| Portable generators are used in homes and in | | | | be calculated. This includes the starting wattage |
| places where there is no power or the need for | | | | required by appliances with motors, such as |
| power is minimum. Portable generators are | | | | refrigerators and freezers that use two or three |
| generally smaller and are designed to use for a | | | | times their normal wattage power to start. The |
| few. A portable generator of 5KW has enough | | | | generator should not only meet the normal |
| power to keep lights, refrigerators, computers | | | | wattage, but the start up wattage of the |
| and televisions running for 7 to 8 hours. Portable | | | | appliances. Moreover, the generator must have |
| generators are normally powered by gasoline, | | | | the necessary voltage ratings to run electric |
| diesel, propane or natural gas. They are the most | | | | appliances such as the ovens and clothes driers |
| popular of all portable generators. Gasoline | | | | that are rated at 240 volts. A portable generator |
| generators are relatively less expensive but | | | | should have at least two receptacles of 120 volt |
| require frequent maintenance and have a shorter | | | | each. Generators that provide a longer runtime |
| life span. Gasoline has a short shelf life and cannot | | | | per tank of fuel or having a fuel tank capacity of |
| be stored for a long time unless treated with | | | | around 5 gallon of fuel are preferred especially, by |
| stabilizers.Diesel generators, on the other hand, | | | | people living in areas where power failures are |
| are fuel-efficient, consume less fuel per kilowatt | | | | quite frequent.A portable 7KW generator that can |
| of power produced, have longer life and require | | | | power lights, furnaces, sump pumps, televisions |
| less maintenance. Diesel can be stored for longer | | | | and refrigerators may cost $1000 or more |
| periods of time. However, they are harder to | | | | depending upon the quality and the type of |
| start in cold weather and noisy. Portable | | | | generator. For a normal home, an ideal generator |
| generators powered by natural gas or propane is | | | | would be in 10KW to 12 KW costing around |
| the best choice if available. The generator lasts | | | | $2700 for 10KW and $3700 for a 12 KW. |
| longer and burns cleaner.Before choosing a | | | | Portable diesel generators are available for use on |
| portable generator, the total wattage of all | | | | construction sites in the range of 200KW and |
| appliances to be powered by the generator must | | | | more. |