Choosing the Best of the Honda Generators for your Needs

Choosing the best of the Honda generators for your needs starts with answering a few questions about your potential energy requirements during an extended power outage. These answers can help define the amount of electrical output you’ll need to power the essential appliances and devices in your home as well as the best type of generator to buy.

Start by answering these questions:

• What is your budget? This answer will narrow your search immediately, especially if you have limited funds.
• If funds are limited, develop a bare bones plan for life supporting appliances, such as heating in the winter and air conditioning in the summer.
• What are the essential appliances, lights, medical devices, etc. that would need to be powered during an outage. Life support devices should obviously occupy the top of this list.
• What appliances will have to run simultaneously? Lights, electrical heating (or air conditioning during a heat wave), and refrigeration would be likely candidates. Some of these appliances will require one circuit while the larger one might require two. The number of the total circuits that must be used at the same time will be an important factor in determining the right generator.
• Do you have a home-based business that would need to operate during an outage? List the equipment and the wattage required to power the business.  
• Take an accounting of the wattage used in total for all appliances that will be powered by the generator as well as those that will likely be on for the duration of a power outage. This will define the size of the generator and the minimum amount of output necessary to power the appliances you’ll need during a blackout.
• Local fuel sources – Be sure that the generator you choose uses a fuel that is readily available in your area. Honda generators are gas powered so this point is usually not an issue. Additionally, if there is a natural gas line to the house it can also be used to supply fuel to a standby generator.

Once this list of answers is compiled, talk to a professional who can provide guidance on getting the best generator for your needs. To speak to a professional for more information on Honda generators, visit: http://www.harborpowerhouse.com/

Business Risk Management with Standby Generators

Risk management for businesses is often perceived as the analysis of business risks such as new competition, rising commodity prices, vendor issues, etc. With current trends in place in terms of weather, the fragility of the power grid, and rising demand for power, risk management should also include planning for the eventuality of an extended power outage. In fact, power outages lasting for days into weeks have become increasingly frequent over the last several years.

 This increase was documented in a report released by Eaton, a globally diversified power management company headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. In the report, Eaton said the year 2010 saw 3,419 separate power outages which affected 17.5 million people in every state of the country. The number of power outages was up almost 17% from the previous year. The report also stated that the average blackout had a duration of 4 hours. For examples of extended blackouts, one only needs to look at the outages that plagued the eastern half of the country last summer and the blackouts that occurred during the East Coast snowstorms last fall both of which affected millions of people.

 For businesses, these extended outages carry substantial risks in terms of the loss of daily operations, revenue losses, and the potential for the loss of digital data. These losses can be mitigated, however, through the implementation of standby generators purposed for the provision of backup power during either a long or short power failure.

Standby generators offer businesses the following benefits:
• Automatic power delivery when primary power goes down.
• Options ranging from powering only essential equipment to the entire office. • Extended power generation without the need for refueling if the standby generator(s) can be connected to a natural gas line.

 Additionally, for offices with extensive computer networks, an uninterruptible power source battery can start delivering backup power almost instantly once the interruption of electricity is detected. The uninterruptible power source battery then shuts down once the standby generator comes on line, which usually takes less than 20 seconds. This instantaneous transfer prevents critical data from being lost and allows for either a normal shutdown process or continued use of the network.

 With power outages becoming more common, planning for their eventuality should be part of your risk management protocol. For more information on protecting your business, visit: http://www.harborpowerhouse.com/

Bad Weather, an Aging Grid, and Honda Generators

As recently as last summer, severe storms followed by an intense heat wave left millions of people without power, with some outages lasting for a week or longer. As it has happened before, extended power outages can literally change daily routines and, in certain circumstances, become life threatening. Taken for granted when the delivery of power is constant and undisturbed, its sudden absence makes people realize how much we as a society depend on the 24/7/365 availability of electricity.

 The major factors in these extended outages are:
• The U.S. power grid operates on equipment and technology that is almost half a century old.
• Severe storms bringing higher wind speeds, snow loads, and precipitation are occurring on a more frequent basis.
• Higher demand levels for power as society digitizes everything from homework starting in elementary school to the offering and sales of real estate.
• The process of bringing the grid up to present day standards has been bogged down for over a decade as utilities and state and federal government agencies bicker over the finer points of paying for the necessary upgrades and other issues.

While all of these factors look like they will continue and potentially intensify, the issue for homeowners and businesses alike is how to cope with power outages that can range from inconvenient to costly and/or life threatening, especially with winter approaching. In this environment, an increasing number of home and business owners are finding backup power solutions with the extensive line of Honda generators. Ranging from their versatile portable generators to their durable and reliable standby models, Honda generators offer so many options and output levels that they can provide a solution for almost any purpose.

 For minimal power needs, Honda’s portable generators deliver enough backup power to run a major appliance, smaller appliances, and provide limited lighting. Honda’s larger standby generators have the output capacity to run multiple major appliances and, at the top end of output capacity, can power an entire home. Making the choice between these two categories and the specific generator that delivers the best solution comes down to determining output needs as well as some other considerations.

 For more information on finding the right solution in Honda generators for your home or business needs, visit: http://www.harborpowerhouse.com/

Preparing for Severe Weather

Beyond buying one of the long line of Honda generators to cover your essential power needs in the event of severe weather and/or a power outage, you’ll want to take several additional steps to ensure the safety and well being of everyone in your household. These preparations should be customized around the specific Honda generator you have chosen as your backup power solution. For example, an emergency checklist that being built around one of the many Honda Portable Generators will be more extensive than one being prepared around a standby generator due to the difference in output capabilities.

 The list of emergency steps and necessities includes:

 • Bottled water – The rule of thumb for storing water for emergency purposes is one gallon per day for each person in the house. Be sure to have a several day supply of water as well as canned food, beef jerky and other items that can be stored for extended periods.
• Medical supplies including essential prescriptions – Keep a first aid kit that contains several days of any essential prescriptions. Be sure to rotate these prescriptions to keep them from expiring. • Flashlights and batteries – These will be necessary to navigate dark areas of the home and outdoors, especially if you’re using a generator that isn’t powering the entire house.
• Foul weather gear – Having foul weather clothing and gear will allow you to get around outside to assess damage, communicate with neighbors, and perform other necessary tasks.
• Additional fuel for the generator - Unless your generator is tapped into a natural gas line that supplies the house, you’ll want to have extra fuel in the event of an extended outage.
• Extra chargers for cell phones – Depending on the situation, a cell phone may be the only communication device available. Having an extra charger that can be used in the home as well as one that that can draw power from a car battery can help to ensure that your cell phone has power.

 Having backup power supplied by Honda Generators is the first line of defense against severe weather and power outages. Developing an emergency supply inventory can add extra layers of protection for you and your family. For more information on Honda generators, visit: http://www.harborpowerhouse.com/ generator

A Comparison of Generac Portable and Stand-By Generators

Unfortunately, power outages are becoming more commonplace and longer in duration with effects ranging from minor inconvenience to major life events. This has put a new focus on Generac power generators due to their ability to replace normal power in the home to keep essential appliances and other electrical equipment going.

Among the different types of home generators, portable generators are considered to be the most common. This is due to their economics in terms of expense and their multiple uses including camping, RV trips, and providing power for outdoor events. The freedom provided by Generac generators allows for a wide variety of activities that combine both independence and convenience. The versatility also means that a Generac generator can be used year-round for purposes beyond powering a home in the event of an outage.

Generac generators come with a 120-volt outlet, much like those found in the typical household. This convenient feature makes it much simpler to connect appliances and other equipment into a transfer switch which then allows the direct use of electrical outlet in the home.

Compared to stand-by home generators, portable have advantages and disadvantages. Some of the previously mentioned advantages of portable generators are their versatility, economical nature and light weight. Standby generators have the advantage of being able to power an entire home with constant power due the ability to connect them with gas lines outside the home. This can be a huge benefit if an outage is long lasting. These systems can also be configured with an automatic switch to turn on the generator once an outage is detected.

Portable generators, on the other hand, may need to be moved in to place to generate power and require refueling during long outages. They can then be started manually or automatically depending on the configuration. Manual starting can be done either with an electric push button or with a pull cord similar to that of a lawn mower. Portables can be equipped with a transfer or auto-start switch which must be wired directly to the home’s existing electric system. This feature starts up the Generac generator within a few seconds of normal power going out.

The decision between a portable generator and a stand-by really depends on a long list of the needs of the person and intended uses of the generator. Generac dealers have the knowledge and experience to help you find the right generator whether it’s a portable or a stand-by.

To see which type of generator will work best for you, visit Generators For Sale or call (877) 837 2648.

Selecting the Right Honda Generator for Your Needs

Selecting the right Honda generator for you needs starts with the determination of what types of appliances and/or equipment will need to be powered in situations where grid provided electricity is not available. These needs can range from recreational uses to the necessity of delivering electricity during extended power outages caused by extreme weather.

For recreational uses, portable Honda generators can provide plenty of power whether being used for outdoor events, camping, or for recreational vehicles. For these situations, Honda’s EU2000iA can deliver enough electricity for large power tools, microwaves, and kitchen appliances.

At the top end of power needs, “whole house” generators can power everything from medical equipment to home theater and everything in between. Powering an entire house may not be necessary, however, and the wide variety of Honda generators means that you get customize a solution to power exactly what you need to in the case of an outage or a blackout.

By defining the appliances and the circuits they are connected to, a minimum power requirement can be determined which can then assist in the selection of the right sized Honda generator. This list can start with anything from toasters to higher usage equipment but must include the following as these appliances typically use the greatest amount of power and will play the largest role in determining the generator that can provide the solution you will require.

These appliances include:

* Electric heaters
* Electric water heaters
* Air conditioners
* Refrigerators and freezers
* Medical equipment
* Electric dryers
* Well pumps
* Electric stoves

The power required by these appliances can then be totaled to see the type and size of generator that would be required. Also to be considered is whether there is a necessity for powering sensitive electronic equipment such as computers, printers, scanners, etc. If this type of equipment is going to be powered, selecting a Honda generator with inverter technology is advised due to level load of electricity which is delivered. Inverter technology uses microprocessors to deliver power to the exact level of demand which can greatly improve performance and drastically reduce the risk of computer crashes. Honda Inverter technology is a relatively new development in generators which has added a new level of performance for those that require precisely measured power delivery.

La Niña and Honda Snowblowers

The U.S. Climate Prediction Center is forecasting a cold winter with heavy snowfall this year as a weather pattern, known as La Niña, directs winter storms across the northern U.S. This same weather pattern brought snowfall in amounts that rivaled the record books in the winter of 2007/2008.
Regardless of snowfall levels, Honda snowblowers stand ready to provide snow clearing solutions in both residential and commercial situations with their wide variety of snowblowers. With ten different snowblower models available, Honda snowblowers can be customized further with a full range of options to perform at the highest level possible for any combination of factors.

Forecasts for the coming season couldn’t be more different than last year’s winter, which saw relatively light snowfall in many parts of the country. Snowfall was so light in the Northwest that many of the Olympic skiing and snowboarding events had to be delayed for adequate snow coverage to arrive. This year, the U.S. Climate Prediction Center is predicting that the winter months of December, January, and February will experience below average temperatures combined with heavier precipitation levels. The reason behind these predictions is the entrenchment of the La Niña weather pattern which cools the tropical waters in the Pacific. The cooling of tropical waters enables an area of high pressure to build into the North Pacific which then directs winter storms southward toward the northern U.S.

Should these predictions for severe winter weather prove correct, the need for Honda snowblowers will be higher than normal. Harbor Power House carries the full line of Honda snowblowers with customization options available to suit any requirements for both residential and commercial uses.