If you’re looking into ways to supply emergency power to your home and all the electrical appliances within it during a power outage, there are two primary options available to you: portable generators and automatic standby generators. While the main function of both portable generators and automatic standby generators is to supply emergency power during a grid power outage, that’s pretty much where their similarities end! In this article, we’ll talk about some of the key differences between these two types of generators so you can make an informed decision on which is right for your home! If you are a homeowner in Southeastern Massachusetts that is thinking about installing a standby generator, contact our team at RCA Electric & Generators today to get a free quote!

Power Output

One of the key differences between portable generators and automatic standby generators is the amount of power they can supply to your house and all the appliances you need to run. While portable generators can range in power output from 800 watts to several thousand watts, the average portable generator typically only delivers enough electricity to power a few appliances like a refrigerator, air conditioner, and a television. On the other hand, Generac’s residential automatic standby generators range in size from 6kW to 22kW. The standby generator size that is right for you will be determined by your power needs, ensuring that it will deliver enough electricity to power your whole home, including your lights, all your appliances, your electric heat & A/C, sump pumps, etc.

Convenience & Fuel Type

Another key difference between portable generators and automatic standby generators is how convenient they are and the types of fuel they run on. If you opt for a portable generator, you’ll need to store it in your garage, basement, or shed, retrieve it in the dark whenever your power goes out, then haul it into position. You’ll also likely need to make a trip to the gas station to get enough fuel (gasoline) to power the generator, which can be inconvenient or even dangerous, especially in heavy rain or snow storms. On the other hand, when you install an automatic standby generator for your home, it will kick on within seconds of a grid power outage and immediately begin supplying electricity to your home using your pre-existing liquid propane (LP) or natural gas connection. Simply sign up for annual or semi-annual maintenance for your automatic standby generator, and you should be good-to-go during a power outage!

Runtime

One more key difference between portable generators and automatic standby generators (that we’ll cover in this article) is the amount of time that they can continuously run for during extended power outages. Portable generators have relatively small fuel tanks and are designed to run for just 6 to 18 hours straight, making them less than ideal for long power outages. On the other hand, Generac automatic standby generators are designed to run for approximately 3,000 hours over their lifespan and can run for up to 500 hours at a time. For this reason, automatic standby generators are the ideal choice for houses that could lose power for days or even weeks at a time!

Contact RCA Electric & Generators!

If you have any additional questions about Generac automatic standby generators or would like to get a free estimate on a standby generator sale and installation at your home in Southeastern Massachusetts, please contact RCA Electric & Generators today! Give us a call at (508) 428-0449 or fill out the contact form on our website, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible! For a free quote on a Generac residential automatic standby generator, please click the “Get A Free Estimate” button below and fill out the corresponding form!