How To Determine The Number Of Standby Generators You Need
As an emergency prepper or "doomsday" prepper, you want to be sure you have enough standby generators in case there is a massive power outage. Anyone who wants to be prepared for an emergency is just thinking ahead, and given the problems that New Orleans had with hurricanes not too long ago, it makes sense. (They could have done well with a few hundred extra standby generators then, to be sure.) However, how many generators do you really need? How many is too many? Here is how to determine this important number.
Square Footage of Your Home
Most generators can provide enough electricity to power a one thousand– to two thousand-square foot home. If your home is bigger than that, you may need at least two generators. Then you need a backup generator in case the other generator(s) fail. Two to four generators generally are enough, depending on the size of your home and your electricity demands.
Types of Generators You Want to Use
There are several types of generators to power your home in an emergency or major power outage.
- Hand-crank generators, which rely on you to crank them up like a music box and repeat it once they start to wear down
- Gas-powered generators, which operate on gasoline and will require large quantities of fuel to keep going.
- Solar generators, which never run out of "fuel" because they are powered by the sun. Additionally, they do not require any other fuel source to operate.
- Electric generators, which need to be hardwired into your fuse box to work. This means that you would have to have the generators wired in by an electrician prior to any major electricity issue or shortage. The plus to this is that they will auto-kick in when your power is cut or goes out.
Your choice in generator has to be a very smart and calculated one. You cannot use an electric generator that plugs into an outlet and draws on electricity to operate when the power is out, regardless of the complete circuit it creates to make more power. Ergo, you should select one of the above options, have at least two or three generators stored for an emergency, and know exactly how to use each type.
Too Many Generators
If you buy and store a dozen or more generators, you are just hoarding them or you plan to capitalize on others' desperation. At least, that is how it may look during an emergency. If you buy more than a dozen generators, the government may begin to take notice, since that many generators are rarely purchased by an individual and are often used by cult compounds. Buy only what you absolutely need, and maybe a couple extra, just to be sure.