Restoring Multiple Circuits

Let’s put things into prospective. Most older or smaller homes have 100-amp service.

In other words, the maximum amount of electricity coming from the utility into the house is 100 amps.

In reality, most homes never draw all 100 amps of power. They often fluctuate somewhere above 50 amps, depending on how many appliances are running.

Large emergency generators produce 30-amps worth of electricity. So, in theory, they can power up to 10 circuits in your main electrical panel.

The biggest challenge for these machines are central air conditioners. They simply lack enough surge wattage to start a 4- or 5-ton central air conditioner.

If you really need air conditioning, we suggest either (a) buying an X-Large Gas Generator or (b) buying a cheap window air conditioner to run only during power outages.

How to Connect a Portable Generator to Your Home

The Automatic Alternative If you have access to reliable natural gas or propane, sometimes a large emergency portable generator isn't the best option. With a portable generator, you must manually set it up and refuel it with gasoline every time the power goes out. In addition, you'll need a 10-circuit manual transfer switch installed by an electrician. As a better alternative, consider the new Generac CorePower automatic standby generator system. It's installed outside your home like an air conditioner and automatically starts when power goes out. Since it produces the same wattage of a large portable generator, it can automatically energize 8 mission-critical circuits - minus a central air conditioner. Best of all, the Generac CorePower costs about the same as a large portable generator and power transfer system combined. Both require electrical installation. The CorePower will require a plumber to connect the fuel supply. However, the one-time plumbing cost is a better alternative to multiple trips to the gas station during a blackout. Generac CorePower Home Standby Generator