Portable Or Automatic Generators - Which One Is Right For You

One of the decisions you will have to make before embarking on your shopping trip to buy a home generator is whether or not you should go for an automatic one or a portable manual model.

Here is some information for you on both models, that should help you narrow down your choice to the one that will best suit you, your home and your family. There are basic and fundamental differences between the two, but you should be able to make your decision quite easily once you have a better understanding of their functions.

Automatic Standby Power.

Automatic standby power does exactly what it says on the tin. It is connected directly into your home power supply, where it is constantly reading the signals from and knows from these signals when you have lost power from your mains supplier. As soon as this happens, your standby power automatically switches itself on. There should be no interruption or loss of power during this time, but this will depend on the type of model that you have. How long will your backup run itself for? Well, this again will depend on what size and model you have connected, and you should check this out with the manufacturer if you are unsure.

For me, the best thing about having automatic stand by power is the fact that it will kick in and work even when you are not at home. This is worth its weight in gold. The last thing you need when you are away is the worry that your house is at risk in the event of a power failure. Because remember, when you lose power, you will also lose any protection that your home has been afforded by many of the alarm systems that are on the market. (Again always check with your suppliers to confirm how your alarm system works during a power outage).

There are lots of people out there who see a loss of power in a neighborhood as an opportunity to seek out and target those homes that are not as prepared as others. One man's loss is another man's opportunity is the motto of those who are up to no good during these difficult times.

Portable Standby Power.

Portable power again essentially does what it says on the tin. It is not fixed in one place and as such you can move it around where and when needed. For example, if you have a shed at the end of your garden you can bring it down there and run it. Then if you need it in your workshop or garage, you can move it and install it there. Your portable power will not (in most cases) turn itself on in the event of a power failure. You have to be there to get to it and manually switch it on. So this is a big difference. You need to ask yourself if that suits. For elderly or at risk people, you must be sure that they are in a position to do this, or have someone who can help them out with it.

The other consideration with portable power is the required fuel source. You must always make sure that you have whatever fuel your model uses available, and then some to spare. It is no use having a propane portable generator if you do not have the fuel to run it.

There are other differences between the two, but these are the deal breakers in my opinion, and you can very quickly decide from them, which is the best solution for you and your home.

Of course, the other choice you have is to go for one of each. This way you will be making sure that all angles are covered and that you are doubly insured against any form of inconvenience during what can be a most inconvenient time.