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Storm Center
Generator Safety
When purchasing a generator, you need to first consider what equipment in the house is absolutely necessary to run in the event of a power outage due to an emergency. You will most likely only need the generator for a few hours or days until the power is restored to your household.
Once you decide upon what is necessary to run, you will need to determine the wattage necessary to run those items. For instance, different brands of even the same appliances will require a different wattage.
Though some people attempt to tackle generator installation on their own, Singing River Electric highly recommends having an electrician install your generator in order to prevent personal injury during installation. The electrician should install a “generator switch” between the main breaker and the electrical load of your household. The switch can be purchased at any electrical supply house. It controls and indicates whether the generator is supplying the current to the house. This is extremely important for preventing severe injuries to yourself, your neighbors or even our servicemen while they are restoring power to your home.
Also, think safety when working with electricity, and observe these safety guidelines:
- Thoroughly read and understand the operating and maintenance instructions before using any generator.
- Turn off the main power switch before operating the generator and unplug all sensitive electronic equipment.
- Never attempt to wire your home or office electrical system into a generator. This can cause power to back feed through the electric meter and into the power lines endangering anyone who comes in contact with the line.
- Don't overload the generator. See the unit's manual for specific wattage limitations.
- Provide adequate ventilation for the exhaust from the generator, which contains carbon monoxide, an invisible, odorless gas that can be deadly.
- Never attempt to refill the generator while it is running.
- Keep children away from the unit and gasoline at all times.
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