Choosing a Backup Generator

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NOISE ISSUES

Generators, especially gasoline-fueled models, make major noise. Generally, the cheaper the generator, the louder it will operate. Natural gas and propane generators are much quieter. One way to minimize the noise level is to buy a more expensive generator with a water-cooled engine and a good muffler. An alternative approach is to locate your generator away from your home, but this can cause problems with long power cords and voltage drop. A better option is to place your generator in a small, soundproof shed. If you follow this approach, be sure to provide adequate ventilation (which will partly negate the soundproof strategy). Listen to any generator before you buy it. You may decide on the spot that the extra quiet of a watercooled unit is worth the cost.

CONNECTING YOUR GENERATOR

If you are just going to power one or two appliances or a few lights, you may be able to use an extension cord to connect them to your generator. Be sure to use a heavy-duty cord that won't cause excessive voltage drop. Saving a few dollars by buying a cheap extension cord for an expensive genset is foolish and potentially dangerous—an overheated extension cord is a fire hazard. Dragging extension cords out to your generator in the middle of a stormy night can be a real pain, too, but it is the cheapest approach.

A much safer but more expensive approach is a transfer switch. If you plan to back up appliances that can't be unplugged from your home's electrical circuits —such as your furnace or boiler—or you want to power all your household lighting, then you must have a transfer switch, also known as a bypass switch. These special electrical panels work somewhat like your main circuit breaker panel and are available in manual and automatic models. Many city and state electrical codes require a transfer switch and you may need a permit or inspection to have one installed.

A basic manual transfer switch costs about $200 and should be installed by a licensed electrician. The installation will cost about $300 (more if extensive rewiring is needed). Your electrician will connect the circuits you want to power. In the event of a power failure, you plug your generator into the panel with a special power cord and switch the circuits from utility power to your generator. When the blackout is over, you switch the circuits back to utility power. This eliminates having both power sources on the selected circuits at the same time and the possibility of sending electricity to the grid lines when utility crews are working on them. A transfer switch also will protect your generator from surge damage when grid power is restored.

An automatic transfer switch accomplishes the same tasks as a manual model, except, as its name implies, it functions automatically. Automatic transfer switches cost at least $600 and work with generators that turn on when the grid goes down and shut off when electricity resumes. If your stand by— generator is going to power your entire house, then the transfer switch needs the same rating as your main breaker panel. If you only want to power certain circuits, a smaller-capacity transfer switch will work fine. Finally, if you have a natural gas- or propane-powered generator, you need to have a licensed plumber or pipe-fitter install the gas connections. "That way, you know it's been done correctly and that it will meet all the codes," Flowers says.

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