When you live in the Twin Cities, you know power outages aren’t unusual, especially during severe summer and winter storms. And when the power goes out, there’s no telling when it’ll come back on again. If you or anyone in your household relies on a consistent power supply, either for work or essential medical equipment, being without electricity for hours on end can be a serious problem.
At Harrison Electric, we want you to know: Just because everyone else’s lights go out, that doesn’t mean your windows must go dark too. Below, we’re sharing just a few of the many perks of installing a home generator and why you should consider splurging for this incredibly convenient, gas-powered backup electrical supply.
Automatic Functionality Ensures Safety and Uninterrupted Electrical Supply
Just like your a/c automatically turns on when it detects the indoor temperature is too high, a standby generator automatically springs to life when it detects a power outage. Because the generator connects to your household electrical system, it’s designed to immediately detect a loss of power, so it can maintain electrical flow without interruption.
Once the generator detects an outage, it’ll wait a few seconds for the electricity to return. If the power supply doesn’t come back, the generator engine kicks on. An automatic transfer switch — which is basically the brain of your home’s electrical system — will then switch your power supply from the utility lines to generator power.
The entire process requires less than a minute to complete, which means you’ll enjoy uninterrupted use of essentials like:
● Electricity-dependent medical equipment like CPAP machines
● Air conditioning and heating
● Internet and computers
● Outlets for charging phones and other emergency equipment
● Refrigerators and freezers
● Sump pumps
● Much more
Furthermore, because a standby generator activates automatically, you never need to risk your safety to go outside and turn it on in the middle of a severe weather event. While you can certainly opt for a portable version, it won’t provide nearly as much electricity and you must activate it manually.
Installing a generator that’s wired into your electrical system will provide power for your entire home and protect your safety when heading outdoors may be risky.
Protection From Hazardous Voltage Fluctuations When Power Resumes
Throughout a power outage, and while the generator is operational and powering your home, the automatic transfer switch continually monitors utility line conditions. When the transfer switch detects that voltage has returned to the utility line, it’ll wait for a brief period to ensure the voltage supply is stable.
Only when voltage is stable will the switch automatically transfer your electrical system back over to utility power. The switch will then resume monitoring the utility line for the next power loss and will run for a few additional minutes to cool down the engine. The system is designed to protect your home’s electrical work from voltage surges that could potentially cause serious wiring, circuit, and device damage or even start a fire.
If you opt for a manual-start, portable generator, you’ll lack protection against voltage surges because a portable unit doesn’t continually monitor utility lines. Installing a home generator with a transfer switch is one of the best ways to safeguard your electrical system and plugged-in devices in the event of a power outage.
Ready to Install a Home Generator? Trust the Electricians at Harrison Electric
If you’re ready to enjoy the peace of mind that installing a home generator affords, get in touch with our team at Harrison Electric! Since 1985, we’ve proudly provided a wide variety of residential electrical services for Minneapolis and St. Paul homeowners, and we’re here for you too. All of our electricians are fully licensed, bonded, insured, and certified, and your complete satisfaction is our number one goal.
To get started with your project or learn more about installing a home generator, feel free to call our Minneapolis office today at 763-544-3300 or request a quote here.