June 2011: Power Generators

Eeach week Yorktown Ward publishes the monthly preparedness message in the ward bulletin. Thank you! But we thought it might be boring to see the same message four times, so this month we offer four short
messages on the topic of Power Generators.

June 5
Without electricity, you face the risk of frozen pipes and water damage, spoiled refrigerator contents, no water pressure, no lights, no stove. A gas-powered generator can make a big difference if you can afford it. But be prepared - Know how much power you need so you buy the right size generator. Understand the difference between starting and running wattage. Store enough fuel to keep the generator running for several days. (Is this legal in your community?) NEVER run the generator indoors or in a garage - the gas fumes can be fatal. Will you run a noisy generator at night?

June 12
What size power generator should you buy? Begin by deciding what appliances you want to run - fridge, well pump, other? Add the running power requirements for each and buy a generator greater  than the sum. But beware of "starting" or "peak" power. A fridge may idle at running power for a hour and than pull power like mad when it goes into cooling mode. Your generator must also support peak power demands. You may have to stagger plugging in applicances so only one is running at peak at any time. Overloading a generator can damage your appliances.

June 19
Never plug a power generator directly into any standard household outlet during a outage. This could bring utility lines back to life and kill unsuspecting utility personnel or neighbors. Instead connect each appliance directly to the generator with power cords rated for outdoor use and heavy duty. Neutral ground is crucial. It is possible to connect a generator to your home's main wiring panel but only do this if you have a transfer switch installed by a licensed electrical contractor.

June 26
Power inverters are a new alternative to gas powered generators. Inverters attach to large batteries (like a car battery) and convert the DC power to AC for appliances. They are quiet and safe and affordable in small sizes for powering light bulbs. But expensive for large sizes like 5000 watts to power a  refigerator. And the battery may only last for a few hours to a day at best.

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For the month of June we recommend organizing a demonstation in the Ward parking lot of a Power Generator. Hopefully your Ward Plan includes a list of members with generators. If not - this is a great time to update that list. Ask an experienced ward member to set up a portable generator and plug in an appliance or two like a fan, TV, or portable fridge. Explain the safety rules (for example: never run in an enclosed space, never plug into a wall socket, don't daisy chain the cords - instead plug major appliances into the generator directly to avoid running too much current through one cord and burning it up.)

If there is no one in your Ward with a Generator let us know. We'll try to find a volunteer from another Ward.

To learn more about Power Generators we recommend this web site:
http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/household-safety/security/emergency-power.htm
"How Emergency Power Systems Work" from HowStuffWorks.com with pages on these topics:

Introduction to How Emergency Power Systems Work
Emergency Power Options and Goals
Understanding Your Power Needs
Choosing Between an Inverter and a Generator
Hooking the Power into Your House
Lots More Information

We'd love to hear about your demonstration? How did it go?