Eastbayri.com

When Tropical Storm Irene slammed into Rhode Island and surrounding states, many people searched for a generator to keep household appliances and lights running. But the days immediately preceding or following a storm are not the best time to obtain a generator. Not only are they hard to find when stormy weather is forecast, advance planning is recommended.

During Irene, Ace Hardware in Bristol used a 2,500-watt Makita generator when the lights went out.

“It ran the lights and both registers when we had Hurricane Irene here,” Ace employee Jim St. Onge said.

Ace in Bristol has two generators that can be rented to customers. Hugh Caldwell, who has worked at the Ace hardware in Bristol for four years, said there are several reasons it is a smart idea to consult an electrician. One of them is determining what machine makes the most sense for your needs.

“Tell your electrician what you want to do, and he’ll tell you what wattage you need,” Mr. Caldwell said.

Warren-based electrician David Loren said it’s also a safety issue.

“What’s dangerous: People just plug a cord into the generator and put a receptacle next to the panel and backfeed into the panel,” he said, referring to when electricity flows in the opposite direction than it should. “If the main circuit breaker is not shut off, the power can backfeed into the street. If someone is working on a line, it can electrocute him or the power can come in and it can blow up the panel,” Mr. Loren said.

Instead, Mr. Loren recommends consulting an electrician for either type of generator — a standby, which is permanently wired into a home’s electrical system; or the portable type on wheels.

A transfer switch should be used for a generator. Also called transfer generator panels, they have individual circuit breakers which prevent any generator power from backfeeding into the grid.

Mr. Loren also said it’s important to keep an eye on the fuel level with a portable generator.

“Portables also have limited fuel and if runs out of fuel, the voltage would drop and the frequency also, which is the Hertz. Everything in the United States runs on 60 Hz. If the Hz drops, it can damage freezers, refrigerators and air conditioners, so you really have to maintain fuel and make sure they stay running,” he said.

Standby generators are always ready for a power outage. They’re designed to come on within a certain amount of time after the power goes out, through an automatic transfer switch. Some models also have “exercisers” that cause the machine to operate on certain days to test the system and make sure the generator is running properly.

Safety first

Mr. Loren made several additional recommendations. A generator should be kept outside, not inside the home and not in a garage or shed, he said. With a portable generator, run it once in once in a while to make sure it’s ready, he added. And remember, take the proper precautions.

“The most important thing is to make sure you put a generator panel in. It’s all about safety and we really want to stay safe here,” Mr. Loren said.

Mr. Caldwell from Ace offered another reason to make sure a generator is set up the right way.

“You need an electrician to hook it up because if you do it yourself and something happens to it, your insurance is not going to pay for it,” he said.