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Make Your Generator Fuel Last 400% Longer!
Most people know what a generator looks like and how to start one. However, few people understand how to maximize the benefits of a generator. By capitalizing on available generator power and storing surplus power in batteries, you can save up to 80% of your fuel.
When power outages occur, the first thing most people want to do is maintain their current standard of living. They want the comfort and security they have grown accustomed to. A generator can easily simulate those feelings. The average family will run a generator 8 to 10 hours a day. Ironically, when disasters are pending, larger generators sell much faster than smaller ones. The average size is 5000 watts. Most 5000 watt generators use between 1/2 - 3/4's of a gallon of gas per hour. At that rate, you could easily go through a 55-gallon drum of fuel in less than a week and a half.
Use Your Generator for Necessities
A running generator can use fuel rapidly whether you have anything plugged into it or not. The most common and least necessary uses for the generator are television, radio and lighting. These appliances use little power and many times they are the only loads running. This is a senseless waste of fuel. While these may bring peace of mind, they are not general necessities. More important uses for a generator include: well pumps, refrigerators, freezers, heating fans and controls, medical support equipment, emergency communication devices and so forth.One unknown factor in many emergency situations is, how long will the emergency last? With a miscalculation on your part, you could easily run out of fuel. Always save some fuel for necessities such as pumping well water. Example: Five gallons of gas could fill your water pressure tank once a day giving you two months of water when running a 5000-watt generator for five minutes a day.
A 120/240 volt generator can supply all of its rated power. However, there are a few tricks to accessing this power. You can access all the power when connecting 240 volt appliances to the 240 volt outlets. However, to access all the generators power for 120 volt loads, you must use a 240/120 volt transformer or use a generator transfer switch plugged into the 240 volt outlets on your generator.
Tip: If you want to guarantee accessing all of a generators rated power, purchase a 120/240 volt generator. Most well pumps use 240 volts anyway. Otherwise, purchase a 120-volt generator with twice the wattage output you need.
Store and Use Excess Generator PowerHere is an exciting way to power small loads anytime without the generator running.
Use your generator with a 12-volt battery charger to charge up deep cycle battery(s) every time you run your generator. Use these batteries to run low power devices such as lighting, television, radio or communications equipment.
Any device that runs on 12 volt DC power can be run directly off the batteries. To run any small DC device that runs on less than 12 volts, use a voltage adapter from Radio Shack.
To run 120 volt (house current) devices from a battery requires an inverter. An inverter converts 12 volt DC power to 120 volt AC power. Inexpensive inverters are available from hardware stores for as little as $39. Many small televisions are AC/DC. They can be plugged directly into an inverter or battery. Use DC devices were possible. Not only do DC devices use less power than AC they don’t require an inverter.
For lighting, try using 12 volt DC fluorescent light bulbs. They use five times less power than incandescent bulbs and they last ten times longer. This makes your battery power last five times longer as well.
An exciting option you can add to your battery power system is a solar/electric charging panel. If the panel is large enough, you can even charge your battery to run loads without a generator. The benefits are many. No fuel required, sunlight is free and you don’t have to listen to the generator. For years after you have run out of generator fuel you can still charge your battery(s) and have light.