Hurricane Season is Here! Do You Need a Generator? Is Your Portable Generator Ready?
Hurricane season is upon us. Here in the Hampton Roads area, we are often subject to power outages that can last from a few minutes to multiple days. Here at British American Electric LLC we will professionally install all components that will provide you with a safe and manageable alternative way of powering your home or small business. Many people simple don’t know where to start when buying a generator and what size to use as the terminology can be confusing. Most people like to think in Amperes and generators are spec’d in watts. Generators also have two numbers on the rating plate, for example 8000 watts surge and 6000 watts running. So what does this mean? It means that the generators maximum output for a short amount of minutes is 8000 watts. Exactly how long it can do that depends on the unit. The generator can produce 6000 watts all the time. It is always my opinion to buy as large a generator that your budget will allow. But you should be looking for anything with a running (not surge) capacity of 6500 watts or more. Anything less than this is going to provide very limited relief. Many people opt for the less expensive when providing electricity to their homes in an emergency situation. Even though portable generators are the lowest priced option and easy to use, it’s important to know how to correctly use them. The setup of the portable generator is quite simple. There are several steps that need to be followed so that the safety of your home and the power company workers’ safety is not compromised. These pieces of equipment need to be careful used and, by law, require alteration to the main circuit breaker switch on the breaker box. Many people use portable generators incorrectly. For example, plugging the generator cord into the house wiring via the dryer outlet. This is called back feeding and the practice is dangerous. Because should you forget to turn off the main breaker in the breaker panel, then the power grid outside of the house becomes live, placing power company employees in danger. The only way to avoid this hazard is to have a generator interlock kit installed. British American Electric LLC has expert experience installing generator interlock kits in Williamsburg, James City County, York County, Newport News, Hampton, VA. Interlock kits are especially popular in Ford’s Colony, Governor’s Land and Kingsmill, Williamsburg VA. A picture of
Installation
Complete Generator Package:
Prices from $1850.00
- A Generac portable 6500 Watts (running)
- Interlock kit installed (see the picture below on the right)
- Generator rated outdoor receptacle installed
- 10ft cord to connect the generator to the receptacle
- Demonstration of how to safely use your new generator
Generator Interlock Kit
(If you already have a generator and want it correctly installed and easy to use) This package costs from $650.00
- Interlock kit installed
- Generator rated outdoor receptacle installed
- 10ft cord to connect the generator to the receptacle
- Demonstration of how to safely use your new generator
Estimates
Please call me on 757-707-0645 for a free consultation and estimate so that I can fully address your needs.
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