Most of us cannot imagine what we would term "modern life" without electricity. We have become attached and dependent upon the devices it powers ... some good -- electric lights and refrigeration -- and some that seem utterly useless when power is limited -- like the Playstation, TiVo, etc.
Read down for our recommendations...

Storm 4500ESP Portable Generator
Also available at generatorranking dot com

A generator can provide power to a remote constructions site to run AC-powered toos like air compressors, saws, drills, etc., can keep your refrigerator and freezer running during a summertime blackout, provide portable power to farm applications or allow you to bring conveniences you never thought possible to an RV or campsite.

For those people living more rurally, those with families or those with family members with special needs, a generator is a necessary life-line in an outage situation.
The uses for generators, whether standby, portable or small camping or tool generators, are almost endless. It's important to understand not only the differences between them, but also how to determine how much electricity you need so that you can select the properly sized generator.

Types of Generators

Generators produce electricity by using a fuel source of some kind. Most typically, this is gasoline or diesel fuel, but some have multi-fuel capabilities and can run on any of these fuels as well as propane and natural gas.

Standby generators, whether residential or commercial, can restore power to your home, business, farm building, etc. in a very short amount of time. They are installed outside and wired directly into the main electric panel with an automatic transfer switch (required). In an outage, the generator will automatically start and remain running until the power comes back on. Sizes of these standby generators will vary, with models capable of powering high-demand commercial applications, whole-house systems which can produce enough electricity to run air conditioners, or models large enough to power selected essential circuits such as the furnace, lighting, refrigeration and the like.

Portable generators are the most fuel and cost efficient way to supply emergency power to your house or work site. The properly sized generator for your needs, determined by calculating the wattage needed (including surge wattage, see the Determine Your Generator Needs section below), can provide enough electricity via extension  or gen-cords, to provide power to whatever you deem necessary on a short-term basis.

Portable generators and even smaller camping generators can often supply enough power to run a tool at a construction site, but remember to look for a generator with a spark arrestor to prevent potential fires.

It is also possible to install a transfer switch between your portable generator and your main circuit panel as well, then once the generator is started and running, you can power specific circuits from the panel.

Twister 1250 by Platinum Tool

Camping, RV generators provide quiet and portable sources of power for RVs, remote campsites, campers, trailers or constructions sites without electrical services. They are compact, very efficient on fuel and lightweight.

IMPORTANT: before taking any small portable generator with you on a camping trip, be sure to check the local or campsite regulations concerning noise levels to ensure that you will be in compliance with any noise restrictions (see next section, but typically, selecting a generator between 60-70dBA is safest).

Generator Noise

Generator noise levels are measured in dBA units; decibels with an A-Weighting filter. A-Weighting is typically used to determine the perceived loudness of a device, process or event (parties, car backfires, concerts, etc.) and is supposed to filter out the ultra-high or ultra-low spectrum of human hearing. Suffice it to say that if you have a generator with a dBA rating of over 80, you have a noisy generator.

As a rule of thumb, the noise level drops 6 db every time the distance from the source is doubled (a reduction of 6 db is "recognizable"). The chart shown below illustrates some typical noises and how they rate on a dBA scale.

As you would imagine, it usually works like this: big ole generator, big ole noise. Be especially careful to choose a generator that both meets your needs in terms of wattage, power and portability, but that also won't drive you, your family or your neighbors, crazy. Of course if all of your neighbors are in your living room because yours is the only house with power in the neighborhood, the conversation might just drown out the engine anyway ...

Important Generator Features

Engines

Overhead valve engines are both common and desirable in generator engines because they are generally quieter, cleaner and more dependable over  the long haul than pushrod engines (pushrod engines have valves on the side).

The makers of generators almost always use well-known name brand engines to power their models such as Honda, Briggs & Stratton, Yamaha, etc. These brands are easier to find parts for an inspire confidence in users as well.

Look for engines that offer safety features such as low oil shutdown and circuit breaker protection, and look for brushless alternators (easier to maintain) as well as cast iron sleeve cylinder liners. These features can help extend the life of your generator and will improve performance in the long run.

Hour meter on the Storm 4500

An hour meter can help you gauge how long the engine has been running which can help you schedule maintenance and estimate fuel usage.

Starting Mechanisms

Emergency generators usually come equipped with either a recoil or electric start and a very few may come with both (the Storm 4500ESP by Platinum Tool comes equipped with both ... see generator ranking dot com for more info) ... the recoil starter in that case, becomes the "backup" starter if the electric starter doesn't have enough juice to operate.

Electric starts are most convenient, of course, but you do have to keep the battery charged to take advantage of it; starting the generator periodically is usually enough to accomplish that.

Standby generators can be wired directly into your house's system, so that when an outage occurs, the generator starts automatically. Once the power is restored the generator will shut itself off automatically as well.

Portability

If you are not interested in purchasing a standby generator but still want the power of a mid-range model, you might want to consider the portability of your unit. Some, but not all generators are offered wiht a portability or "wheel kit": generally a set of wheels to mount on one end, two "legs" or a peg stand and a set of handles for the other. Once installed, the unit can be picked up and moved like a wheelbarrow.

Most camping generators are small enough to pick up and move iwth very little effort; the biggest consideration then, in terms of portability, will be the amount of power in relation to size, that you can find to fit your needs.

Determine Your Generator Needs

If you are a small business owner, hospital administrator, public services administrator or live remotely, you already know the value of having reliable emergency backup power. If you can afford to purchase a standby generator that will automatically start when there is an interruption  in your power, you can save thousands in lost revenue, product and give yourself a much needed sense of security.

If your needs are better suited to an emergency, or portable generator, please read on...

Determining Your Emergency Generator Needs

Generators are simple, powerful animals ... they use an engine to power a generator head that produces electricity for your emergency or remote needs. This electricity is measurable by voltage and watts; voltage is analogous to the width or possible pressure of a water stream and wattage i sthe amount of water flowing at any given time.
You should know what your voltage needs are as well as your wattage needs and then choose a generator that will supply about 15-20% MORE than what you'll require to avoid overloads, ensure long life for your generator and provide you with all the power you need until you're back online.

When you're determining your wattage needs, first it's important to know that running wattage and surge wattage are two different things.

Running (sometimes also called "rated wattage"), or continuous wattage is the wattage drawn as any device runs normally.
Surge wattage, or peak wattage is the wattage drawn to start a device, an depending on the device, this can be as much as 2 or 3 times the running wattage number.
Your generator should be rated high enough to run all the devices you need to run and accommodate the surge wattage needed to start up the device withe the heaviest peak draw needs.
Since you probably won't be starting up multiple devices at once when you're using your generator, choose your heaviest surge need and add it to the total of your running load to determine the size generator you require.

Wattage Calculation

If your devices happen to list their needed power draws in amps, rather than watts, you can convert easily using the following formula:

Watts=Amps x Volts

Bear in mind that typical household plugs are powered by 110V or 120V.

To help you calculate your running wattage needs, please refer to the list below, which contains some common wattage needs.

Appliance/Tool                     Wattage

Electric Blanket                             80
Ceiling Fan                                   130
Dehumidifier                                 800
Refrigerator                                  725
Sump Pump                                  600
CPU and Monitor                         125 
Well pump (deep)                          750

Our Recommendations

For the most bang for your buck in terms of dependability, running time and power, we recommend the Storm 4500ESP (comes with a wheel kit, recoil and electric starts and an hour meter...) and the Twister 1250, also by Platinum Tool. These generators are ultr-dependable and you cannot find better service ANYWHERE.

Storm 4500ESP

Gen-cords and Extension Cords

Emergency generators are usually positioned outside of your house and then gen-cords or extension cords are run inside to power appliances, lights, ventilation, etc. Gen-cords, or generator cords, are all weather cords that plug into the 20 or 30 amp outlet on your generator and can then be fed into where you need power. A gen-cord's line is split at one end into four 120V outlets, so you can either plug appliances into the generator cord directly, or use additional extension cords from the splits.

Whenever you're using gen-cords or extension cords it is of paramount importance that you make sure that you are using a cord that is properly rated for your application. If you have a four-pronged outlet (30 amp) you'll want a matching 4-prong gen-cord, and if you have a 20 amp 3-pronged outlet, choose a 3-pronged 20 amp cord.

Do not use extension cords that are not rated W-A or W ofr all weather to run from your generator to the indoors, for instance. Extension cords should be able to carry the power that an appliance or tool is drawing an if they cannot,you run the risk of causing a fire.

Extension cords in the U.S. are rated using the American Wire Gauge (AWG) System, and the larger the wire, the smaller the AWG number, so a 12 gauge cord can accomodate higher wattage draws than a 14 gauge, for instance. Also bear in mind that the current carrying capacity of a cord will decrease the further away the source is from the appliance or draw; if you are  going to be using more than one appliance on one extension cord, you will need ot add the wattages of your items together to correctly determine whether you are usingthe proper sized cord.

Never back feed electricity directly into your house: this happens whne electricity is fed back into a power line an then through a transformer ... this can potentially injure or kill power workers who may be working to restore your power.

Safety Considerations

Air-Cooled Generators

If you own or are considering the purchase of an air-cooled generator, you must be sure to locate the generator in a well-well-ventilated area because a build-up of carbon monoxide can cause serious injury or death. Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless, so generators should not be used in an enclosed area of an RV, a garage or shed, etc.

To prevent electric shock, you shouldn't operate air-cooled generators in open, wet conditions, around running or standing water, or allow snow to fall directly on the generator. In most cases, you should try to locate your air-cooled generator beneath an overhand, awning, or other open-sided structure iwth a roof.

As with any tool or piece of power equipment, use common sense when operating; don't operate when drunk or under the influence of drugs, try to minimize any traffic involving small pets or children around the generator, never refuel while the generator is running, etc.

Perhaps most importantly, know the limits of your generator: don't overload or use improper cords that are not suited to your needs .

Liquid-Cooled Generators

Standby liquid-cooled generators should shut off if the load is too great, if they lose oil pressure or are being overworked an doverheated. They are generally more expensive in terms of purchanses and upkeep, but tend to be a bit more reliable when it comes to cooling, and quieter as well.