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
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