Standby vs Portable Generators

When storms strike and the lights go out, you need to have a way to stay safe and keep the temperature in your home comfortable. A generator can help you do that and is a great way to stay powered up in an emergency. But before you purchase a backup generator and start planning your storm-resistance strategy, you need to know about the difference between a home standby generator and a portable generator. Let’s take a look at the similarities and differences between the two and find out which one is the best choice for your home.

What is a Standby Generator?

A home standby generator is a more permanent form of emergency power. This type of generator is typically installed outdoors, next to your home and it connects to a transfer switch that turns the power on automatically when utility power goes out. It is normally wired directly to the home’s electrical panel. The best time to install this type of generator is now to be ready for any future natural disaters. If you decide to install a standby generator, make sure it has a professional installation, because if not done correctly it could cause a fire or electrocution.

What is a Portable Generator?

A portable generator is a machine that provides power to your home or office when the power goes out. It typically produces enough energy to run a few lights, laptops, and a television. You can usually carry it from room to room. There are some that are a little larger that can power as a whole house generator, but typically you have to go outside and start them as well as plug them in a during a storm.

Portable generator power is more common as people like to also take them camping as well as use around the house for alternative home’s power in the event of a disater. These type of generators tend to be more cost effective for folks and does tend to be more popular.

The Differences Between Standby Generators and Portable Generators

Portable generators are designed to be moved from one location to another. They run on gasoline and or propane and need to be refueled after about 8 hours of use. On the other hand, standby generators are installed in a fixed location and are wired directly into your home’s main electrical panel. Depending on your preference, you don’t have to worry about refueling them because they’re connected to your home’s natural gas or propnae. Portable generators can be more less expensive than standby generators, but if you only need power for emergencies or short outages, they could be the right choice for you. The two types of generators also differ in how long they can provide power before needing a refill. Standby generators can typically run up to 24 hours without refueling while portable generators will stop working once their fuel tank is empty, ( around 8 hours ) If you want the most dependable generator available, choose a standby whole house generator so you won’t have to worry about having power when you need it most.

Which Generator Is Right for You?

In a nutshell, standby generators that are hardwired and use an automatic transfer switch to the home’s electrical system and always in standby mode, while portable generators are easy to move around and require some setup. A standby generator is hardwired via a transfer switch into your home. This means it’sin standby mode all the time and needs nothing. Standby generators need a professional installer for them to work correctly. If a storm strikes or the power goes out, this type of generator kicks in automatically to ensure your entire home stays powered up at all times. On the other hand, portable generators are less costly and air cooled and easier to install than their hardwired counterparts. They can be plugged into any outlet and run off of gas or diesel, propane and they’re easy enough that anyone can use them! Portable generators can take longer to kick in during an outage as they have to start up before providing power–but they’re perfect for emergencies when you don’t have access to electricity (like if you’re camping).

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that each type of generator has its advantages and disadvantages. A standby generator is an excellent choice for someone who lives in a rural area,and powered from liquid propane lp. If you live in an urban or suburban area, however, a portable generator may be the best option. Make sure to know what your needs are before deciding on what type of generator to purchase!