Although Clark Public Utilities electrical service doesn’t go out often, some homeowners feel safer and better prepared owning a portable generator for backup. Gene Morris, safety manager for the utility, recommends running yours with care.
“Homeowners should think about what appliances they may need during a power outage,” he said. “This will help determine what size and type of generator makes most sense.” He also recommends operating portable generators to run appliances on an as needed basis — rotating to the refrigerator for a while, then the stove, then the freezer.
You can buy a portable generator for a few hundred to a thousand dollars. Don’t expect one to energize an entire home though. Labels on most models explain how much equipment they can handle. During an outage, one pumping out 2,000 to 2,500 watts should be enough to support a TV, fridge, coffee pot and DVD player. If you also expect to power heaters and a well pump, you’ll need one twice the size.
Before buying a portable generator, decide which appliances you want to operate during emergencies. Find the tags listing the appliance wattage ratings on them. Write down the number of watts each uses and add these up. The total will be your simultaneous load and a guideline for the size of generator you need to buy. Keep in mind, your generator’s wattage should be higher than the total wattage of appliances you’re powering. When shopping, Morris also suggests you buy UL approved outdoor extension cords too. Use them to connect the generator directly to the devices you want running.
“Never plug a generator into a wall socket,” Morris said. “Always plug appliances into the generator with extension cords.”
To wire a generator directly into the home’s system, a transfer switch is a crucial safety device that will separate the home from the utility’s system. It prevents a power source, such as a generator, from feeding electricity back into the utility grid where lineworkers may be fixing lines that shouldn’t be energized.
Installing a transfer switch isn’t a do-it-yourself task, so hire a licensed electrician. For about $500, you can have a switch installed that cuts your home’s connection to the utilities’ power grid before you start the generator.
“The transfer switch protects the utility’s power grid and our employees getting electrical lines back up,” he said.
During an outage, Morris offers several safety tips for portable generators:
• Place your generator outside, far from the house in a dry, open location. If necessary, use a canopy to shield it from rain.
• Point the exhaust port away from your home. This helps stop toxic combustion fumes from blowing in windows and doors even when it’s windy.
• Clear 3 or 4 feet around the sides of the generator to provide sufficient ventilation and cooling.
• Because fuel spills can flare into a blaze, never refuel a generator while it runs. Always turn it off and allow the generator to cool.
• Retire any extension cords with insulation breaks or damage, and check them before and after every use to be sure.
• Lay extension cords in areas where they’re not a tripping hazard.
• Generators burn fossil fuels and emit carbon monoxide, a lethal gas. So never operate one in a closed space, including a garage or carport. Anyone inhaling the odorless and invisible exhaust will soon exhibit a headache, drowsiness, nausea, dizziness and shortness of breath.
Inside your home, carbon monoxide alarms will protect family members by sounding a warning. Nevertheless, should a family member exhibit signs of carbon monoxide poisoning immediately rush everyone outside. Once all are safe, briefly return and open all the doors and windows so the deadly gas can escape, then exit fast.
Report outages to Clark Public Utilities PowerLine at 360-992-8000 or online at www.ClarkPublicUtilities.com. Only call 911 in the event of immediate danger, fire or injury.
