Using an Inverter Generator in Your Home

Inverter Generators are an excellent way to convert renewable energy into household electricity. With few exceptions, the largest residential inverter generators fall well below the 500 pound rating. That’s just big enough to power a small home and just big enough to tow a pickup truck to the tailgate. Yet, they’re so versatile that they can be used for nearly any application where you need to supply household electricity.

For instance, they’re great for powering small appliances like coffee makers, home treadmill and even small refrigerator. When shopping for an inverter generator, look for one rated at least five watts per cubic foot. This will ensure that it’ll be powerful enough to handle a wide range of applications. And half load inverters are great for anything from a small refrigerator to a small stereo system. Just make sure you get a unit that has a full output of watts, not a “half load” rating which is not nearly as effective.

Another important feature to look for in an inverter generator is the ability to operate on two or more sources. Many utilities offer the ability to run both a home solar power system and a conventional portable generator connected in series. However, this often results in higher utility bills. A portable generator that supports alternate power sources can greatly reduce your utility bill while allowing you to take advantage of renewable energy sources. This is especially important during the height of winter when utility rates are high and a home heated with a gas furnace doesn’t necessarily equate to a lower bill.

An ideal inverter generator should have an input capable of switching direct ac current to DC current with ease. This allows you to connect the generator directly to your existing power source, eliminating the need for an electrician to facilitate the connection. The ability to run multiple utility appliances all off the same source of electrical energy is something that many consumers take advantage of. Rather than pay for separate electrical services for each appliance that you wish to charge, all you need to do is simply plug the inverter generator into an outlet and it will immediately begin producing DC current.

Not all inverter generators are made equal. You can find units that are capable of powering up to 1000 watts of power. While a smaller number of watts is generally sufficient for most residential applications, some larger units can run up to thirty thousand watts of capacity. For this reason, you want to look at the maximum wattage rating of any unit that you are considering purchasing. Even if you are running a small amount of power, you want to ensure that the DC current produced is very reliable.

Many utility companies will offer installation and maintenance packages to consumers who are interested in purchasing these types of generators. In addition, most manufacturers offer warranties on their products to protect against damage or malfunctioning. While inverter generators are not known for causing major problems with conventional generators, they can experience issues when they are overworked or used excessively. As such, you should avoid connecting any domestic units to larger residential units if you do not use a lot of power at home. They can also experience problems if you attempt to attach them to your home’s main power grid.

In the event that your residential unit does require the use of electricity but you do not connect it to the grid, there are some things that you can do to prevent further damage to your equipment and property. One thing that you can do is install a battery backup system. Battery backup systems use a variety of high capacity batteries in order to supply your household electricity when the regular power source fails. Typically, you will add additional charges to the batteries before they are completely dead, just in case they run out of power. You can then connect the batteries to the inverter generator and use it to power all of the appliances in your home. While this method does utilize gasoline, it is significantly more environmentally friendly than the other options on the market.

If you use gas as fuel for your generator, be aware that the fuel consumption can be substantially greater than you are currently accustomed. For this reason, you should think about purchasing a hybrid or electric car if you frequently travel on vacation. Not only are hybrid or electric cars much more fuel efficient than conventional vehicles, they are also less harmful to the environment.