SMALL BUSINESSES, HOME OWNERS, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS UTILITIZE POWER GENERATORS IN TIMES OF DISASTER
Copyright © 2007 Will Gruver
In today’s power obsessed world, power generators are increasingly becoming used as portable energy sources as well as for emergency purposes. Electric generators are used for a varying range of purposes including RV and mobile home power sources. Commercial properties and even government properties like dams and nuclear power plants are getting accustomed to relying on power generators. Power generators can also be great in maintaining electricity in homes during prolonged blackouts.
In places such as Las Vegas, casino owners use power generators to keep slot machines working properly in case there is a loss of power. Many hospitals have to maintain high-powered generators to keep critical medical machines running, and most government offices use extremely powerful backup generators to secure all essential office locations. With such power-sensitive technology, the world will come to a complete standstill if there was complete loss of power.
So much of the things we take for granted require power to run efficiently. A lot of systems that are necessary to maintain order require power. Such apparatus such as traffic lights need to be working properly or else chaos will erupt. A typical household relies solely on electrical power for survival. When power is down, people must have an alternative form of power generation, or they will suffer the consequences. Imagine a two-week power outage in the dead of winter with only electric-powered heating appliances in the home.
Power generators can be used for a multitude of reasons. Residential use is an increasing area where power generators are becoming commonplace. Every so often, conditions require that people rely on an alternate source of power besides their normal electricity provider. Generally, these times are a result of a weather-related catastrophe such as a hurricane, tornado or ice storm that destroys power lines, disconnecting thousands of people from a power source. Power generators allow for a temporary reliable power supply that is at times life saving.
Recently, when Hurricane Katrina ravaged parts of Louisiana, power generators played a key role in restoring some sense of normalcy to a shattered region of the country. Without an immediate introduction of electric power generators to the decimated areas, the loss of life would have been much higher. Power generators not only assisted the victims, but also allowed the emergency response teams the ability to set up camps, command centers, air traffic control, mobile hospitals, and other life-saving measures. It is hard to imagine what would have happened had there not been a reliable power source available in the area. It is in times like these that the value of power generators gets thrust into the forefront, even though their use is becoming commonplace.
Although power generators were normally thought of as an industrial type application, it is not rare to see power generators used in residential settings. More and more households are beginning to take advantage of this alternative power source in everyday situations. However, it is very important for customers to understand their specific needs while shopping for a power generator. The amount of power output varies tremendously and it is crucial that the right generator be used.
For basic residential use, a power generator of about 3550 running watts is sufficient. This is enough to power a standard refrigerator, deep freezer, lighting (4-75watt bulbs), and even a television. When one considers the importance that these items play in the lives of a normal household, it is hard to imagine what would happen if that amount of power was compromised as a result of an environmental calamity.
Once wattage is increased to 5500 running watts, there is enough power generated to power the above-mentioned appliances plus more to run a single element stove top, a window AC unit (10,000 BTU), four more lights and a clock radio. But nonetheless, this type of power output is still not enough to carry all the applications of a typical American household.
Most households need a 7550 running watts count to be able to run all their domestic devices. This amount of power is enough to run all the above-mentioned uses in addition to a water well pump, garage door opener and a personal computer.
If you run a business, you will need to step up your power supply to a much higher wattage. A professional in this industry will be able to advise you as to the best wattage output to meet your small business’ power needs.
There are many types of electric backup generators for all types of applications, locations, and power levels. Likewise, there are many different types of electric backup generators including natural gas, diesel, propane, gasoline, and even naturally powered units, and many different standby generators with different wattages and safety systems. What is important is that no matter what the reason for needing backup power or the size of backup power needed, there are plenty of electric generators for all these cases.
About The Author:
Written by: Will Gruver of US Power & Environment. USPE's Eden Prairie, MN headquarters, assisted by in-house product technical and operations specialists, has the experience gained from supplying, installing and maintaining on-site energy systems across the country and around the world. They buy, sell, rent and repair natural gas and diesel power generators. To learn more, visit their website at: http://www.uspowerco.com
