In December 2008 an Ice Storm barreled through the northeast knocking out power. Much of the New England states were left in the dark for several days while the rural areas went weeks without electricity. For some people they found refuge in a community shelter and for others, well, they were prepared – backup systems or a small generator. My family had a generator but, unfortunately it ran on gas and we ran out, the road we live on was littered with power lines and fallen trees. Three days past before town officials were able to go down the road with a loader to clear one lane. Once there was a lane cleared we went looking for a place to buy gas, after 40 miles of traveling and several detours we found a place that was able to pump the gas because they were on backup power from their generator. While pumping the gas tanks full and watching the panic of the society trying to function with no electricity, it was then and only then, I realized we have an addiction problem. 

    We as Americans take for granted the power that flows into our house from power lines. We take for granted that gas stations will always have gas for us -no matter how expensive. We take for granted that our oil tanks in our house will always be filled so we can live in a comfortable heated zone. The American culture for the last 120 years (since the invention of the car) has lived leaving a destructive carbon print on the earth.
 

    The point of this is we as Americans are addicted to fossil fuel energy whether it is gas or diesel for our vehicle, oil for our furnace, or electricity (generated from coal or oil plants). Like every good addiction breaking the habit is painful. Are we as a society really committed to changing or are we just willing to make small changes that really amount to nothing. Are we willing to invest money now in solar for our homes, community buildings, or even the streetlights that guide our way in the dark? Are we willing to place some wind generation on our hill sides, near the ocean, or any wind alley that could supply energy for society? Only you and I together as a working group willing to resolve our addiction to energy can answer this question. 

    We now have solutions to resolving some of our energy addiction; the new Government is focusing on green energy, clean burning coal, and hybrid cars for our future. Solar companies are making strides in improving photo voltaic cells, Wind generation companies continue to improve technology that can power a neighborhood. Wood pellet stoves can heat your home efficiently while burning clean not adding any more to the carbon print than the wood would if it rotted away. We are getting there as a society but, will our efforts continue with no days off till we have reversed the damage we have done to our fragile earth. Only time will tell.

In December 2008 an Ice Storm barreled through the northeast knocking out power. Much of the New England states were left in the dark for several days while the rural areas went weeks without electricity. For some people they found refuge in a community shelter and for others, well, they were prepared – backup systems or a small generator. My family had a generator but, unfortunately it ran on gas and we ran out, the road we live on was littered with power lines and fallen trees. Three days past before town officials were able to go down the road with a loader to clear one lane. Once there was a lane cleared we went looking for a place to buy gas, after 40 miles of traveling and several detours we found a place that was able to pump the gas because they were on backup power from their generator. While pumping the gas tanks full and watching the panic of the society trying to function with no electricity, it was then and only then, I realized we have an addiction problem. 

    We as Americans take for granted the power that flows into our house from power lines. We take for granted that gas stations will always have gas for us -no matter how expensive. We take for granted that our oil tanks in our house will always be filled so we can live in a comfortable heated zone. The American culture for the last 120 years (since the invention of the car) has lived leaving a destructive carbon print on the earth.
 

    The point of this is we as Americans are addicted to fossil fuel energy whether it is gas or diesel for our vehicle, oil for our furnace, or electricity (generated from coal or oil plants). Like every good addiction breaking the habit is painful. Are we as a society really committed to changing or are we just willing to make small changes that really amount to nothing. Are we willing to invest money now in solar for our homes, community buildings, or even the streetlights that guide our way in the dark? Are we willing to place some wind generation on our hill sides, near the ocean, or any wind alley that could supply energy for society? Only you and I together as a working group willing to resolve our addiction to energy can answer this question. 

    We now have solutions to resolving some of our energy addiction; the new Government is focusing on green energy, clean burning coal, and hybrid cars for our future. Solar companies are making strides in improving photo voltaic cells, Wind generation companies continue to improve technology that can power a neighborhood. Wood pellet stoves can heat your home efficiently while burning clean not adding any more to the carbon print than the wood would if it rotted away. We are getting there as a society but, will our efforts continue with no days off till we have reversed the damage we have done to our fragile earth. Only time will tell.

How Well Do You Know Your Generator?

Back up power is important not just in business establishments but not just in homes. This is especially so if people are experiencing man-extracted or natural calamities & have no way of preventing power shortage.

During these unfortunate times, people need a source of energy to power up tools or furniture that’s important in running their household.

Examples of these are heaters to warm the house in winter times, air conditioning for summer times and surely, heater and other cooking tools for food support.

Generators are important due to the fact that people have no way of determining how long the power will be down. If you want to make sure that your house will stay in a good & steady condition, you should have back up energy in order and ready to use whenever.

What are the 2 types of back up generators?

1. Portable generators.

This is the most economical generator that’s competent supplying back up energy. Portable generators are the most prevailingly used in houses or household.

Appliances that necessary power supply are plugged straightforwardly inside this generator. This is done using wires & other cords that are applicable to the appliances.

Many of these type of generator already has advance features like the stop or start button which people can use to be able to save up on the energy they possibly needing for a few time.

Portable generators also have different types contingent upon the volt specification that you are using in your house. You will be able to pick out from 120 up to 240 volts capability.

One of the widely used portable generators is the 1 that’s gasoline-powered. People pick out this type of generator because it costs less contrasted to the other type. There are even those that run on diesel or a mixture of both.

One of the downside to this is that it can’t be used for longer time. People have to fill again and refuel this generator in many cases to be capable of extend its power support.

On top of that, diesel powered generators are much more precious. Albeit it is more efficient & with supplies that are jammy to find, you may find it tough to start in cold seasons.

two. Permanent generators.

Permanent generators are programmed to be turned on automatically within the specified time after power loss. These generators are connected to the wiring system inside the house.

This is why it will start on its own whether there is nobody present in the home throughout black out. It not only has the capacity to shut down on its own once power is restored.

This type of generator is powered by natural gases. The kind of gas that you are using to power some of the appliances at your house can not just be used to power this generator.

The choice of permanent generator will contingent on how the homeowners plan to use it. If you need to power up more than the required appliances, then you may choose permanent generators that have more than 17,000 watts capability.

These types predisposed to be more precious than portable generators. But with all its capacity, the initial money spent will be worth it once you see the kind of back up energy it will provide when you need it the most.

Are generators hazardous?

Portable generators are more hazardous than permanent generators. This is due to the fact that they are forming use of gasoline and diesel and is more able to burning up when overheated.

This kind of generator is like your car. They inclined to heat excessively when used extremely for a long period of time. This is why you need to check regularly and rest it during a certain period of time to prevent any damage to you, to the generator & the appliances that it is powering.

Poisoning is not just another hazard caused by portable generators. Since it is running on gas, carbon monoxide is being released inside the air.

According to studies, many folks die of carbon monoxide poisoning. 1 of the reasons for this is that they are not aware that they are breathing in carbon monoxide.

To prevent this from happening, the generator should be placed in locations where it is properly ventilated.

Think of placing them outside your home where there are no possibility of people to be suffocated from the carbon monoxide it emit.

Think of these things when you’re in the process of buying a back up power for your house.

Together with the needed power supply is the have to make sure that you will encounter no health problems when you are using them already.