What is a Standby Generator
A standby generator serves as a back up electrical system that supports the electrical load during a power outage.
During such an outage, a standby generator will automatically kick on to provide electricity to a commercial building or residence. Standby generators typically come in three different types:
- Diesel
- Natural gas
- Liquid propane gas
COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS
Standby generators can be used in commercial buildings such as hospitals, banks and public use buildings.
A standby generator can power life-sustaining equipment in hospitals and health care facilities.
Standby generators also provide power to critical safety features like elevators in high rise apartments, as well as safety lighting to safely evacuate public buildings like malls, schools, and stores.
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
For residential buildings and homes, a standby generator can automatically kick on after a storm to ensure continued operation of refrigerators, freezers and HVAC issues.
A standby generator is an essential equipment during hurricane season on the East coast.
Pros and cons of standby generator for a cost effective solution
A standby generator is also known as a stationary generator that is used in residential settings and for this, you will need to hire professionals who can install the generator permanently.
It can be started easily by just kicking it so that it will get on automatically and it is used for powering your home instantly.
Since the generator is run with the use of propane and gas, you can use it for an extended period of time so that you will get a cost-effective option.
This generator is connected to the electrical system of your home so that you will enjoy an uninterrupted power supply for many days at an end.
Pros and cons of standby generator
Pros
– Helps in powering entire property
– Very beneficial during power outage
– Increase property value
– Affordable and cost effective option
Cons
– Very expensive option
– Requires professional assistance
– High maintenance cost
– Very noisy operation
– Requires constant fuel supply
Best Standby Generator
Home backup generators are popular these days simply because they replace limited power when the primary power source fluctuates.
They allow families to continue their activities even in the event of a power outage.
What to look for when buying the best standby generator
If your budget is tight, you can probably only afford a selected backup circuit generator.
However, if money doesn’t matter or if you’re willing to spend from $3,000 to $20,000, you can pretty much power your entire house during a power outage.
Of course, finding the best deal is another way to get a better unit for less money.
If you want to power the whole house, the best standby generator you need is a large unit.
Make sure there is room for the device outside your home and make sure a transfer switch is installed.
The transmission switch automatically turns the generator on and off when there is a power outage in your home.
As long as you have a constant supply of propane or natural gas, you will continue to have electricity for your home, no matter how long you are without electricity.
Buy the largest generator you can afford. The typical full-size house, not the stately home, can happily operate on a 25,000-watt system.
However, if you continually use energy-efficient appliances, have a very large house or family, or want to make sure that you produce more than enough electricity, you can switch to devices with a power of around 45,000. The admissible watts far exceed most families.
A final consideration may be to decide when choosing the best standby generator is the type of case that is the best for your standby generator.
It is recommended that people living in the oceans adhere to aluminum enclosures because they simply do not rust, while steel enclosures will rust quickly under certain conditions.
Those living inland outside the oceans can easily use steel boxes as long as they make sure maintenance is done properly, and all scratches on the device are sealed to prevent rust.
The best decision is whether you can afford it. Use aluminum because less maintenance is required, and you don’t have to worry about rust.
Below are the top three Standby Generator
1. Champion 100177 Home Standby Generator
Champion 8.5-kW Home Standby Generator with 50-Amp Outdoor-Rated Automatic Transfer Switch.
If you’re looking for a budget home standby generator, the Champion 100117 is a perfect match. It’s a high-quality standby generator that will give you peace of mind.
At the same time, it also ensures it delivers security and convenience for you and your family during a power emergency.
It comes equipped with highly-durable components to provide exceptional outdoor performance.
Inside the all-weather coated metal casing is a high-power Champion OHV engine delivering highly reliable power output.
The engine is dual-fuel, meaning it can run on either propane or natural gas. What’s more, this model is quite easy to use thanks to its innovative gull-wing design.
The generator also starts automatically with fast response time. On top of that, the generator does self-diagnostics tests weekly, easing the maintenance checkup.
Apart from that, it’s a generator operating with residential-friendly noise, thanks to its sound-dampening lining technology and a low-tone muffler.
For easy installation of the generator, there is an all-weather, composite mounting pad provided with it.
Another thing, you also get a 50-amp ATS50 automatic transfer switch for secure connection of the generator to your home.
Features of Champion 100177
High-power Champion OHV engine
All-weather steel enclosure
All-weather mounting pad
Low-oil shutdown
UL and cUL listed
Pros
Unparalleled customer support
Highly durable construction
Exceptional performance
Autostart
Cons
Quite heavy
Requires professional installation
Conclusion
If you need a budget standby generator that runs on two fuel, propane, and natural gas, this the generator to buy.
It’s highly durable, fuel-efficient, and with exceptional performance. Other features highly praised by the generator customers are the automatic start and the fast response time. Check out the current price on Amazon.
2. Generac 70432 Home Standby Guardian Series 22kW/19.95kW Air-Cooled Generator
Article keywords: Generac 70432 Home Standby Generator Guardian Series 22kW/19.5kW Air Cooled with Wi-Fi and Transfer.
Product description
The Generac 70432 Home Standby Guardian Series 22kW/19.95kW Air-Cooled Generator belongs to the residential models of generators from the Generac Guardian Series.
The Generac 70432 is an authentic and reliable source of electricity backup during an outage.
When it comes to offering the lowest cost per kilowatt energy, this residential unit is one of the best ones in the market.
Key features of Generac 70432
Some of the key features to call out are as follows:
The Generac 70432 has a maximum capacity of 22,000 LP Watts.
The model is capable and friendly with Wi-Fi
It also comes with a Quiet-Test Self-Test Mode that helps to power the generator at a reduced RPM
The outer skin of the generator is powder-coated aluminium to protect it from weather and corrosion. Pros and cons of Generac 70432
Pros
The generator comes with many user-friendly controls that makes the model very easy to use and operate.
It also comes with a 5-year warranty that further adds to the authenticity of the generator.Cons
Not many negatives on this one but the customer service is not great.Conclusion
All in all the Generac 70432 Home Standby Guardian Series 22kW/19.95kW Air-Cooled generator with Wi-Fi and Transfer is a great residential generator to own if you are looking for the one that is offered at a great price and is great value for money at the same time. Check out the current price on Amazon.
3. Generac 70422 Home Standby Guardian Series 22kW/19.95kW Air-Cooled Generator
Article keywords: Generac 70422 Home Standby Generator Guardian Series 22/19.5kW Air-Cooled with Wi-Fi, Aluminum
Product description
The Generac 70422 Home Standby Guardian Series 22kW/19.95kW Air-Cooled Generator belongs to the residential models of generators from the Generac Guardian Series.
The Generac 70422 is an authentic and reliable source of electricity backup during an outage.
When it comes to offering the lowest cost per kilowatt energy, this residential unit is one of the best ones in the market.
Key features of Generac 70422
Some of the key features to call out are as follows:
The Generac 70422 has a maximum capacity of 22,000 LP Watts.
The model is capable and friendly with Wi-Fi
It also comes with a Quiet-Test Self-Test Mode that helps to power the generator at a reduced RPM
The outer skin of the generator is powder-coated aluminium to protect it from weather and corrosion.Pros and cons
Pros
The generator comes with many user-friendly controls that makes the model very easy to use and operate.
It also comes with a 5-year warranty that further adds to the authenticity of the generator.Cons
Not many negatives on this one but the customer service is not so great.Conclusion
All in all the Generac 70422 Home Standby Guardian Series 22kW/19.95kW Air-Cooled generator with Wi-Fi and Transfer is a great residential generator to own if you are looking for the one that is offered at a great price and is great value for money at the same time.
Onan 8.0HDKAK-1046 Reviews
Overview of the Generator
This generator is considered to be one of the most expensive generators that are available in the market right now.
There is a lot of reasons why the price of this generator is high. To understand why the price of this generator is high, we may need to look at some of the few factors such as the performance, durability as well as the efficiency of the generator.
This generator is worth the money as it has such impressive specifications and excellent performance.
This diesel generator can power up a lot of electrical appliances simultaneously and it has been designed to provide such a high steady power supply for residential as well as commercial use.
Performance of the Generator
One of the things that are interesting about this generator is the fact that it can provide a steady power supply to as high as 8000W.
This generator has also been designed to be used in the outdoors and it surely can power up a lot of electrical appliances that you may have in your house or office.
Apart from that, this generator has been known for its ability to supply a high power output for a long time.
Hence, it’s best to get this generator if you want to realize your big dream project such as building a completely off-the-grid house. This is because in many cases big projects like this tend to require a high power supply.
Noise Produced by the Generator
Onan generator is one of the quietest generators that is available and it has been proven to be very efficient in minimizing the level of noise produced.
You may have already known that some generators need to adhere to the sound requirements set by the National Park.
This generator is a lot quieter than those requirements making it the best generator that you can have. Hence, this generator is perfect to be used in the outdoor areas as it will not be making a high level of noise which may disrupt the tranquility of the surrounding environment.
Generator’s Warranty
As for the warranty, this generator has a 3-year limited warranty which you may use just in case the one that you got has been proven to be damaged before you even get to use it.
Fuel Consumption
The generator will need 0.49 gallons of diesel for every hour at 50 percent of the load and it will need 1.02 gallons of diesel for every hour at 100 percent of the load.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, the Onan 8.0HDKAK-1046 is the most expensive generator that is worth the money as it can operate silently, is easy to maintain, able to supply such a high power supply, environmentally friendly, and has excellent fuel efficiency.
I would recommend this generator to those who want to power up their big projects like building an off-the-grid house as this generator can provide such a high power output while at the same time minimizing the noise level produced.
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