If the unfortunate happens and an emergency happens to take place, you should be prepared for the situation. Whether that’d be a sudden blackout in your area due to a freak traffic accident or a heavy storm.
A portable generator is handy to have on stand-by as a generator can power your business, home and many more until the power comes back on.
A power generator provides a consistent power source by using a gas engine that turns an onboard alternator. This helps it generate power while being easily adjustable and moveable depending on the situation. Portable generators for this reason are a lot more versatile than permanently installed generators.
The Five Primary Components Of A Portable Generator
A portable generator is often compared to a miniature electrical plant in the same way a portable generator converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. Many gas models are cheap and convenient people have used over the years but there has been a popular increase in diesel generators and propane.
There are five primary components of a portable generator that you should know about:
1. Internal Combustion Engine: This is the workhouse of your portable generator. Fuel is transferred into the chamber, which causes a spark and then converts the fuel into mechanical energy.
2. Alternator: Now this is where the magic happens. The alternator converts the mechanical energy into electricity using two components. The rotating component which is also known as the rotator generates an excess of electrons from a magnetic field around a group of wound coils.
3. Starter: The starter is known as the starter because simply put this component starts your generator. Occasionally your starter is powered by a DC battery but at other times it will be powered by a pull cord mechanism.
4. Fuel Tank: Your generator will have to be full of something whether this would be diesel, gas or propane. Your fuel sources though will not last forever as you know, much like when you have equipment e.g. a lawnmower that hasn’t been used in a while will not turn on instantly if it’s been sitting collecting dust in your garage for months. If you keep your generator active throughout the year when needed it will go a long way in keeping your fuel ready when it’s needed.
5. Outlets: The number of outlets is depending on what type of model your power generator is. The more expensive your portable generator is, the more type of combinations of outlets you will have to use.
Remembering Safety
Portable generators like all small-engine machines produce dangerous carbon monoxide fumes. This is why it’s key that you are following all safety protocols in place when you are using your portable generator.
Never operate your portable generator for hire in enclosed spaces that could harm you such as a garage or shed. Keep a big distance between you and the generator when it’s turned on.
Even if you’ve opened doors and windows, there’s still a big chance that carbon monoxide can pose a safety threat, that’s why it’s key that you are pointing the fumes from your portable generator away from your home or office and not near windows or doors.
There are many safety features that your portable generator possesses built-in carbon monoxide detectors that will automatically shut your generator down before the levels become deadly for you and others around you.
When you are going to refuel your generator, never refuel a hot generator – always let your machine cool down first and also be careful near the muffler on your generator as it becomes extremely hot and will burn your hand if touched.
Storage
With your portable generator, it’s crucial that you are putting it in proper storage space and following maintenance is essential to get the proper use out of your generator. Store your portable generator inside a dry place away from rain or snow, make sure it’s also easily accessible for you as well.
When you are storing your portable generator for longer, you can keep an empty tank but if you want to be fully ready when a power cut or emergency happens you can keep the tank full but use a fuel stabilizer.
You are going to also need to have enough oil inside it to lubricate the engine to keep the whole unit inside operating smoothly and won’t break down.
Are Portable Generators Right For You?
When purchasing or hiring a portable generator they are a cost-effective and efficient solution. If you haven’t dealt with portable generators before it’s hard to find a starting point and here at Pleavin Power our experts can help guide you in the process to find the best generator inside your budget as there is no installation process when it comes to a portable generator to save you time and money.
Unlike your standby generators, which will automatically start powering your equipment as soon as your power goes out. Your portable generator will need to be manually started by you and refuelled often.
You will need to do your research beforehand on what type of appliances you are going to plug in for the portable generator to power because you need to manually run an extension cord to the portable system, often the case you will only have a limited amount of configuration outlets available to use so it’s in your best interest to plan before you are going to use it.
You are also going to need to consider the number of watts required to power the appliances you want to use. If you hire or purchase a portable generator that isn’t powerful enough to power your equipment it could lead to permanent damage to your equipment.
Always read and make sure you are following the manufacturer’s instructions handed to you for your portable generator to avoid potentially breaking the generator or even worse seriously harming yourself.
To make the process easy hiring a portable generator whether that’d be a diesel generator or if you need help picking what one would suit you best, we are a leading UK generator hiring company that can help you pick the perfect generator for your situation.
Jack is the owner of Pleavin Power which was founded in 2017. He has worked in the power industry for over a decade and has an extreme focus on providing a quality service to clients across the UK. This has led Pleavin Power to becoming the market leader in the Critical, Prime & Standby Power markets.
