Q: I'm an older gentleman living in Florida, and recently I read one of your columns on permanently installed automatic generators now available for home use. I have special-need medical equipment that I operate most of the day, and friends and family have suggested I get a generator. But, I'm in no condition to move around and keep a portable generator going. How do these automatic generators operate? Can you give me a quick lesson on the generator system itself? -- Fred
A: Aside from buying a standard portable generator that runs on gasoline, there are permanently installed standby generators that run on natural or propane gas and are now available for residential use. When I mentioned this a few weeks back in one of my articles, I received many letters like yours asking how a standby-generator system actually works.
First off, a standby-generator system is just like the name states: it's a generator that's in constant standby mode until called upon to provide backup electrical power when the lights go out. Secondly, it's not actually a new idea -- places like hospitals and hotels have been using these systems for decades. What is new is that technology and pricing have made residential standby generators affordable to many homeowners in need of backup electrical power.
How can these generator systems work automatically? Well, for one thing, natural and propane gases are self-feeding fuels, so there is no need to keep filling generators up with liquids. Also, as long as you have a steady supply of natural or propane gas, the generator can run automatically for days at a time.
But the real brains behind the system lie in something called the automatic transfer switch, or intelligent transfer switch. The transfer switch is installed by a licensed professional electrician to a home's electrical panel. The switch constantly monitors utility power coming into the house, and within seconds of any power outage, it automatically starts the generator and transfers power from the utility to the generator. When utility power is restored, the transfer switch shuts down the standby generator system and returns the power demand back to the utility grid. Now that's a pretty smart switch!
Many contractors are now building new homes that are called generator-ready, meaning that the electrical panel is already set up to accept a transfer switch in the event a homeowner wants to add a standby-generator system down the road. This can save a good amount of money when the generator is installed later.
Remember: This is by no means a technical explanation -- I'm just giving you a basic outline on how a standard standby generator operates. It's not a do-it-yourself job, either. Licensed contractors, pipe fitters and electricians need to be called in to do this job, and permits need to be pulled.
Finally, even though costs have come down significantly, a standby generator can still be considered a high-end job, but an affordable one for many applications. Just keep in mind that the final "charge" of the job can be well worth every penny, when a long power outage occurs.
(Master Contractor/Plumber Ed Del Grande is known internationally as the author of the book "Ed Del Grande's House Call" and for hosting TV shows on Scripps Networks and HGTVPro.com. For more information, visit eddelgrande.com or write eddelgrande(at)hgtvpro.com. Always consult local contractors and codes.)
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)
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