A generator is one of the most useful things in the world. Whether it’s your office, your shop or your home, if the power runs out, you can always rely on your generator without worrying about anything. Power outages can be very irritating, especially when they are continuous. There are places in the world where there’s no electricity for hours, and it can cause a lot of trouble by stopping the daily routine of important chores.
In other words, one thing that’s well established among people is that yes, they do need a generator as a power backup when the electricity goes out. Now, first, you need to learn how to choose a home generator or a generator for your office, etc. Once done and once you’ve bought the generator, the next step is to be careful and adhere to some basic safety tips if you want the generator to work for you for a long time.
Here are some important generator safety tips you should follow for your safety and for the safety and maintenance of your generator.
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1- Installing a transfer switch
If you are using a generator in your house as a power backup for when the electricity is out, you need to get a transfer switch installed by your electrician. The electrician will connect your generator with a transfer switch, and then this switch will power all the electric circuits in your home. The switch is to be installed next to the electric panel that you have. The whole point of it is to manage the power in your house.
2- Never plug a generator directly into a wall outlet
If you want to safely isolate the circuits of your home from the power lines, then the best thing to do is to install and use a transfer switch. One of the biggest things you need to avoid is to directly plug a generator into a wall outlet. This can be very dangerous, so you have to be extra careful with it. If you plug the generator directly, it will send back the power to all the connected utility lines. It’s called back feed, and it can be so dangerous that it might even start a fire in your house.
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3- Read the manual for generator safety tips
Even if you’ve used generators before, you still should refer to the manual of the generator that you just bought. Read the instructions carefully because each manual and each generator has separate instructions given. There are modern generators out there that run on gasoline with just 10% of ethanol. No matter what it is, it’s important for you to be familiar with this type of fuel requirement. Not just this, but you also should know the amount of power that’s produced by your generator.
4- Never overload your generator
Every generator out there produces electricity by burning fuel. There are several different kinds of generators with different fuels, but most of the time, it’s unleaded gasoline that’s used. The output of electricity is always measured in watts, and you will find generators with different wattages. This is important for you to consider, and you need to choose the generator that fulfills your electricity usage. If not, you will overburden the generator, and it will then lead to dangerous consequences. There are many ways to manage your usage and reduce your energy bill when not using the generator. One of them is by comparing the energy plans and to come up with the most suitable and affordable one according to your needs. In this case electricity companies like Spark Energy come into place, they have plans that offer competitive electricity rates in the area of Texas in case you are looking to change your energy provider.
5- Always use heavy-duty power cords
Last but not the least, you should never use lighter cords because that increases the voltages, which is the last thing that you want. You are supposed to use heavy-duty power cords for lesser voltage, and things will fall into place for you.
Conclusion
These are the tips that you need to keep in mind once you bring a generator home. With these safety tips, you won’t have to worry about any damages and harm with your generator.
