As much as we don’t want to admit it, we cannot go about living our lives without being dependent on electricity. We need power to charge our gadgets, to light up our homes, cook, and so on. You never know when there might be a power outage or when you car’s battery might die. Moreover, you might need power in a remote area, where you have no access to any type of electricity – think construction work in the middle of nowhere. This is where portable generators come to offer saving grace.
When the power goes out, a portable generator can keep your home warm or cool, your computer working and your phone charging. Moreover, you can connect construction equipment like air compressors, hand drills, working lights, paint sprayers, electric chain saws and other outdoors or construction equipment that needs power to operate. Portable generators give you the benefit of being mobile, so you can use them for different purposes, both industrial and residential.
You can find cheap portable generators for sale online, which come in different wattage and have different features. Depending on your needs, the prices can vary. You usually get what you pay for, meaning, more features and more wattage capacity equal a higher price tag. The specifications that you should be looking for when buying cheap portable generators for sale are the following.
Power Capacity
As aforementioned, the power of the generators is measured in wattage. How much wattage they provide will determine how many appliances and lights you can run at once and how well they will run. You can use an online wattage calculator which provides the average ratings for most devices and appliances to help you assess your needs. Make a list of the items you’re most likely going to use. For instance: a hand drill requires about 600 watts, an air compressor 1600 watts, circular saw 1200 watts, and so on.
Starting Means
Typically, generators can be started automatically and electrically. The automatically started generators power up as long as conventional power goes off, without your intervention. These generators are best used as back-ups in case of a sudden power outage. Electrically started generators are powered by the push of a button, instead of conventionally pull-starting the engine. You have to factor in a little extra added cost in case the batteries aren’t included in your purchase.
Inverter Technology and Outlets
Higher-end portable generators feature inverter technology, which prevents overheating of your sensitive electronics as well as cleaner power. Additionally, inverter generators run significantly more quietly. If your generator features more outlets, you’ll be able to get more out of the wattage by having the load spread.