What Size Generator?
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What Size Generator Should I Buy for My House?
The most logical way to determine your generator need is to imagine your home without power. Dark, isn’t it? While some blackouts are short or lasting for only a few hours, there are others that could last for days or weeks. There are many questions that you can ask to determine which generator will work best for you. Start with what you think is essential for your family or what they would miss. If you are looking into a commercial backup generator, however, consider what you need to protect during a power outage. The very best way to understand your options and work within your budget is to schedule with Clinton Electric Company for your free in-home assessment from a licensed professional.
Choosing a Generator that Meets Your Needs
During your site survey and initial consultation, our Baltimore-area generator technicians will provide you a detailed evaluation to find the best solution. Before we leave your house, our Baltimore-based electricians make sure you understand your options, are clear about how a standby home generator can work for you, and email you a proposal with a complete up-front pricing breakdown.
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Call us at (410) 449-7292 or contact us online today for more information on choosing a generator. We offer free, no-obligation estimates!
Determining the Perfect Size of Generator for Your Home or Commercial Space
In the event of an outage, what do you want your generator to power? There are many sizes of generators available. A generator’s size is measured in kilowatts (kW). This number describes the maximum electrical output and determines how many appliances or circuits it can support.
Different devices require different levels of power:
- A refrigerator could need up to 1500 watts (1.5 kW) at startup
- Central air is 5 kW
- Your coffee maker is 1.8 kW
Auditing your needs requires us to add up all your load requirements and match you with a generator that can handle all these.
Main Approaches to Protecting Your Property
There are three main approaches to protecting your property from power outages including the essential circuits, the managed whole-house coverage, and the whole-house generator with no load management. These three approaches vary depending on the specific needs of your property during a power outage.
Essential Circuits (7-12 kW)
A 16 circuit automatic transfer switch is paired with a generator scaled to meet your needs. It ensures that you can continue using some of the most important appliances in your home with each circuit directly connected to a matched circuit on your main circuit breaker panel. This approach can keep the more important appliances such as your refrigerator and furnace running. When you prioritize specific circuits you protect the essentials even if your whole neighborhood is in the dark.
Different devices require different levels of power:
For more coverage or up to whole-house coverage, you may pair a smaller generator unit with Evolution load shedding switch options. This load-shedding switch creates a managed power solution by turning off the non-essential circuits as the generator approaches maximum output. It may also cycle on and off depending on the amount of load you are using on your property.
Whole-House Generator with No Load Management (20-48 kW)
If you wish to get your home or commercial space up and running without having to choose which circuit or appliances to prioritize, this whole-house generator can provide you with the power backup supply that you need. This is usually a liquid cooled generator that produces enough power to cover the demand of your whole house.
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Spectacular Service
The people over at Clinton Electric really do a wonderful job of keeping their customers happy. I had them come by to set something up for me and the guy they sent, Chris I believe his name was, was just an absolute gem. He did a great job with installing what I needed done, and when I had an issue a couple weeks later he was right back out to my home to fix it. These guys are just spectacular and Chris just does such a wonderful job, I would definitely recommend these guys to anyone and everyone!
Amazing to Work With
Clinton Electric Co. were amazing to work with. I used their services twice because I had to have lights and extensions installed in my home. They were very good when I called; extremely prompt, their scheduling was prompt. The first time I had issues and they couldn't find the problem, but the service person who came went above and beyond and didn't stop his work until he found it, even though I told him it was okay - this was on Christmas Day exactly! I asked for him the second time around because he was so good. All in all excellent service and communication, these guys really care about the work that they do and the quality of their service is top notch. I would recommend them to anyone who needs a reliable electrician.
Really Great Prices
I recently had the folks over at Clinton Electric come over to fix some stuff for me and I am very happy with the results. They were really easy to schedule an appointment with which was a big relief for me. I really appreciated that they called prior to coming to give me a heads up of when they were coming and it was within the time slot I was assigned so that was good. When they came they did a really great job and now my electrical problems are no more! Their prices are really great and I would definitely recommend them to anyone who is in need of a high quality electrician!
License Number: MD LIC #10203
Main Location
Timonium, MD 21093
Generator Showroom
Lutherville-Timonium, MD 21093