that experiences one or more of these natural disasters on a regular basis you might want to look into buying a backup generator. You don’t necessarily need to back up your whole house. Just the things that matter most in case of an emergency. Think about your connection to the outside world. Internet, phone etc. Especially in these situations you don’t want to be cut off.
General Blackouts
I wouldn’t call blackouts a natural disaster, although they can be very annoying to say the least. Some areas of the country are more prone to blackouts than others, but if you live in one that is, you might want to consider getting a backup generator. If you install it so that it fires up when a blackout occurs, you’ll be comfortable anytime and blackouts are no longer out of your control.
DIY And Professional Builders
Portable generators are indispensable to landscapers. But if you own a decent sized property, and want to power some tools in the far corners of it, you can’t live without a portable power source. Keep in mind that you need a bit of power to use tools like drills, skill saws or mitre saws for example. You will often only use one device at a time. However when you look at your needed tools wattage, double that for your generators needed capacity. This is because most power tools need a big start-up power, about twice their wattage. Also, you might be charging batteries for battery-powered tools at the same time.
Camping And Recreational Vehicles
For people with RV’s or caravan trailers portable generators can be a great addition. In these situations, most people opt to have a big capacity battery system installed, and charge these once a day or every few days with the generator. Like this, you would only have to run the genie for a short period of time every day, and enjoy electricity all day long. The same principle goes for people with off-grid cabins or tiny houses. Except in these cases, a generator is usually absolutely indispensable. Even if you have a top-notch solar system installed, you would still need a generator to top up your battery bank in the gray, sunless winter months.
Charging Your Electric Car
Planning to go on a road trip through the country with your electric car? You don’t want to run out of juice in any case do you! This might sound ridiculous, but it does make sense. In most cases you probably won’t need it, but it might save your live if you do. Admittedly, most people will not buy a portable generator just for this use, but if you already own one, why not take it?
Events and Parties
Generators are not nearly as noisy as they used to be anymore. Therefore, they can be a good alternative to running costly power lines for hundreds of yards to your nearest power supply. If you plan to organise an event, small or large, and you need power, this might be the way to go. Put the generator in an enclosure if it has to be really quiet. And don’t forget to top up the fuel tank, otherwise there might be some unhappy people leaving your event, haha!
Lastly
As you have read, a portable generator can benefit almost anyone. We all use lots of electricity in our day-to-day lives, often more than we realise. Therefore we can’t live without anymore for prolonged periods of time. In addition to emergency use, they can be a great thing to have around the house or property as well.