Portable Generators: Safety First

 Manufacturers of portable generators have made it very easy to use their products.  Many of the new generators are not only affordable, but they are light and easy to carry around.  Many are also surprisingly quiet.  All of these qualities make it quick and easy to purchase, install, and use these portable generators, but they also tend to make us take them less seriously.

Consider the amount of wattage available with these generators.  They range from 2000 to 7000 watts, which is enough to run several household appliances.  If you were to treat the generator carelessly and fail to take the necessary precautions, you could cause serious injury or even death.

 When you use a portable generator, the best defense is not to remember a long list of rules, but to use common sense.  Here are a couple tips to help you think about dangers that can be avoided with some foresight and diligence.

First, remember that ventilation is critical.  Like any other gas-powered engine, generators emit toxic gases that can cause asphyxiation.  Portable generators, especially, make us forget that.  Many generators are stationed in garages with little regard for ventilation, and some people have even been known to take their small electric generator into their house.  Not a good idea!

Be sure that there is adequate circulation of air, so that toxic fumes are not concentrated in your garage or house.

 Generators attract attention to themselves because they are noisy.  And little children do not always understand the danger inherent in a gas-powered engine.  Nor do they understand electricity and the damage it can do.

But the danger of generators does not stop with little children.  Teenagers (boys, especially) have a special aptitude to imagine things they can do with power tools and engines.  If  you intend to use a generator, especially a portable generator, you need to have a talk with our children and explain how the generator works and the dangers inherent in misusing it.

Then, you need to do what you can to place the generator out of any danger zones, and to the extent possible, supervise your children while they are near the generator.

Generators must be shut down during refueling.  This means you should purchase a generator with a tank adequate for your needs.  It also means you need to plan ahead, being sure to let your generator cool down before refueling.

Again, portable generators tend to make us careless when it comes to refueling.  The smaller generators almost look toy-like, and it is easy to discount the possibility it can do harm.  But remembering the power involved can help us take the necessary precautions.

Always keep your fuel in a separate location, away from the generator.  Generators get hot during operation, so especially for gasoline generators, a little distance between the generator and the stored fuel is essential.

During refueling, you should observe the same rules you would follow while refueling your car.  Never smoke while refueling or do anything else that might cause a spark to ignite the fuel.  This seems so basic as to not need repeating, but you would be surprised at the number of times people just don't think about the fact that they are dealing with an explosive substance when they are pouring gasoline.

Many generators require installation, and when they do, you should never attempt to do it yourself.  Call a qualified electrician.  There are just too many dangers involved in trying to deal with electric circuits.  The risks of electrocution and fire are just too great.

When my wife and I built our house and installed a generator, we had the electrician who did our entire system work the generator into the overall system. 

We didn't want to purchase a backup generator for every appliance in the whole house (washer and dryer), but we wanted to be able to run many essentials (freezer, fridge, water heaters, furnace, etc.).  So we had our electrician install two electric panels, one for our general use, and a second one for the items we would run in an emergency and that could all be powered by our backup generator.  If the power goes out, we can start up the generator, and flip a switch that sends power to just the essential items.

This is the biggest benefit of using an electrical contractor--they know what they're doing, and they can not only keep you safe, but make  your use of your generator convenient.

 Finally, good safety procedures require that you take care of your power cords and keep them in good repair. 

In general, you should not use a cord that is longer than you need.  A shorter cord will not only be more convenient, but it will be safer.  You should not attempt to repair your own power cords.  Spend a little money to get good durable cords, and when they do wear out, unless you're an electrician yourself, just go buy new ones.

If you keep them off the ground and hang them on the wall in neat coils, you will extend their life (and yours, as you avoid the frustration of working with tangled power cords).