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Hurricane Guide 2006	Hurricane Preparation Guide 2006

With power comes responsibility

A generator may be your saving grace after a storm, but know the safety rules before you start it up.

By JUDY STARK
Published April 16, 2006

These gasoline-fueled devices can be a godsend, providing electrical power when the lines are down.

They can also be a menace. A Tampa woman burned down her home in August 2004 when gasoline fumes from a generator were ignited by the open flame of her water heater. Three people around the state died during the hurricanes of 2004 of carbon monoxide poisoning created by their generators.

Last year there were 55 non-fire-related carbon monoxide deaths associated with generators, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reported. In 2004 there were 36 such deaths; in 2003, 51.

"It's powered by a gasoline engine. It emits carbon monoxide. It's a piece of outdoor power equipment that must be run outdoors,'' said Scott Alderton, director of marketing for Briggs & Stratton Power Group, which manufactures portable and permanent generators.

The owner's manual for one popular Briggs & Stratton model, the 6,000-watt 01893, carries page after page of instructions with sections marked "Danger,'' "Caution'' and "Warning.''

The message: Don't mess with these things if you don't know what you're doing.

The further message: Know what a portable generator can and cannot do. It cannot, for example, restore your house to full prehurricane power: central air conditioning, water heater, washer, dryer and dishwasher churning away, computers, microwave, range, television, sound system, lights - all the comforts of home we expect.

What it can do is operate a few lights and essential appliances, maybe a fan or two, enabling you to do some cooking, be a little cool and see in the dark.

Further downsides: Generators are noisy. "They're quieter than a lawn mower, but in a neighborhood situation where multiple ones are running, you're going to hear them,'' Alderton said.

They are fueled by gasoline, so you'll need a supply of gas. If the power is out, gas stations have no way to operate the electric pumps. Keeping a supply of gasoline in your home or car is a hazard that safety experts strongly discourage. (A tough plastic container, available at home centers, is a good place to store flammables away from the house.)

Let's take a class in Generator 101.

Portable or auxiliary generators range in power from 1,000 to 7,500 watts. The 1,000-watt version enables you to run a few lights. You could turn those off and plug in a microwave to cook, but this size won't allow simultaneous operation of multiple items.

-- Most homeowners probably want a portable generator of 4,000 to 6,000 watts. This size would keep the refrigerator and freezer going, a few lights, a microwave for short periods. This size sells for $500 to $700.

Some portables come with wheels, which are handy for moving them around. Generators weigh 100 to 300 pounds and are typically 3 feet wide, 4 feet long and 3 feet high.

-- There are also permanently installed backup generators, powered by natural gas or propane. These provide 7,000 watts of power and cost $2,500 to $3,000. They provide power through your home's electrical system.

-- A third type, permanently installed standby generator systems, cost $5,000 to $10,000 and provide 5,000 to 20,000 watts of power. These gas-fueled generators kick on automatically if the power is interrupted. These permanent systems must be installed by professionals.

How do you know what size portable generator you need? "Total the wattage of the maximum number of items you will be running simultaneously,'' suggests the Lowe's Home Improvement Web site. It offers a chart with running and startup wattage (which is often higher: Some appliances pull a lot of juice when they start up) for a number of tools and appliances.

Lowe's offers this example: To operate a 100-watt light bulb, a 200-watt slow cooker, a 1,200-watt refrigerator with startup wattage of 2,900 watts and a 750-watt TV would require a capacity of 3,950 watts. So you have some homework to do before you go shopping.

Generators are powered by gasoline. The 4,000- and 6,000-watt generators have tanks that hold 6 to 8 gallons, which provide 10 to 14 hours of run time, depending on the exact load.

Like your car's engine, a generator needs oil, which you'll want to check after every 15 to 20 hours of run time. Briggs & Stratton recommends changing the oil after 25 to 30 hours, using the same kind of oil you use in your car.

Some generators have an electric start button; others are started manually, like a power mower. Once you have it going, you either plug an appliance into the outlets on the generator or you run a heavyweight extension cord into the house to the appliance you want to power.

Those should be heavy-duty, outdoor-rated, three-pronged extension cords in good condition. Briggs & Stratton recommends stretching them out straight, not coiling them, because coiled cords can get hot.

One of the safest ways to get power to the appliances and lights in your home is to run an extension cord from the generator to a power strip inside the house. Then plug the refrigerator, fan, lights, etc., into the power strip.

Generators should never be placed inside your home or garage or in any enclosed space. They should be kept away from windows, doors, ducts and vents and away from combustible materials. Don't put them on the porch or lanai. They generate heat and carbon monoxide, which can be fatal.

"Opening doors and windows or using fans will not prevent CO buildup in the home,'' the Consumer Product Safety Commission warns. Keep them away from open flames and water, including rain.

Portable generators cannot directly operate your central air conditioning or water heater or provide power for the ceiling fans and lights, which are hard-wired into your home's electrical system.

Never try to power the house by plugging the generator directly into a wall outlet or breaker box. This leads to a deadly result called "backfeeding.'' Energy flows out of the generator into the home electrical system, through the back of the meter and back into the transformer. That 120/240-volt electricity is converted to 14,000 volts, which are retransmitted throughout the immediate neighborhood. Utility workers repairing the lines may be electrocuted, and downed power lines that were previously inert are suddenly dangerously charged.

Generating interest

-- Briggs & Stratton Power Group has a Web site at www.briggsand stratton.com Read safety tips, review various models, download owner's manuals with technical information on how to set up, ground and start a generator, and view a video hosted by HGTV personality Pat Simpson on permanently installed backup generators.

-- At the Lowe's Web site, www.lowes.com, type "generator'' into the search box for information on choosing, buying and operating generators. Here you'll find a chart of the wattage consumed by various appliances and tools so you can estimate the size you'll need.

-- The Consumer Product Safety Commission site (www.cpsc.gov) provides more safety information. (Type "generator'' into the search box.)

-- Consumer Reports evaluated generators in November 2003. It named the Generac Wheelhouse 5500 1646 and the Troy-Bilt 5550 01919 as best buys. Evaluations were based on wattage, run time, power delivery, ease of use and noise.

[Last modified April 13, 2006, 16:14:11]