Jason Palmer, CPA, CITP

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Hurricane Tech – Powering your Generator – Liquid Propane

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Some Portable Generators can use Liquid Propane (LP) as a Fuel.  (See my article, “Hurricane Tech – Keeping the Lights On with a Portable Generator” for information on Portable Generators.)

It is quite common for Whole House Generators to support both Natural Gas and Liquid Propane as Fuel sources.  However, the Generator must be specifically configured to accept either Natural Gas OR Liquid Propane as the fittings and pressures are different for each Fuel type. (See my article, “Hurricane Tech – The Whole House Generator Option” for information on Whole House Generators.)

Liquid Propane is a slightly better option than Gasoline or Diesel.  Liquid Propane (LP) is available in BBQ Grill Tank size of 20lbs and significantly larger “whole house” 420lb tank sizes – and everything in-between.  The advantage of Liquid Propane is again it is usually readily available at reasonable cost and, at least in the smaller tank sizes of under 50lbs, can be easily transported.  The key advantage is that is supports longer run times between Liquid Propane tank changes than would be achieved between refilling a fuel tank with Gasoline.

The disadvantage of Liquid Propane is similar of that to Gasoline or Diesel:  as the Generator consumes the Liquid Propane, additional supplies must be obtained. However, since it is stored in Gaseous form, the ability for a Propane Distributor to re-fill your portable tanks is not dependent on Electricity but just basic physics:  The pressure in the Distributor Storage Tank is sufficiently great so that when the Storage Tank valve is connected to your tank and opened, your smaller portable tank fills up.  In the case of smaller Liquid Propane tanks, you tend to bring them to a Propane Supplier.  For larger Liquid Propane tanks, the Supplier delivers the Liquid Propane to you in a Truck in the same fashion as a Fuel Oil delivery for a Heating System.  The truck pulls up to your house, extends a long hose, and fills your tank(s).

Small portable Liquid Propane tanks are subject to the same safety handling issues as those that you follow now in safe handling of your BBQ Grill tanks.  In fact, they may be the identical size and style of tank.  The major safety concern arises with larger 100lb, 200lb, and 420lb or larger Liquid Propane tanks that may be permanently installed.  Unlike Natural Gas connections, Liquid Propane connections can be flexible and the fittings and hoses require more frequent inspection to make sure they are in good working order.

A few hundred pounds of Liquid Propane is like storing a “Rocket Engine” next to your house.  We have all seen the results when a large Liquid Propane tank explodes – there is usually nothing left of the house.   The point is simply that as long as proper maintenance and inspections are performed by your Liquid Propane Supplier and/or Licensed Plumber of your tank, fittings, and supply lines, Liquid Propane poses no more risk than other Fuels and can be used safely without issue.

Hurricane Tech – Powering your Generator – Gasoline

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Most Portable Generators use Regular Grade Gasoline, the same type that most automobiles use.  (See my article, “Hurricane Tech – Keeping the Lights On with a Portable Generator” for information on Portable Generators.)

The advantages of Gasoline (or Diesel Fuel) are obvious:  it is usually readily available at reasonable cost and can be easily transported.  The disadvantage is that the supply is limited to what is in the Generator Fuel tank or that which you have on hand, stored in Fuel Containers.   The Generator will be continuously burning Gasoline or Diesel Fuel and therefore you must continuously replenish your supply.

Depending on the capacity of the Generator fuel tank and the rate at which Fuel is consumed, you may be re-filling the fuel take as frequently as every four hours.  This can be a real drag but a necessary trade-off for having electricity vs. sitting in the dark.  Your entire day becomes consumed with “feeding the beast” and obtaining a sufficient supply of Gasoline to “Keep the Lights On.”

During the recent Hurricane/Tropical Storm Sandy in the Northeast, a significant majority of Gas Stations lost power and could not pump Fuel.  Those stations that had Power quickly exhausted their Fuel supply or strict limits and rationing were put in place.  This made Gasoline and Diesel a scarce resource during the power outage.

Given the “Liquid Gold” nature of Gasoline during a crisis, it would be a good idea to have a locking shed to store your Fuel Containers or at least a locking cable or chain to weave through the handles to deter and attempt to prevent theft.  Try not to store Fuel Containers in plain site of the road to deter opportunists.

Some General Safety Considerations:

When properly handled and stored, Gasoline is a relatively safe Fuel source.  Although highly flammable, Gasoline tends to just burn and not explode (unless stored under pressure).  It is critical that Gasoline containers be stored away from any ignition sources and in a well-ventilated area, preferably outside.  Gasoline expands and contracts with the changes in temperature so it is important to periodically open the containers to relieve any built up pressure.

It is a good idea to wear heavy duty, chemical resistant rubber gloves when handling Gasoline to protect your skin from any spills while Fueling the Generator.

Some States require “Spill Proof” nozzles like the one displayed in the photo for this article.  The spout usually has a mechanical release that requires the edge of the spout to be in contact with the edge of the tank to allow the flow of fuel.

Make sure the Generator is completely OFF and allow the Generator to cool down for a few minutes PRIOR to re-fueling.

It is a good idea to have a properly rated Class B, for flammable liquids, and Class C for Electrical, Fire Extinguisher when fueling.

Periodically check all Fuel Containers for cracks, leaks, broken rubber seals at the spouts and vent the pressure as necessary.

NEVER SMOKE OR HAVE ANY FLAME NEAR GASOLINE – vapors can ignite.

Hurricane Tech – Powering your Generator – Fuel Choices

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There are a variety of Fuel choices available for both Portable and Whole House Generators including Gasoline, Diesel/Fuel Oil, Liquid Propane, and Natural Gas.  However, the most popular Fuel type for a Portable Generator is Regular Grade Gasoline.  (See my article, “Hurricane Tech – Keeping the Lights On with a Portable Generator” for information on Portable Generators.)

It is quite common for Whole House Generators to support both Natural Gas and Liquid Propane as Fuel sources.  However, the Generator must be specifically configured to accept either Natural Gas OR Liquid Propane as the fittings and pressures are different for each Fuel type.  (See my article, “Hurricane Tech – The Whole House Generator Option” for information on Whole House Generators.)

Some Portable Generators, known as “Tri-Fuel” models, ship with the ability to support Gasoline, Natural Gas, or Liquid Propane.  This offers the best of all worlds, as these are the three most common Fuel types available.  Again, some mechanical configuration changes are required when switching between Fuel types because the fittings and chambers required to burn Gasoline, a liquid, are different than those required to burn Natural Gas or Liquid Propane, both in gaseous form at time of combustion.

Regardless of the Fuel type selected, ONLY use the Fuel type for which the Generator is specifically configured to accept.  FUELS ARE NOT INTERCHANGEABLE.  Failure to use the proper Fuel type for the Generator may result in significant damage to the engine as well as possible explosion and fire.

The advantages and disadvantages of each Fuel type will be discussed in future articles.

Hurricane Tech – The Whole House Generator Option

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In my article, “Hurricane Tech – Keeping the Lights On with a Portable Generator”, I discuss the benefits and basics of having a Generator to keep critical devices such as Refrigerators, Freezers, Heating, and Communications operational in the case of a Utility Power Outage.  The limitation is that a Portable Generator can only provide electricity to a limited number of devices such as those mentioned above.

If you want the ability to power most every device in your home – as if Utility Power were still present – you need a Whole House Generator that is able to produce a similar number of Amps.  The average home with a 100amp electrical panel would require a Generator capable of producing approximately 12,000watts.  And, with a 200amp panel, the Generator would need to produce approximately 20,000watts.

It is possible to power an entire home with a Generator producing less than the above approximate output wattage ratings if using a “Load Shedding Generator Switch.”  (See my article “Hurricane Tech – The Load Shedding Generator Switch” for an explanation of how this can be accomplished.)

It is more common to use a properly sized Whole House Generator so that the average load on the Generator is between 50% and 70% of rated capacity.  If you have 200amp service and a 20,000watt Whole House Generator, and assuming normal living patterns so that only selected lights and appliances are in use at any one time, the Generator should be operating in that range.  Rarely are Electrical Circuits in any home at capacity but more likely at a similar 50% to 75% of maximum capacity.

The Whole House Generator is usually connected to the Main Electrical Panel of the home using an Automatic “Utility/Generator Transfer Switch” which works with the Generator to sense loss of Utility Power, Turn-On the Generator, and then switch the Power Source of the Electrical Panel to the Generator from Utility Power.  (See my article, “Hurricane Tech – The Utility/Generator Transfer Switch”.)

Other than following local Electrical and Plumbing codes and using Licensed professionals for the installation, the other major decision after the sizing capacity is the Fuel Source for the Whole House Generator.  The most popular use Natural Gas (NG), Liquid Propane (LP), while some use Diesel Fuel or Fuel Oil.  The actual output of a Generator can be affected by the Fuel selection.  NG/LP rated Generators will produce approximately 10% less output with NG.  With LP, the output is closer to the actual rating.  A 20,000watt Generator may actually produce 19,500watts with LP but only 17,280watts with NG

A Whole House Generator requires periodic testing/”exercising” and maintenance.  Typically, a Whole House Generator will turn itself on once per week and “exercise” for approximately 20 minutes.  Like any other Engine, Oil needs to be changed.  For most Whole House Generators this is approximately every 100 hours or annually depending on usage.  IT IS CRITICAL TO FOLLOW ALL MANUFACTURERS MAINTENANCE RECOMMENDATIONS.  Failure to do so may cause the Generator to fail or not to start when it is needed most during a Power Outage.

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE:  CONSULT WITH A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN AND GENERATOR PROFESSIONAL TO CONFIGURE AND SELECT A PROPERLY SIZED WHOLE HOUSE GENERATOR SUITABLE FOR YOUR NEEDS.  ALWAYS USE A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN AND LICENSED PLUMBER TO PERFORM THE INSTALLATION.  FAILURE TO INSTALL A GENERATOR, TRANSFER SWITCH, NATURAL GAS OR LIQUID PROPANE CONNECTIONS CORRECTLY MAY RESULT IN FIRE, EXPLOSION, SERIOUS INJURY, OR DEATH.

Hurricane Tech – The Load Shedding Generator Transfer Switch

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A Load Shedding Generator Transfer Switch allows you to do more with less.

A standard Generator Transfer Switch provides a one to one relationship for the Main Electrical Panel Circuit being protected by the Generator.  (To learn more about the technology, read my article, “Hurricane Tech – The Utility/Generator Transfer Switch”)

A Load Shedding Generator Switch assumes that the demand by protected circuits is less than the maximum potential load thereby allowing more Circuits to be protected.  It does this by splitting the Circuits in to two or more groups of Critical/Priority Circuits and Non-Critical/Secondary Circuits.   Under normal operating conditions, assuming total sustained operating load is within the capacity output rating of the Generator (i.e. the Generator is producing enough electricity to power all of the devices presently turned “On”), all Primary and Secondary Circuits receive electricity from the Generator.

When a Primary Circuit demands additional electricity, such as when Heating System circulator pump or fan turns on, the draw of electricity may be greater than that being produced by the Generator.  To mitigate the problem, the Load Shedding Generator Transfer Switch will automatically “Shed the Load” or shut-down Secondary, Non-Critical Circuits such as lights or perhaps another high wattage appliance like a dishwasher to re-balance the available electricity from the Generator and provide it to the Primary, Critical Circuits.

Here is why it works:  The average electrical circuit in a home is rated at a maximum of 15 amps.  But rarely does the actual sustained load, (the amount of electricity required by the plugged in devices while “On”), approach the rated maximum of 15 amps.   And certainly the surge load, (additional electricity that is required when a device is turned “On”), does not exceed it.  If either the sustained or surge turn-on load exceeded the rated 15 amps, the Circuit Breaker would be tripping to “Off” frequently.  When this does happen, you remove devices, (un-plug them), such as that 1000 watt Hair Dryer and you “shed load” by turning off other devices on the same Circuit until the Circuit Breaker stops tripping to “Off.”

The same exact principle and math apply to the Main Electrical Panel in your home or office, which is usually rated at 100amps or 200amps.   As noted above, an individual Circuit Breaker may trip.  But rarely does anyone have a Main 100amp or 200amp Breaker trip (to “Off”) because the whole house load requirement, (total amount of electricity in use), never gets close to the maximum rating.

The Load Shedding Generator Switch takes advantage of this principle by allocating the total amount of electricity being produced by the Generator to all connected Circuits on a Priority basis determined by Critical and Non-Critical Groups of Circuits.  Instead of you having to be explicitly mindful of which devices are “On” or “Off” and personally managing the available electricity from the Generator, the Load Shedding Generator Transfer Switch can do it for you.

NOTE:  Keep in mind that unless you have a Generator capable of powering your entire home or office, one where the Generator output capacity closely matches the rating of the Main Electrical Panel at 100amps or 200amps, that the primary purpose of Emergency Generator Power is for Life Safety and Critical Services.  Non-Critical Circuits and Devices will need to be managed or remain “Off” during the Power Outage.

With a standard Generator Transfer Switch, the Emergency Load Demand, (amount of electricity and Amps) required to run these critical Circuits will be determined in advance and is fixed.  The same is basically true for a Load Shedding Generator Transfer Switch except that you have the added benefit of adding and allocating power Non-Critical Circuits – if excess Generator power is available.

Put simply, I definitely want my Living Room TV, FiOS Router, Set-Top Box operational along with my Refrigerator, Freezer, Heating System, and Electronic Start Gas Oven as a “Critical Circuits.”  If after all other Critical Circuit Loads are met, there is excess Generator capacity available, I would like to be able to power up the TV and related electronics in the Master Bedroom.  But as soon as a Critical Circuit needs more power (like when the Circulator Pumps to the Heating System kick “On”), it is O.K. for the Load Shedding Generator Transfer Switch to cut power to the Master Bedroom TV to meet the demand and allocate the available Generator Power to the Heating System.

As a reminder, when running on Generator “Emergency Power”, you should be mindful of what devices are “On” or “Off” at all times.  If you do not have the Generator capacity to “light up the entire house like Times Square” then you need to manage the available capacity either manually or with a Load Shedding Generator Transfer Switch.

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE:  It is CRITICAL to consult with a Licensed Electrician to determine the proper device and appliance load demand along with Circuit ratings and configuration.  A Transfer Switch is connected to LIVE ELECTRICTY provided from either Utility Power or a Generator.  FAILURE TO FOLLOW MANUFACTURES INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS AND MAXIMUM LOAD RATINGS MAY RESULT IN FIRE, SERIOUS INJURY, SEVERE ELECTRICAL SHOCK, OR DEATH.

Hurricane Tech – The Utility/Generator Transfer Switch

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An Extension cord is suitable for connecting the Generator to an individual device such as a TV set or major appliance but it limits you to devices that would normally be connected (plugged-in) to an electrical wall outlet.  If you want to connect a Generator to devices that are “hard-wired” to the Electrical Panel in your home or office, such as a Heating/Hot Water or Cooling System, or use the wiring in your home instead of Extension Cords, you need a “Utility/Generator Transfer Switch.”

This is a special type of electrical panel that has two inputs:  one for the normal electricity feed from the Power Company and one for the electricity feed from the Generator.  The output is a series of Circuit Breakers that replace the selected critical Circuits in the Main Electrical Panel that you want to provide Generator Power to in the event of a Utility outage.  Think the letter “Y”.  A Switch determines if Utility Power or the Generator is powering the Circuits.

Utility/Generator Transfer Switches come in two flavors:  Manual and Automatic.  As the names imply, the Manual Transfer Switch requires you to physically “Switch” the Power Source connection from the Utility Company to the Generator.  With an Automatic Transfer Switch, once the Transfer Switch senses a Loss of Electrical Power from the Utility, it waits approximately 30 seconds, and performs a series of tests to make sure there is a true “power outage” and it flips the Power Source from Utility Power to Generator Power.  (When power is restored from the Utility Company, you guessed it, with a Manual Switch you have to flip it back yourself while an Automatic Switch figures out the Utility Power is back and seamless flips the Switch for you along with powering down the Generator.)

An Automatic Transfer Switch only makes sense if you have an Electric Start Portable Generator or Whole House Generator that can be started “Automatically” upon sensing loss of Power from the Utility AND if the Automatic Transfer Switch is COMPATIBLE with the particular Generator configuration you have installed.

The amount of Generator Power you have available – Portable (usually under 8,500 watts) or Whole House (usually 15,000 to 20,000 watts), will determine the number of Circuits the Transfer Switch will support.   A Utility/Generator Transfer Switch for a Portable Generator will usually have a four to six circuits.

For a Whole House Generator, there may be almost as many circuits as on a regular electrical panel.  This will usually be ten or more Circuit’s.  When a Whole House Generator has sufficient capacity to power every device in the home or office, there may be a Single 100amp or 200amp Circuit Breaker which will exactly match the capacity of the Main Electrical Panel.

The Fuzzy Math Example:  A Portable Generator which produces approximate 8,500 Surge Watts at 120v Output will provide approximately 70 amps of “surge/start-up” power and 45 amps of sustained “full load” power.  A Utility/Generator Transfer Switch that has four 15amp Circuits which is a maximum load of 60amps is the proper size for the Portable Generator in this example.

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE:  Check with a LICENSED ELECTRICIAN for proper sizing and installation of any Utility/Generator Transfer Switch.  Failure to follow proper installation instructions may result in serious injury or death.  A Utility/Generator Transfer Switch is being connected to LIVE 120 volt ELECTICIAL POWER.  Use a professional, licensed electrician, preferably one with an explicit knowledge of Generator Power Systems to perform the work.

You are probably wondering, “I have way more than four circuits in my home.  What is the point of a Utility/Generator Transfer Switch that only supports four circuits?”

Answer:  Remember in the case of MOST Portable Generators and even a smaller Whole House Generators (Sub 15,000 watts), the purpose is to provide EMERGENCY and LIFE SAFETY power to CRITICAL Circuits in the home or office.  This would include the Refrigerator, Freezer, Heating System, Communications (TV, Internet, Phone), some Lighting and perhaps the Electric Ignition Starters for your Gas Oven, Stove, or Hot Water Heater and other critical Electrical Appliances.

To that end, the Circuit Breakers in the Utility/Generator Transfer Switch REPLACE the equivalent ones in the Main Electrical Panel.  When Utility Power is present, the Transfer Switch acts like a Sub-Electrical Panel.  The Circuits receive Utility Power exactly as if these Circuits were still in the Main Electrical Panel.

During a Power Outage, after the Power Source Switch is set to “Generator”, this entire Sub-Panel is COMPLETELY DISCONNECTED from the Utility Power and the power source is the Electricity from the Generator.

CRITICAL SAFETY NOTE:  The most important function of the Utility/Generator Transfer Switch is to connect EITHER UTILITY POWER OR GENERATOR POWER to the Circuits.  THE TRANSFER SWITCH ASSURES THAT ONLY ONE POWER SOURCE IS ACTIVE AT A TIME.  NEVER ATTEMPT TO BY-PASS THIS CRITICAL SAFETY FUNCTION.   Having both Utility Power AND Generator Power active on the same Circuit at the same time may result in Fire, Serious Injury, and Death.

Hurricane Tech – Extension Cords and Portable Generators

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When using a Portable Generator it is critical to have properly sized and grounded extension cords.  Portable Generators come with a variety of Outlet configurations depending on the Wattage rating and Amperage (Amp) output of the Generator.

At the minimum, all usually have at least one or two 15amp rated electrical outlets – similar to the type that you find on the wall in your home or office.  The next configuration is one or two 20amp rated outlets (the type your Refrigerator or Freezer or Air Conditioner might use) sometimes combined with either a 20amp or 30amp Twist-Lock outlet (used to connect to a multi-outlet box or Utility/Generator Power Transfer Switch.)  The take-away is that each Generator has its’ own outlet configuration and requires some thought as to how to connect it to the equipment in your home or office.

The important thing to remember when selecting the proper size extension cord for your Generator is that the higher the Amp output of the outlet, the thicker the copper wire in the extension cord needs to be to safely carry the electricity in to your home.  When selecting the correct gauge for an extension cord, the lower the gauge number the thicker the wire and the greater the capacity of the wire.  A 12 gauge extension cord can handle a greater capacity (Amp load) than a 14 gauge extension cord.  A 14 gauge extension cord more than a 16 gauge extension cord.

A 12 gauge grounded (three prong) extension cord can safely carry a 15 amp load up to 100 feet.  15amps is the most common circuit capacity of the electrical outlets in your home.  A 14 gauge grounded extension cord can only carry a 13 amp load the same 100 feet.

Higher amperage ratings may require 10 gauge cords depending on the distance. No Residential Home application should use an extension cord of more than 150’ without Professional guidance from a Licensed Electrician.

Every Underwriter Laboratories (UL Listed) extension cord is clearly marked with the gauge, maximum number of Watts and Amps it is safely capable of carrying.  NEVER EXCEED THE MARKED RATINGS OF THE EXTENSION CORD!

Try to use the shortest length extension cord possible to improve efficiency of the transmission of electricity from the Generator to the device to be powered.

If the generator has a 20 amp or a 30 amp Twist-Lock connector, this requires a special Generator Power Cord.  These cords will usually have the Twist-Lock connector for the Generator side and a multi-outlet box containing one to four 15amp or 20amp outlets on the other side. These special generator cords are usually 10 gauge or larger, depending on the length.  (Remember, larger wire has a lower gauge number.)    From this multi-outlet box, you can plug in standard extension cords of varying lengths to reach the equipment you want to power inside your home.

Any extension cord should be rated for Outdoor use because a Portable Generator will ALWAYS be outside AWAY from the house (to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.)   If you live in cold climate, I strongly suggest investing in the “Cold Rated” cords that stay flexible when the temperatures drop.  Most Cold Rated cords come with the added benefit of heavy duty, resistant jackets that will hold up to rough garage floors, getting kicked around or walked over, and the elements.

If you need to convert a single outlet extension cord in to three outlets, use a specially made 12 gauge “pigtail” that has a 15amp heavy duty plug on one side and a heavy duty three outlet receptacle on the other side separated by a short length of heavy duty extension cord.  Standard three-to-one outlet adapters are made of plastic and may crack if stepped on as they are meant to be plugged in to a wall and NOT an extension cord.

Another nice feature to look for is cords that have an LED light in the outlet end to let you know that the cord is “energized” and “live” with electricity.  Given the fact that the Generator my run out of fuel and stop or be off for maintenance, the LED light gives 100% Positive feedback regarding the status of the power to your equipment.

In the case of expensive electronics like a Flat Panel TV, the Set-top Box, Internet Router or a Computer, connect an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) to a 12 gauge extension cord to the Generator.  This provides added protection from surges and filters the power.  See my article “Hurricane Tech – Uninterruptible Power Supplies”

Personally, I always use 12 gauge, heavy duty, winter rated, grounded extension cords for an added margin of safety in 10’, 25’, 50’ and 100’ lengths.  By using a cord rated for the maximum 15amps, I am matching the rating of the Circuit Breaker on the Generator and I don’t have to worry about the extension cord failing.  The Circuit Breaker on the Generator should trip before the cord fails.  Since 15amps is the size of most household circuits, if I match the equipment I would normally plug in to a wall outlet to my 15amp Generator Circuit, everything is the same and therefore properly sized.

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE:  Periodically feel the extension cords to see if they are cold, warm, or hot.  If an extension cord is warm or hot, that means that you are exceeding the carrying capacity of the extension cord and should immediately un-plug it from the Generator or Power Source (Utility Power.)  Get a higher amp rated extension cord.  FAILURE TO DO SO COULD RESULT IN RISK OF FIRE.

Hurricane Tech – Keeping the Lights On with a Portable Generator

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“You never really appreciate something until it is gone” has never been truer then when the Power goes out and you are sitting in the dark.   Fully charged notebook computers, cell phones, iPads, tablet computers, battery backed up telephone service, uninterruptable power supplies, and flashlights will only get you so far.  When the batteries run down, your technology and communications go dark and without electricity, it might as well be the Stone Age.

Without Power, the food in your Refrigerator and Freezer is at risk to spoil.  Even if you have a heating system that uses a pilot light, without electricity, there is nothing to power the circulator pumps (hydrostatic baseboard or radiator) or fan (forced hot air.)  Many modern day gas ovens and gas stoves have shifted to electronic ignition start which also requires electricity.  At least with a gas stove burner, you can light it with a match but usually not the gas oven.

One saving grace of Natural Gas is that if you have a gas fired hot water heater with a pilot light, you will usually have Hot Water assuming your water is gravity fed and does not rely on a pump as it does in many apartment buildings.

Solution – A portable generator which runs on either gasoline or liquid propane.  Gasoline powered portable generators are the most common and are the focus of this article.

With a reasonably sized portable generator rated at 5,500 watts or more (preferably with an approximate 50% surge starting watts rating of about 8,500 watts), you can easily power a Refrigerator, Freezer, Heating System, a Flat Panel 46” TV Set, (up to 3,000 watts for these four items), Cable/FiOS Set-top Box/Internet Modem/Router, a Computer, charge your portable electronic devices, and a few lights (which add another 1,500 to 2,000 watts for these remaining items.)  This is an estimate based on a combined average continuous wattage load (the amount of electricity required to keep the devices on and running) and surge starting watts which is the additional energy required for the compressors in the Refrigerator and Freezer or fan motor in the Heating System to start.

I know this from my personal experience as during the aftermath of Hurricane/Tropical Storm Sandy, I had a Generac Wheelhouse 5,500 watt Generator with 8,500 surge watts and had all of the above running for eight days.

IMPORTANT:  A portable generator is an emergency, temporary installation and you should only connect the minimum number of devices necessary for “life safety” and bare bones comfort.  A 5,500 watt portable generator provides only about 10% to 15% of the amount of electricity normally provided to your home by the Utility Company.

NOTE:  The average amount of watts required to run various appliances and devices can usually be found on a chart in the user’s manual of the generator or on the Internet.

My generator had a five gallon fuel tank.  With all of the above running mostly 24/7, the burn rate of fuel was approximately one gallon every 1.5 to 2 hours.  More specifically, with the tank topped off so its’ actual capacity was slightly more than five gallons, I had to add fuel about every ten hours.  That is a burn rate of about 96 gallons per seven days. (7 days x 24 hours x 1.75 hours/gallon.)

Most quality portable generators are rated to run “24 hours straight, 7 days a week” without issue – provided that proper maintenance is performed.  It is usually recommended that the Oil level be checked at least daily and be changed every 24 to a maximum of 48 hours especially when running the generator continuously – as I did during the power outage.  Selecting the proper grade and viscosity of Oil for winter (in my case a 5W30) or summer (an SAE 30) can make all the difference between the generator starting on the “first pull” (if pull start) or “the press of the starter button” (if electric start) or not starting at all.  (Tip:  If your generator fuel tank has a vent cap, it should be open when operating.)

NOTE: Each engine manufacture has specific recommendations for Oil and Fluids.  Make sure to READ THE MAINTENANCE MANUAL for the proper fluid specifications!

Observation and math become very important in “keeping the lights on” and maintaining peak performance of the generator.  You need to track the run-time which is the number of hours the generator is on for proper maintenance, the fuel consumption which is the amount of gas the generator is burning per hour based on the load, (the amount of electricity your home is using), and the amount of gas you have remaining to determine how long you actually can “keep the lights on.”   Load will not be constant and the amount of fuel the generator is burning can vary throughout the day depending on what devices are in use and being powered by the generator.

To put this in perspective, for my house, each day required approximately 13 to 15 gallons of gasoline which is three, five gallon containers per day.  Given that a Storm can last a full day or two, and that you may not be able to get out the day after the Storm, as was the case with Sandy, you would need to have about 36 gallons of gas on-hand to last the three days.

Yes, that means that I had seven, five gallon containers filled with gasoline on the day before Hurricane/Tropical Storm Sandy arrived. The Long Island Power Authority made it clear that not only were they virtually guaranteeing the loss of power but that “power could be out for up to five or ten days.”  Keep in mind, as the Northeast experienced; when you don’t have power, it is highly probably that the gas station does not have power either.  And, to make matters worse, the Refineries, Storage Depots, and Delivery System Infrastructure were all affected by the Storm compounding the crisis.

Again as seen in the Northeast after both Hurricane Irene and Hurricane/Tropical Storm Sandy, many people did not heed the warning that Power would be disrupted and waited until AFTER they lost power to go looking for a generator.  Obviously, there were shortages of generators, gas cans, and the most important commodity, the gas itself.

If you cannot evacuate to a Shelter and you cannot afford have all of your food spoil, the time to purchase a portable generator is BEFORE the Storm.  Make sure you have enough fuel for two to three days along with Oil and Fluids to maintain the generator properly.

Having a portable generator can make a widespread power outage an inconvenience instead of a potentially serious life threatening situation.

CRITICAL SAFETY NOTE:  Connecting devices to the generator that have standard electrical plugs, the type that fit in to the outlets in your home, can be done safely with properly rated 12 gauge grounded (three prong) extension cords.  Just unplug the device from the wall outlet and plug in to the extension cord. Follow all manufacturer instructions and load ratings!

CONNECTING YOUR HEATING SYSTEM MAY REQUIRE THE ASSISTANCE OF A LICENSED, PROFESSIONAL ELECTRICIAN TO INSTALL A SPECIAL TRANSFER SWITCH.  FAILURE TO MAKE PROPER AND SAFE CONNECTIONS TO THE GENERATOR MAY RESULT IN RISK OF FIRE, SERIOUS INJURY, OR DEATH.

Hurricane Tech – Uninterruptable Power Supplies

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An Uninterruptable Power Supply or UPS, provides electrical power to a device when Utility Power fails.  It does this by using an inverter that converts the direct current (DC) provided by a series of Batteries in to alternating current (AC), the type found in a electrical outlets in your home or office.

There are two basic types of UPS devices:

A Stand-by UPS, which has a 2ms to 4ms delay in sensing loss of Utility Power and switching over from the Utility Power to Battery Power for the protected equipment; and a True On-line UPS, where instead of a Switch between the Utility Power and the Battery Power, the UPS is always providing perfectly filtered Battery Power to the protected equipment. (i.e. a Computer, Router, Network Switch, etc.)

In an On-line UPS, the Utility Power continuously charges the Battery that in turn sends electrical current through the Inverter to the protected equipment.  Think straight line:  Utility Power, Battery, Inverter, Protected Equipment for an On-line UPS.  For a Stand-by UPS, think of a fork in the road: Utility Power OR Battery Power to Inverter to the Protected Equipment.

The key advantage of a True On-line UPS is that the since the power to the protected equipment is always passing through the Battery to the Inverter, the quality of the power is stable and perfect.  This can be especially important when your Power Source is unstable, such as that produced by a Generator instead of normal Utility Power.

A Stand-by UPS is suitable for infrequent Utility Power Outages as a fail-safe to allow you time to properly shut-down your Computer – either automatically if supported by the software of the UPS or manually by you.  Or, to keep protected equipment, like a phone system, operational until the Batteries in the UPS run down.

Most Stand-By UPS units do NOT have any form of Power Conditioning.  This means that if you are in an area with frequent Utility Power fluctuations, as in the lights in your home of office “dim” or appear to oscillate throughout the day, your equipment is getting “dirty power.”  This potentially damages the electronics in your equipment and may cause premature failure.  If the Utility Power actually dips below a certain level for a few milliseconds, the Stand-by UPS will kick in and flip over to Battery Power.  One specific thing to watch for is if you hear the Stand-by UPS frequently cycling between Utility Power and Battery Power.  When a UPS is “on-battery” usually there is both a visual indicator, an audible alarm, and most certainly a soft “hum” from the Inverter.

As stated, electricity produced by a Generator is very dirty.  The power output of the Generator is significantly affected by the amount of load placed on the Generator.  The more devices you have plugged in, the greater the draw of electricity or load, the harder the Generator has to work, the greater the fluctuation in the quality of power.  The same visual effect can be seen with lights attached to a Generator.  When a heavy load device, such as a Refrigerator, Freezer, or Air Conditioner, being powered by a Generator turns-on, you can audibly hear the Generator increase in speed to attempt to produce a higher “Surge” output of electricity to meet the demand.  At the same time, you can see the lights dim or if you have a computer monitor or TV Set, the picture momentarily flicker.

To counteract the “dirty power” effect of a Generator, always use a True On-line UPS which will provide power conditioning and filtering to provide “clean power” to protect your most critical and expensive electronic devices.  This would include Flat Panel TV’s, Internet Routers, Network Switches, Set-Top Boxes, Phone Systems, and Desktop or Server Computers.

When using a Generator as the Power Source, reserve the use of a Stand-by UPS for any device that has a charger, like a Notebook Computer or Phone Charger where you want to be able to continue to charge the devices when the Generator is off for maintenance or refueling.   A Stand-By UPS is also useful for temporary Lighting and non-critical, low draw loads, such as the electronic starter on Gas Range, a Hot Water Heater, or a Thermostats.

The only exception to the above is for mechanical loads such as Refrigerators, Freezers, Air Conditioners and Forced Air Heating/Cooling Systems.  Or, in the case of Electronics, high load devices like Laser Printers, Copiers, and Fax Machines.  In general, these devices should never be plugged in to Uninterruptible Power Supply units unless the UPS is specifically designed to handle these types of higher demand loads.  These devices should be plugged directly in to the Power Source, either Utility Power or the Generator.

Hurricane Tech – Advantage of Verizon FiOS vs Cablevision

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One of the key advantages of having Verizon’s Fiber Optic Service (FiOS) for your Telephone service is that all of the equipment from the Central Telephone Office up to your home is completely powered by Verizon.  This is a significant difference from Cablevision which relies on the Utility Company to provide electricity to power its’ equipment on the Utility Poles.

When the Power goes out, Verizon is 100% self-reliant.  Verizon takes responsibility for making sure that all of its’ FiOS transmission equipment is properly powered by using a combination of backup electrical generators and battery backup units.  Verizon trucks will periodically visit Transmission equipment locations to re-charge batteries so that equipment stays fully operational when Utility power is out.  Even if it is days before Utility power is restored, there is a high degree of probability, short of physical damage to the FiOS transmission lines, that FiOS Services will stay operational.

With Cablevision, all Services start to fail shortly after Utility power is lost as the batteries in the Transmission Equipment drain to zero.  Once the Cablevision equipment batteries run-down, Services cannot be restored until Utility Power is restored.  (This is true for most Cable Providers, not just Cablevision.)

Important Note:  In both the case of Verizon FiOS and Cablevision, there is a piece of equipment installed in your home or office that requires “electricity” to work.  In the case of Verizon FiOS, this is called an “O.N.T.” or Optical Network Terminal.  For Cablevision, this is usually a Cable Modem.  (This is true for most Cable Providers, not just Cablevision.)

As discussed in my article, “Hurricane Tech – Powering your Land Line Phone Service”, with a properly installed Backup Battery, Telephone Service will remain operational, on average, for up to eight hours provided that your respective provider: Verizon FiOS or Cablevision has their Transmission Equipment powered and functioning.  If you add a decent size Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) of approximately a 1,500watt rating, you may get almost a full twelve hours of Internet and TV Service in addition to the Telephone service.

Case in point:  During Hurricane Irene, I lost power and even though I had a Generator to power my Cable Modem, within a few hours all of my Cablevision Services failed – No Telephone, No TV, No Internet – because Cablevision relies on Utility Power for its’ Transmission equipment on the poles.  My Cable modem had power but the Transmission facilities between my home and Cablevision were dead.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, even though power was out for several days, my neighbors who had Generators had their Verizon FiOS Telephone, TV, and Internet without issue.  In my case, even when Utility Power was restored it was another week before Cablevision services returned.

Considering the connected world I live in and the fact that I am in the “Technology Consulting” business, I thought it would make sense to hedge my bets against the next natural disaster and install Verizon FiOS alongside Cablevision so that I would have both for redundancy.  I had no idea at the time of my decision how fortuitous a move that would be.

On October 18th, 2012, just two weeks before Hurricane/Tropical Storm Sandy hit, I had the Verizon FiOS Ultimate Triple Play deal installed.  In the middle of Sandy, at approximately 9:30am on Monday, October 29th, my super reliable, traditional Copper Telephone Service, that usually always survives severe storms, failed.  It was not until around 5:45pm that Utility Power failed.  Since my phone system had a battery backup unit, as did my Verizon FiOS and Cable modem, I still had Telephone Service.  I powered up the Portable Gasoline powered Generator and TV and Internet immediately returned on my Verizon FiOS set-top box and Internet Router.  As expected, my Cablevision TV and Internet service had failed.

Remarkably, even though our area was without Utility power for over eight days, Verizon FiOS remained fully operational and completely without issue.  It was not until Utility Power was restored that any Cablevision services returned (TV, Phone, Internet) and then once they did, they went out the following day again for another twelve hours.

The reason Verizon FiOS was operational was because Verizon completely controls the Power for its Transmission equipment and is 100% self-sufficient.  Again, it is important to note that I had a Generator to keep the Verizon FiOS equipment in my home, the ONT, “powered” with electricity.

The combination of an extremely robust infrastructure, as designed and built by Verizon, along with my own Disaster Recovery Preparedness, (a Generator), allowed me to stay fully “connected” to the outside world during Hurrican/Tropical Storm Sandy and beyond.  With a working Verizon FiOS Triple Play package of Phone, TV, and Internet – including WiFi, I was able to receive critical Life Safety information from News Stations as well as the Suffolk County and Huntington Township Telephone and Email Emergency Alert Communications.

Verizon FiOs – It’s the next best thing to the reliability of Copper.