Most local municipalities require only licensed electricians, plumbers and pipe fitters be used to install, work on and/or maintain electrical, fuel and mechanical systems. It is very important to check with your local building department for further information regarding these requirements.

GENERATOR SIZE

What size generator do I need ?

Emergency power systems are available in a variety of different sizes from 5KW-50KW and larger. Your choice will depend on the wattage requirements of the critical loads protecting your home or business.

Selecting the proper size unit for the electrical loads to be served is the most important step in providing a reliable standby generator system.

Generator under-sizing is one of the most fundamental and common mistakes made by those unfamiliar with sizing techniques and formulas. For some, the philosophy seems to be, the smaller the generator, the smaller the associated equipment and installation costs will be, thereby reducing the overall project expense and guaranteeing the salesman a sale.

Our company, Romitti Electric, has been installing standby generator systems for over eight years. We know how to choose, design and install the proper size equipment and system for your application.

For example, when calculating the generator load wattage for an average home with a 100-200 ampere, 120/240 or a 120/208 volt service, you may have an application where one or both of the following two conditions might apply:

• Condition #1 - No motor loads will be included:

  In this case, the total nameplate wattage of the appliances and lights can be used to calculate the size of the generator. To demonstrate, ten 100 watt light bulbs, a 1200 watt coffee pot, a 1250 watt toaster and a 1500 watt hair dryer would require a 5KW generator.

• Condition #2 - Motor loads will be included:

  Where motor loads need to be included, the motor starting wattage must be taken into account so the generator can provide sufficient starting current. Generally, these devices normally require 5 to 6 times the listed watts or full load current to start. A 25% factor is recommended to support electrical appliances, which are equipped with induction motors.

  In this example, if the nameplate on your furnace (not air conditioner) indicates it is equipped with a 1/2 horsepower blower motor and the nameplate amperage is 9 amps at 115 volts, the running load of this motor is 1,035 watts. When the motor is started, the generator will be required to provide 4,000 to 6,000 watts or 4-6KW., just for this single motor. See the appliance chart on our Common Appliances page.

Generator under-sizing is the reason many emergency power system fail, even though consumers, like you, make substantial investments. It has been known to cause:

a. the inability to pickup individual loads as they come on line

b. a complete system failure or shutdown as the loads are added

c. unreliable performance

d. premature and/or excessive maintenance problems

e. shortened system life

f. risk to personal safety or property

Selecting the wrong unit is like a Volkswagen Bug trying to pull a semitrailer; it may move it, maybe even pull it slowly for a while, but it will eventually fail. Don't let this happen to you. A standby generator system should be considered as a long-term investment in your family's safety and the security of your property.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS AND OPTIONS

After determining the proper size generator, it will also be necessary to determine the proper component configuration and specification. You should be sure the electrical contractor is familiar with and identifies all expenses attributable to applicable electrical codes. These cost items could be very expensive to resolve if not done in the correct way. We, at Romitti Electric, carefully review each element of cost with you and believe a well informed consumer is our best client.

VENTILATION

Every standby generator installation must be provided with a sufficient supply of fresh air by natural (outdoors) or mechanical means (fans). Outdoor locations need to be placed so that exhaust fumes from the unit do not enter habitable spaces. Indoor locations must be designed so as to include a powered fan of adequate size to provide a constant source of fresh air when the unit is operating.

GENERATOR FUEL

Concluding the list of choices for a standby generator system, a decision must be made which type of generator fuel is best for you. For residential and small commercial applications, natural gas is recommended. Other fuel factors to consider are: safety, adequate supply, fuel sourcing and cost.

INSTALLATION

Romitti Electric, a licensed and insured electrical contractor with its many years experience, can either assist in making the above decisions or provide a turn key project where you do nothing but have the generator ready for the next power loss. The time spent working with generator and appliance manufacturers have provided our specifies and designers the skill to apply computer-aided diversity factors or generator revisions which, at times, result in the selection of a smaller unit. System experienced electricians have been recognized for their pride in completing any custom installation in a workmanlike manner while protecting the existing premises. Our practice does not allow the use of standard "small, medium or large" sizing techniques or "dart board" cost estimating frequently employed by our competition. We believe our design methods reflect actual job conditions, result in lower final expense and allow for potential cost reduction opportunities by "doing our homework."