The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Generator sets: how much do you have to invest to protect your home against power outages?

2023-03-07T09:49:15.474Z


Gas generators allow you to continue using the refrigerator, lights, air conditioners, and other key devices. Options, prices and tips to choose from.


It is already a classic.

Power outages return each summer just in time with

heat waves

, lasting several days.

Faced with this reality, and fed up with the

disruptions

and losses it generates, many decide to invest in a 

generator set

.

These electricity generators

are not cheap

to purchase.

They are also not economical to use, since they consume gasoline.

But in exchange, they will allow you to continue leading

an almost normal life

 in the midst of a long blackout.

For a

trade

, this is equivalent to not closing or losing merchandise.

And for a

home

, ensure the operation of critical devices: from light bulbs, the refrigerator, the freezer and an air conditioner, to being able to charge the cell phone battery.

Generator sets, in

compact and portable

formats , are now available in specialized businesses and even in hypermarkets and electrical appliance stores.

But how do you know

which one to buy

and

how much money

is needed?

There are alternatives for different pockets and needs, and it is key to get good advice before buying.

Photo: Juan Manuel Foglia/File.

Generator sets: the greater the capacity, the more expense


Anyone looking for a home generator will find a very wide range of

options and prices

.

There are basic teams of

$100,000

, but also others that exceed 

$300,000

or $400,000.

The most important difference is in

capacity

: that is,

how many and which appliances

can be turned on at the same time while the power is off.

The cheapest models only allow the use of a few devices (for example, the refrigerator, lights, a fan and little else);

while the

most expensive

support almost all, including one or more 

air conditioners

.

Then, the price of a generator could also be higher if it is from a

top brand

, if it has

an electric start

instead of a manual one, if it is

less noisy

or if it provides greater

autonomy

, meaning the maximum hours that it can work with a charge full of fuel

How to calculate which generator set I need

To find out which generator set would need to be purchased, manufacturers advise

adding the

maximum power (in

watts

) of all the devices that would be used

simultaneously

during a power outage.

The list must be

exhaustive

, taking into account from each of the

light bulbs

(which can be, for example, 11 watts) to the refrigerator (which can reach 500 W), a television (90 W), an air conditioner (3,400 W) And everything else.

Once the result of that account is obtained (for example 1,800, 4,000 or 7,500 W, a generator with a capacity at least 15% or 20% higher

should be chosen,

to have a

safety margin

.

It is also recommended that a

specialist

perform all these calculations and

connect the device

to the home network.

Generators avoid a good part of the problems of running out of light.

Photo: Jose Gutierrez/Los Andes.

How much does a portable electric generator cost now: options and prices

Models for private homes usually offer between

2,000

and

8,000 W

, with 

very different prices, features and levels of

fuel consumption .

Below is an overview of the values, surveyed by 

Clarín

this week taking

intermediate marks

, and summarized in three typical options.

Option 1: a basic generator, 2,200 to 2,500 watts

It costs between

$110,000 and $160,000

.

He weighs less than 45 kilos.

It allows you to use, for example, the lighting (four LED lamps), the refrigerator, the computer, the modem, two fans and a Smart TV at the same time.

An air already exceeds it

.

Filling your

12-liter

tank with YPF gasoline today costs 

$1,957 

in Capital and that can yield more than 

10 hours

of use.

Option 2: an intermediate generator of 5,500 watts

It costs between

$250,000 and $340,000

.

He weighs more than 75 kilos.

It could be connected,

in addition

to the above, a

bedroom

air conditioner .

Filling its 25-liter

tank

costs

$4,077

 at YPF Buenos Aires and that yields about 

12 hours

of use.

Option 3: a complete generator, 7,000 or 7,500 watts

It costs between

$340,000

and

$400,000

.

It weighs around 90 kilos and can support, in addition to the basic consumption mentioned above, a

medium air conditioning

of just over 3,000 watts.

Filling its

25-liter

tank costs

$4,077

at YPF Capital and that can yield up to 

10 hours

of use.

Noise, an aspect to consult

For even

more powerful

generator sets , or those that come with

inverter

technology (which consume less fuel), you have to be willing to pay much higher amounts.


One fact to take into account is that the cheapest equipment is, in general,

quite noisy

.

And that could be inconvenient if the plan is for them to be installed very close to a neighbor's house.

As a reference, when working they can emit

65 to 80 decibels

: a noise level similar to that reached on a

busy avenue

or in a very loud discussion.

MDG

look too

Edesur and power outages: how to fill out the form to request financial compensation

Power outages: how to claim by WhatsApp to Edesur and Edenor

Liquidate air conditioners: what is achieved with discounts of up to 40% and 24 installments

Goodbye air conditioning: this low cost option cools your house for a tenth of the energy

Air conditioners: 10 practical tips to use less energy and cool better

Reusable bottles: the 6 common mistakes that make you drink contaminated water

Source: clarin

All news articles on 2023-03-07

You may like

Trends 24h

News/Politics 2024-03-27T16:45:54.081Z
News/Politics 2024-03-28T06:04:53.137Z

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.