哪种应急备用发电机适合您?

家里停电是很可怕的, 尤其是当恶劣的天气就在你门外的时候. But t在这里's another option to being left in the dark: an emergency generator. 当电网瘫痪的时候，因为 风暴, 飓风, 冻结 温度或其他自然灾害, 你永远不知道恢复家庭供电需要多长时间. Having a backup generator in place can help provide your home with temporary power during an emergency.

家用备用发电机或便携式发电机?

家用发电机有两种:家用备用发电机和便携式发电机. 每个都有优点和缺点，所以 做出明智的决定 based on the geography of your home and how much power you'll need if the lights go out.

家用备用发电机

这些将永远留在屋外并处于待命状态. They run on an existing fuel source — either liquid propane or natural gas — and are capable of generating enough wattage to re-energize your home in seconds after it loses power. That's because the permanent generator works in conjunction with a transfer switch to monitor incoming utility voltage. 当你家停电的时候, the transfer switch will disconnect the utility line and connect a new power line from the generator to restore power within seconds.

Due to the sheer amount of power that permanent standby generators are capable of providing, 他们携带着 高昂的价格. 除了, 必须有执照的电工安装这些发电机, and your local utility company must be notified that you have a backup system in place. 然而，如果你住在一个经常看到 停电，这些类型的备用发电机可能是一个不错的选择. 也, if you live in a climate that's consistently very cold and plagued with ice 风暴, this generator may prove worthwhile to power your furnace and hot water heater, to keep your home warm and your pipes from 冻结 in the event of a prolonged power outage.

便携式发电机

便携式发电机 are a more affordable option when only a few vital electrical items are needed during a power outage. 这些发电机更小，可以从车库里搬出来. 他们的主要燃料是汽油, so they should never be run inside the home or any enclosed area w在这里 deadly 一氧化碳(CO) 气体会积聚.

延长线 can be connected to portable generators and run inside to power smaller appliances like the refrigerator, 油池泵、炉子、热水器、灯具、电视和电脑.

为您和您的家人选择最好的家用备用发电机, 确定在停电的情况下你需要多少电力. 几天没有什么你可以做的? 热水? 冷的食物? Check the manufacturer information for each appliance to find out the wattage of your necessary appliances, 然后计算它们的数量. A portable generator may be your best option if you stay aware of your energy consumption and hold to using the wattage limit of the generator. 根据型号的不同，便携式设备可以产生2500 - 4500瓦的功率. 通过明智地使用能源，你可能能够舒适地忍受停电.

还记得, connecting a portable generator directly to your household wiring can be deadly to you and others. A generator directly connected to your home's wiring can "back feed" onto the power lines connected to your home and injure neighbors or utility workers. 通过与合格的电工一起工作, a manual transfer switch can be installed to safely tie into selected circuits of your main electrical panel. 如果便携式发电机正在运行并且电力恢复, the power company's electricity cannot get to those isolated circuits until the generator is turned off and the manual transfer switch is reset to the non-backup position.

在你买发电机之前

在购买发电机之前你做过调查吗.

• 确定在紧急情况下需要哪些电气设备.
• 处于低温气候下的房屋需要进行防护 冷冻水管 炉子需要打开应急电源. Homes in climates that have hot temperatures and high humidity need to back up the air conditioner to protect against mold damage.
• 把食物保存在冰箱里, 冰箱需要在系统中, 以及任何独立的冰柜.
• Homes with well water need to have the well pump on the generator system if toilets are to be flushed.
• 总瓦特需要确定什么尺寸的发电机是必需的. 同时考虑运行和启动功率. 电工可以帮助做出这个决定, 或者您可以检查每个设备的制造商信息.
• 把你的预算考虑进去.

启动发电机前

在启动发电机之前，请考虑以下安全提示:

• 你的 车库不是理想的位置 用于运行发电机. 便携式发电机 should be placed outside at least 20 feet away from windows and doors so 一氧化碳不会进入你的家.
• Give your generator adequate "breathing" room — leave at least three to four feet of space around the unit to ensure proper ventilation.
• 为了安全起见，一定要工作 家中的一氧化碳探测器和烟雾报警器. It's recommended that you install battery-operated carbon monoxide detectors indoors according to manufacturer's instructions.
• 给汽油驱动的便携式发电机加油时要小心. 切勿在机组运行或发热时添加燃料. If the tank is overfilled, fuel can overflow onto a hot engine and cause a fire or explosion. 只有在没有电负载连接时才启动或停止发电机.

启动发电机后

注意发电机产生的电

• 把发电机放在室外干燥平坦的地面上. If you must use a generator in damp or wet conditions, protect the unit with a canopy. Many newer-model generators have built-in ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). 如果你的没有, use a GFCI with your generator and extension cords for protection in damp or wet conditions.
• 检查延长线 它可以用来连接电器和发电机. Be sure cords are grounded, and do not use cords if they are cracked, frayed or visibly damaged. Check that extension cords are appropriately rated in watts or amps for the intended use.
• 永远不要把发电机插在墙上的插座上. 这样做会产生一种触电的风险，叫做反哺 在家里引起电气火灾 烧毁你的电器.
• 请勿用湿手触摸发电机，以免触电.

注意潜在的火灾隐患

• 让发电机冷却后再储存或补充燃料. 如果燃料溅到机组的热发动机部件上，它可能会着火.
• 将发电机燃料与其他燃料或可燃材料分开存放. 不要在家里储存燃料.
• 将燃料保存在适当的储存容器中，并贴上清晰的标签.
• Store fuel on a high shelf or in a locked cabinet w在这里 children and pets can't get to it.
• 不要在发电机或燃料附近吸烟.