Backup (Standby) Generators

[I-39]

Now that I've asked the question about having a UPS, my next question is, who here has a backup generator hooked up to your residence? When I say backup generator, I mean the permanently installed ones that turn themselves on and off with a transfer switch, not the portable ones you have to run cords to and refuel.

I had one on my house when I lived in Illinois, but I don't have one where I currently live (in Tennessee). Luckily, the power hasn't gone out for more than an hour at my current location (knock on wood), but having a standby generator is nice to have in case of a prolonged power outage. It sure beats having to use a portable generator.

[sparker]

Now that I've asked the question about having a UPS, my next question is, who here has a backup generator hooked up to your residence? When I say backup generator, I mean the permanently installed ones that turn themselves on and off with a transfer switch, not the portable ones you have to run cords to and refuel.

I had one on my house when I lived in Illinois, but I don't have one where I currently live (in Tennessee). Luckily, the power hasn't gone out for more than an hour at my current location (knock on wood), but having a standby generator is nice to have in case of a prolonged power outage. It sure beats having to use a portable generator.

Back in the '70's, I lived in an old frame house in Palo Alto; my roommate, who set up concert venues for a living, had a bunch of rechargeable gel cels (24V with 5 in series=120V; he employed 8 of these 5-cel series to get some decent current capability) to run lights, burglar alarm, phone switcher (this was about 1976!).  He also had a couple of battery-operated small TV sets, since to keep the basic necessities running during a power outage we couldn't run standard CRT TV's, the electric stove, or either of our admittedly power-hungry audio systems.  Seeing as we had about 3 multi-hour outages the first year I was living there (bad, bad PG&E!) his fastidiousness regarding this backup was quite valid.  Luckily incandescent bulbs work equally well on DC as with AC; he built voltage regulators for the remainder.