Alternative Power

During a disaster, it’s very likely that your electric service will be interrupted.  Therefore, it becomes necessary to investigate some alternative power sources.  It’s possible to survive without electricity but it presents a wide range of problems including light, refrigeration, water (if you have a well) and even entertainment.  Living in the dark will be very damaging to the morale of your family.

In order to adequately size your generator, you should calculate your specific needs.  Use the link in the side bar to find out how much power you need. 

Power Management 

You could certainly run your generator all of the time, but maintenance and fuel consumption could be prohibitive.  In an emergency situation, when you might want to stretch your fuel supplies, so it’s advisable to limit your generator run time to about three hours per day.  This should provide enough time to cool your freezer and refrigerator so that your perishables don’t spoil.  You can find out more about refrigeration in the “Tips and Training” section.

It’s a good idea to schedule your three-hour period in the evening so you can run your generator in conjunction with:

• Night-time hours
• Evening meal preparation
• Showers (if you have a well pump)
• Evening entertainment such as a movie

If you require more than three hours of electricity per day, you might consider purchasing one generator for operating your essential systems (for the three hours) and a much smaller unit for lights and electronics that you can run for additional time.  These “tiny” generators are very fuel efficient and are very portable if you are forced to evacuate or relocate.  Never operate a generator inside your home.  Place it outside or in a well ventilated shed.

Generator Fuels 

There are four basic fuel choices for your home generator; gasoline, diesel, propane and natural gas.  Your choice of fuel will be determined by several factors:

• Storability:  An emergency generator must be able to run on fuel that is storable.  In many cases, this rules out using natural gas.  The exceptions are that the flow of natural gas may not be interrupted during all disaster scenarios and some generators that run on natural gas can also run on propane. To be completely safe, it is wise to stay away from natural gas generators unless they also run on propane.  Also see Fuel Storage.
• Ambient Temperature:  Some fuels are not nearly as volatile in cold weather as others.  Propane and diesel generators can be extremely difficult to start in cold weather.  For extremely cold weather, gasoline is the wisest choice.
• Durability:  For the most part, diesel generators have a longer life than those that use other fuels.  They burn cooler and do not require a spark for ignition.  However, diesel generators can be a little more expensive than gasoline or propane generators.  Overall, the extra cost is well worth it if you can afford it. 
• Common Fuels:  It is wise to consider your other fuel needs when selecting a generator.  For example, if you use fuel oil to heat your home, you might want to purchase a diesel generator because the fuels are interchangeable.  On the other hand, if you are already storing gasoline or propane; you might want to purchase a generator that uses those fuels.   

Generator Hook-up 

If you don’t already have a generator isolation switch you should have one installed.  A generator isolation switch is a three-position switch that is installed on your power service.  Its purpose is to allow the safe operation of a generator in providing electrical power to your building. It serves to isolate the generated power from the main power grid. You should NEVER connect your generator to your home’s electrical system without a generator isolation switch that has been installed by a qualified electrician.  Connecting electrical current to your home without this switch will charge the power lines and will put electrical workers at risk of electrocution.  Added to this is the fact that when power is restored, the back feed of electricity to your generator will seriously damage it and may cause injury or death.

If you have generator isolation switch installed, make sure that you have all of the correct electrical fittings, such as plugs outlets and cords to hook your generator to the isolation switch.  You must also be sure that your generator output is compatible with the method of installation of your isolation switch and that it generates enough power to suit your needs. In most cases you will need a generator that produces 240 volts in order to connect to your electrical panel and it must produce enough amperage to operate your vital systems.

Depending on the size of your generator, you may need to turn off certain breaker switches in your distribution panel.  For example, if your generator is not large enough to power your electric water heater, you will have to turn off the water heater breaker switch in order for your generator to run properly.  You should know which systems to turn off and do so before you start your generator.

Starting your generator:

If your generator has been wired to your home with an isolation switch:

1. Leave the isolation switch in its current position (grid power).
2. If your generator is not “hardwired” to the panel, plug in the pigtail.
3. Start the generator.
4. Let the generator warm up for a minute or two.
5. Flip the disconnect switch to the “generator power” position.

When shutting down the generator, flip the disconnect switch to either the “off” or “grid power” position before shutdown. This will prevent a slow drawdown of electrical power during the shutdown that can damage your electrical appliances and devices.

If you do not have a generator isolation switch installed, you must plug all of your electrical fixtures directly into the outlets on the generator itself.  You can also use extension cords but take care not to overload your cords or to run them through water or high traffic areas.  Be aware that without an isolation switch, you will only be able to operate those fixtures that you would normally plug into a wall outlet.  This may not include some of your vital systems such as your water well, heating and ventilation fans or any other fixture that is hardwired to your electrical panel or require 240V service.

Tiny Generators:  These generators are very small and very portable.  They are ideal for running a few lights and some home electronics.  You can throw them in the trunk of your car and have power anywhere.  These generators usually only provide 120 volts and your electrical fixture is plugged directly into the generator or used with an extension cord.  They are also very fuel efficient and some models are exceptionally quiet which make the ideal for running when you don’t want to draw a lot of attention from a noisy generator.

Larger Portables:  These generators are suitable for emergency use in most homes.  These generators range from about 1500 watts (1.5 KW) up to more than 15,000 watts (15 KW).  To run your home, you will probably need a generator that provides 240 volts and at least 30 amps.  Most of these generators have a 240 V plug that you can use to plug into your generator isolation switch and charge your home electrical panel.

Standby Generators: Standby generators are permanently installed units that are hardwired to your isolation switch.   Many of them run on either natural gas or liquid propane, but other fuel types are available.  These units can be wired to start automatically when your power is interrupted.  This is a very covenant method for maintaining your power source, but because of the size of these units, they tend to use a lot of fuel.  However, for short term outages or if you don’t mind storing more fuel, a standby generator may be the answer to your needs.

Inverter Systems

An inverter system is a unit that converts direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC).  The resulting AC can be used to power most electronics and appliances depending on the size of the inverter and the available battery power. There are many sizes of inverters.  For relatively low expense, you can purchase an inverter that converts 12 volt battery power (like a car battery) into 110 volt AC power that can operate any 110 appliance in your home.  You can purchase larger units as well.  As the size and capabilities of the unit increases, so does the price, but if you are willing to pay the price, you can get inverter units that operate your whole house as long as you have the battery power to feed it.

Batteries:  To operate an inverter system, you must have a source of DC stored power.  This means batteries.  As mentioned above, you can run a few small items on a car battery, but if you want to run appliances such as your refrigerator, well pump, or even smaller appliances for longer periods between charges, you will need a battery bank.  Deep cycle batteries are recommended, and the number of batteries you need is dependent on the size of your system.  You will also need a method of charging these batteries.  This can be accomplished by using a generator for a few hours a day, solar panels or even a windmill.  Always store batteries in a well ventilated area.

Solar Power

The sunlight that hits the earth delivers more energy in one hour than the entire population uses in a whole year. It’s there every day, it’s free and all that we have to do is collect it.  This is where solar panels come in.  A solar panel is a group of solar cells that collect energy from sunlight and convert it into electricity.  The resulting DC current can then be used to charge your batteries for your inverter system.  This way it can be stored and converted to AC current to be used as needed.  The batteries are needed to store the power so you have electricity after the sun goes down, and if you want to run household lights and appliances, you will need the inverter that was discussed earlier.

Over time, solar panels have gotten better and more affordable.  You can build a small solar power system with AC capability for less than $1,000.  The video below describes in detail how to build your own system.

Wind Power

In many parts of the country, wind power is a viable option for an alternative power source.  Essentially, a wind turbine (or: wind generator) is an alternator attached to a propeller. When the wind blows the propeller turns and the alternator and produces electricity.  There are many types of wind turbines.  Some produce a small amount of electricity while others produce high voltage.  A relatively small unit can be very useful for your home when combined with a battery bank and an inverter system.  However, wind generators are a little more complex than solar panels.  The first hurdle is to choose a unit that is suitable for your power needs and for your location.  It will be necessary to determine the average wind speed in your area when choosing a wind turbine.  Wind speed affects the optimum design for the unit.  Slower wind areas may have more blades while higher speed areas will dictate a completely different blade design.  The bearing and housing designs are also affected by the average wind speed in your area.  Not choosing the best design for your area will seriously hamper the effectiveness of your wind generator system and could cause it to malfunction.  Wind turbines also require additional components that convert the current to DC, control the charge and divert the load when the batteries are fully charged.

Like solar panels, there are also sites on the internet that provide instruction on building your own wind turbines.  If you decide to build your own solar or wind power system, be sure that it is fully completed and tested for some time before you put yourself in a position to depend on it.  A pile of unassembled parts will do you no good if you need the power now!