For some, bigger is better when it comes to generators

Bobby Pittman laughs in the face of Mother Nature.

Gone are his days of portable generators. Last year, the Jacksonville resident upgraded by making an investment he hopes he never has to use. He has had his home hardwired to run off a generator.

“I used to have the old generator I had to pull out and run the drop cords,” Pittman said. “These (hard-wired homes) are becoming more common, now. You see this more and more in the blueprints.”

Pittman’s 12-kilowatt Carrier generator is designed to power his 3,000-square-foot home off Country Club Road. Fueled by a 500-gallon propane tank, the generator supplies more than just the basics.

Virtually everying — from the air conditioning to the TV to the hot water heater — will also be juiced up for as long as three days if the electricity fails.

Pittman purchased his generator just before the start of last year’s hurricane season. At the most, Pittman and his family will go without power for about 20 seconds thanks to his new toy.

“More older people are doing this because it can be dangerous for them if the power goes out,” Pittman said. “I have an elderly mother-in-law living with me, (and) healthcare services ask if you have a generator in the house.”

Once a month, the generator starts itself up and runs for about 15 minutes as a selfchecking device, said John Starzynski, owner of John Star Electric Inc., off Bell Fork Road, who installed Pittman’s generator.

Some generators, Starzynski said, can pump out as much as 45 kilowatts and cost roughly $25,000.

“We’ve started seeing more and more, and you can pick and choose what you want to run,” Starzynski said.

But considering most people would scoff at paying $8,000 to $12,000 for a generator like Pittman’s, portable ones are still the more practical choice, said Charles Westmoreland, a member services representative with Jones-Onslow Electric Membership Corp.

Portable generators are just as safe, Westmoreland said, as long as its user takes all the precautionary measures.

Anything tapped into the home’s electrical system, for example, can pose serious threats to both the homeowner and line worker if a transfer switch is not installed, Westmoreland said.

Transfer switches keep the home’s electrical current off during generator use, Westmoreland said. Without it, generated electricity will back feed through the system to the outside utility lines, resulting in electrocution.

“Before someone hooks anything up directly to the house, they need to contact their utility, anyway,” Westmoreland said.

The absence of a transfer switch can also allow both sources of electricity to run at the same time.

“If that happens, something’s going to get burnt, and it’s a good chance it’ll be the house,” Westmoreland said.

When using a portable generator, users should always be conservative in the number of appliances they hook up, Westmoreland said. Location and extension cord condition are integral to safety, as well.

“Always keep the generator outside, in a car port or in a garage with the door open due to carbon monoxide,” Westmoreland said.

What it all boils down to, Starzynski said, is what one will and will not live without during an extended power outage. Depending on how conservative one can be, the less wattage needed.

“What’s most important for some people are the creature comforts of home — the refrigerator and freezer (and) several working lights,” Starzynski said. “Most of the time when you lose power here, it’s summer time and it brings up stress levels when you don’t have heat. And most people got to have their coffee.”

Generators seem like a good idea, especially right after a storm and days without power. But the devices are tricky and can be dangerous. Some things to know about portable generators, according to power company officials.

¸ Realistically evaluate the need for a generator: Power can be restored to most customers within five to seven days, even after bad storms.

¸ Establish power requirements prior to shopping for a generator.

¸ Unless set up by a certified electrician, do not attempt to run power from a generator directly to a house. Doing so could feed power back into the electrical grid and become a danger to neighbors and those trying to restore power. ¸ Make sure the extension cords used with generators are in good condition and are rated for the intended uses.

¸ Prior to using a portable generator read manufacturers directions carefully and seek

the advice of power company professionals on any questions regarding grounding.

¸ Store fuel in a safe container.

¸ Never attempt to refuel a generator while hot or running; and never run the generator inside a confined area such as a garage due to carbon monoxide hazard.

¸ Have a qualified, licensed electrician install a double-pole, double-throw transfer switch to connect a generator to a building’s electrical system.

¸ Turn generator engine off and allow it to cool before adding fuel and make sure there is a fire extinguisher on hand to handle fuel fires.

¸ Never attempt to “speed up” the engine to obtain more performance. Both the output voltage and frequency will be thrown out of standard, endangering you and the attachments.

¸ Notify power company of tree limbs in proximity to power lines or if a person in the home is on a medical device.

¸ When the power goes out, disconnect electronic equipment to prevent possible damage. This includes personal computers, TVs, stereos, microwave ovens, etc.

¸ Leave a single lamp or radio turned on to alert you that power has been restored. Then, turn on large appliances one at a time.