Home Generator Selection, Installation, and Repair By Paul Dempsey

Home Generator Selection, Installation, and Repair By Paul Dempsey

Contents:

Chapter 1 • Selecting the right generator

Chapter 2 • Powering up

Chapter 3 • Generator repairs

Chapter 4 • Engine electrical

Chapter 5 • Emergency repairs

Chapter 6 • Fuel systems

Chapter 7 • Major engine repairs

Preface:

Millions of Americans depend on portable generators to provide power during the blackouts that have become increasingly frequent. According to the Eaton Corporation, the number of outages affecting 50,000 people or more doubled between 2010 and 2011. A half-million people lose grid power every

day in this country. There are various reasons why the North American grid, once the envy of the world, can no longer keep pace with demand. Some critics blame poor maintenance, others see privatization—80 percent of the grid is privately owned—as the culprit, and still others point to the high level of integration that can escalate local failures into regional catastrophes. An example of the latter occurred in August 2003. A high-voltage transmission line sagged, touched a wet tree branch, and shorted to ground. This produced a cascade of exploded transformers and burned-out wiring that shut off power to 50 million people in eight states and parts of southern Canada. The outage cost several billion dollars and the lives of 11 people. A portable generator—one with good build quality, sized for the loads, and properly maintained—will keep the lights on. But generating your own electricity is not a simple, “plug in and play” proposition. This book describes: • How to purchase the right generator for your needs. The first requirement is to make sense of the esoteric engineering terms used in the sales literature. Next, one must determine how much electricity is needed during a blackout. Do you want to power your whole house? If not, which loads are critical? The more power required, the greater the cost. Most people specify a gasoline-powered generator, but diesel, propane, and natural gas have advantages for certain applications. The best diesel generators are industrial products that should give decades of reliable service.