Power outages necessitate the need for an emergency electricity supply.
And this is where a portable generator will come in handy.
Just what are the things you need to consider to avail one of the best portable generators available? Continuous rating is the amount of power the generator can provide you with for a period of time.
Basically, this is about the capacity of a unit.
Portable ones can provide continuous electrical supply for hours, depending on the makeup.
Of course heavy-duty ones carry better continuous ratings.
Voltage regulation signifies the unit's ability to regulate the output voltage being generated.
Output voltage should be 120 or 240 volts, more or less.
Without this voltage regulation feature, you can expect the generator to provide varying voltages as the engine speed changes.
Circuit breakers are a safety feature that not all the portable kinds carry.
However, it's much better if what you're eyeing has this feature.
In cases of a short circuit or an overload, they automatically trip.
This way, damage to the connected equipment, or to the unit itself, may be prevented.
An automatic idle control feature helps reduce fuel consumption.
This will cause the generator's engine speed to slow down when all electrical loads have been switched off.
And it allows for automatic return to rated speed when everything is switched back on.
Speaking of fuel consumption, another thing to consider is the fuel tank capacity.
Needless to say, it's the amount of fuel the tank of the unit can hold.
The larger the capacity, the longer the generator runs without the need for refueling.
This comes as an important factor if you can't keep an eye on the tank all the time.
Then there is the cost to consider.
Usually, units coming from popular and trusted brands come with steep price tags.
However, there are units coming from less-popular manufacturers that are not only affordable, but reliable as well.
When choosing the best portable generators, your best bet still is to carefully read the product specifications.