Different types of portable and standby generators available for your home or business
Generators are one of the best ways to ensure that your home, business or job site is properly powered. You never know when an emergency will hit, it might be a storm, it might be an accident causing power on your street, who knows. It’s always better to be prepared then to be surprised. There are two types of basic generators that are popular on the market: a standby generator and a portable generator. At Norcal Electric & Pump Work – Chico’s number one resources for generators, we wanted to give you a basic breakdown of the different types of generators available and what each one of them can provide for you.
- Standby generators: A standard generator, commonly referred to as a permanent generator, is more commonly installed at your home or business. A standard generator is typically wired directly into your electrical system and power unit so when your power shuts off, a standby generator will automatically kick on automatically provide power when the power goes out. The beautiful aspect of this is that when power is restored to your home, standby generators will also shutoff too. This saves you time and money and provides you with a peace of mind. Depending on the make and model of your generator (and of course – the size) you can power your entire house or commercial building – ensuring a smooth running business and a home that’s safe and comfortable.
- Portable generators – portable generators are just like they sound, they’re portable. What makes them so great is that they serve a variety of purposes – they’re flexible and serve multiple purposes. Unlike a standby generator, portable generators do not usually require a professional install or a permit. They are really great for anyone with a recreational vehicle, or an avid camper for example. If you’re in an industry that goes from jobsite to jobsite say carpet cleaning or construction, they give you the ability to utilize power in locations that might require power but utility power might not be available. Most portable generators are fueled by gas (versus liquid propane or natural gas) and include 120 volt power outlets allowing you to plug tools directly into your generator. There are a few different types of portable generators that we’ve broken down for you here:
- Portable residential generators – for those who want emergency backup power but can’t commit to a standby generator this is a perfect alternative. If you have a big property this is a great option because you can utilize it in case of an emergency for your home or use it around your property with electrical tools or other needs.
- Portable construction and industrial generators – as we mentioned earlier – portable generators are an asset for those who need power when power isn’t available. With special portable construction and industrial generators there are 180Hz power for high-cycle power tools, making them an asset for those out –of-town jobs.
- Mobile towable generators – these generators are ran on gas, are easy to use and come equipped so switchable voltage models are able to be used with several different voltage applications. Pretty sweet huh.
These are just a few of the different type of generators available, remember there are also PTO generators (perfect for a farmer, meant for use on a tractor), vehicle mounted generators and welder generators but the standard generator used for your home or business is going to be a standby generator or a portable generator. Do you need help finding the right generator for you? Let us know! Norcal Electric & Pump Work would be happy to help you.
Norcal Electric & Pump Work is Chico, Paradise, Oroville/Yankee Hill and Northern California’s one-stop-shop for all your Electrical and custom construction project needs. From Generator sales and repairs to HVAC sales and repairs – we’re here for you every step of the way. We pride ourselves on going above and beyond to provide our customers with practical solutions for their Electrical needs. Please give us a call today at one of the following numbers and we’d be more than happy to take care of whatever you need from generators, heating and air, electrical and lighting, and more!
- Chico: (530) 345-5003
- Paradise: (530) 872-3922
- Oroville/Yankee Hill (530) 538-9350
