Sizing a backup generator

 Is there a good website that can walk a novice through the process of
sizing, selecting and installing a home backup generator?

Thanks,
-Scott

  Scott wrote:

   Go to your local Honda power-equipment dealer.  They have a chart with power
loads of various things.


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Look around your home, what do you need/want to run. If it has a motor,
refer/ freezer, washer add 30% of the full load for starting current. If
your getting into A/C equipment then double it.  Compressors really hate
being starved when starting.

Try the generac web site, or home depot. They have packages that contain
pretty much everything you need. Air cooled are typically noiser, than water
cooled. Get one with an oil filter. They last longer. Check out the noise
most are not all that quiet with out spending more money.

 

   I think that the Honda and Generac websites both have links to
online   " calcuators "  for typical household loads.
  The real question, for each individual person,   is  ...
 "  What devices  MUST have emergency power ? "
 ..   vs
 "  What would   BE NICE to have emergency power for ?"
  My 5000 watt Honda provides my household needs, during
an outage ...   but it will not power everything at once.
 I must turn most everything else off when I run a supply of water -
the well pump has quite a starting draw.   But once I have a supply of
water,  the Honda will provide nicely for the freezer, sump pump,
propane furnace, propane water heater, lights, microwave,  TV &
computer.  As long as everything isn't starting up at the same time -
hasn't happened yet.
   You need to keep fresh fuel on hand and test-run the generator
every month or so.
  Good luck.
   John T.

 As a Honda dealer I would recommend the Honda and that is not because I am
trying to sell you one as the new '04 rules no longer allow a dealer to
price and sell on the net or through email.  The Hondas are very quiet
compared to the other generators on the market and have a very long life
when treated properly.  In order to size your generator, look at the tags on
what your would like to run and calculate the wattage using the formula:
Watts = volts X amps.  Be sure to remember that electric motors draw up to 3
times their running wattage at start up so that fan that runs at 1000 watts
takes 3000 to start so that eliminates the generators that produce less than
3000 watts.