Generator Cost – With power outages becoming more prevalent, households and industries have began to purchase generators. Generators provide people with instant light during a power outage caused by stormy weather or some other issue.
Equipping your place of employment with a generator ensures that a power outage will not stop or delay work. Therefore, purchasing a generator has become a priority for certain industries that cannot, under any circumstances, afford to have their work stopped midway. One example of an industry like that would be the medical sector.
List of Industries that Heavily Rely on Use of Generator
For industries, time is money, and if they lose a few hours during the workday due to some reason, it will cost them. If power outages have become a consistent interruption, industries should purchase a generator. Some of the industries that have already gotten on board include:
- Industrial Sites – Contractors spend most of their time working on remote jobsites where there is no access to basic power sources. They require the use of a generator to power up their tools, lighting systems, and air compressors. Such industries include landscaping, mining, and agricultural.
- Business Buildings – Generators enhance productivity by providing people with a light source during a power outage. Grocery stores have also found a use for them, as they use it to keep the frozen food and other products from spoiling.
- Recreational Events – To keep the party going and the music playing, hosts of events rent or purchase a generator.
Generators allow organizations, hospitals, and construction sites to go about their daily routine, without worrying about the possibility of a power outage. Even if power outages do not occur in their area, it is still advised to have a generator in case the light goes out due to inclement weather, natural disaster, or disrupted service.
The Types of Generators
When deciding upon the type of generator a buyer should purchase, they need to look at the three main types of generators, which are:
Standby Generators
Standby generators, or backup generators as they are commonly known, are installed in units located outside of a building. They are used for both commercial and residential purposes, but more for commercial purposes. A professional associated with the generator manufacturer or the dealer is responsible for installing the standby generators.
In order to install them correctly, a professional technician will connect the power utility of the building to the generator. The three types of generators in this category, which include:
- Electric standby generators use batteries to recharge and are connected to the building panel.
- Motor powered generators are connected to propane tank or LP and to the electric utility.
- Automatic start generators, as the name suggests, turn on automatically. In order to detect a power outage, the generators monitor the incoming voltage. These are the number one choice for emergency service providers, hospitals, warehouses, and grocery stores.
Portable Generators
There are two types of portable generators, motor and electric. Motor powered generators are more popular, as they require diesel, natural gas, LP, propane, and a combination of gas and electric as its main fuel source. As the name suggests, buyers can take the generator to different locations. The construction industry, residential, commercial, and general contractors have found these quite useful. They use portable generators to power up tools, lights, air conditioners, bathrooms, and more.
Inverter Generators
Inverter generators are lightweight and small; they create cleaner power by producing AC power, changing it to DC power, and then inverting it again to AC power using advanced magnets, and superior electronic circuitry. It is only able to produce 1000 to 4000 watts, which is considerably less than the other types of generators.
They are not ideal for organizations or construction sites, but are perfect for small events and outdoor activities such as fishing, camping, and hiking. Another advantage inverter generators have over the others is that it produces less noise.
Generator Cost
In order to decide which type of generator will work best with the requirements of the industry; buyers will need to look at the wattage required to power up vital industry tools. For a brief overview of the different Generator Cost of each and the appliances each one can power, refer to the chart below:
| Type of Generator | Size | Type of Fuel | Devices | Cost | Costs over Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inverter | 1000W | Gasoline | Light bulbs, small air conditioner, furnace, and toaster | $1,500 | $2,800 |
| Inverter | 3000W | Gasoline | Light bulbs, small air conditioner, furnace, and toaster | $3,000 | $6,000 |
| Inverter | 4000W | Gasoline | Light bulbs, small air conditioner, furnace, and toaster | $3,500 | $6,000 |
| Portable | 7500W | Propane | Electric water heater, larger central air conditioner, and clothes dryer | $8,000 | $12,500 |
| Portable | 8000W | LP | Electric water heater, larger central air conditioner, and clothes dryer | $10,000 | $14,000 |
| Standby | 6000W | Diesel | Washing machine, freezer, stove, air compressor, and toaster | $12,000 | $16,000 |
| Standby | 5000W | Bi-fuel | Washing machine, freezer, stove, air compressor, and small air conditioner | $15,000 | $20,000 |
| Standby | 3000W | Diesel | Small refrigerator, toaster, furnace, and coffee maker | $10,000 | $17,000 |
Key Things to Remember When Making a Purchase
An electric generator maxes out at 5,000 watts, an inverter generator cost can produce 1,000 to 4,000 watts, and for anything higher, buyers will need to opt for a motor powered generator. Buyers will need to measure the amount of watts they require by looking at all the appliances and tools they want to keep on functioning during a power outage.
In addition, keep in mind that although inverter generator cost is expensive, motor powered generators are more costly due to the power they are a capable of producing. If the generator is powered by fuel, it will cost buyers more.
Buyers looking to purchase a generator for their household or place of employment should look at the watts each type of generator produces, its fuel intake, the appliances it can power, and the overall Generator Cost. The cost of installing a generator will increase the price of your purchase, so take the installation fee of the technician into consideration as well when calculating how much money you would need to spend.
