Are You Prepared For a Power Cut?

With more reliance on electricity than ever before, standby generators are no longer just for large corporations but are now finding their way into small business and the home.

Nobody enjoys a power cut but they are becoming much more common, so here at The PowerSite we will talk you through the different options available to help keep your business or home up and running should the worst happen. 

A standby generator is, as the name suggests, a device on standby to generate electrical power for long or short periods should you require it. 

They are usually permanently installed into your business or home, although there are a few that can be mounted on a trailer and are available with different power outputs and options depending on your requirements.

The first step to buying a standby generator is to work out which generator would be right for your needs.

Electrical power is usually measured in Kilowatts (kW) and each appliance or device has a different power consumption. 

You may need a simple, compact inverter generator which will keep a mobile phone charged, a small fridge or TV running and are often taken on camping trips or used in caravans and motorhomes. 

To keep a home running, you’d need something a little more powerful, such as the Hyundai 5.2kW DHY6000SE, which would happily keep the lights and TV on, keep your central heating on, fridge and freezer running and also power a cooker or microwave. 

Large commercial standby generators will keep your business or industry going and saving you lost revenue - there’s a generator to suit all needs.

Another consideration with a standby generator is the option of having a Manual Transfer Switch (MTS) or an Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS) if the generator doesn’t already come with one. 

A Manual Transfer Switch allows you to mount the mains transfer switch at a convenient location in your home or business and in the event of a power cut, you simply start the generator then flick the changeover switch to connect your home to the generator electrical supply. 

Whereas an Automatic Transfer Switch will, within seconds of the power going out, automatically turn your generator on and transfer from mains to generator supply, offering minimal disruption. It will also sense when the power has been restored and turn the generator back off. 

For added peace of mind, most devices have the option be monitored remotely via a simple app that can be downloaded to a mobile phone, tablet or laptop and will allow you to control and monitor your generator from anywhere in the world. 

We are always happy to help if you’d like to discuss your options further so please get in touch and one of The PowerSite team will be happy to help.