The best generator for home backup power.

In an era where power disruptions are both unpredictable and increasingly common, finding the optimal backup solution for your home becomes paramount. This guide will help you find the best generator for home backup power. We will navigate through the most common generator options and we will delve only into the essential features as it pertains to emergency preparedness.

Overview

Finding the best generator for backup power in your home will depend on a couple of factors. Your power needs will ultimately determine what kind of generator will work best for you.

When I was exploring what kind of generator to purchase I had to first ask myself what my goals were for backup power. Did I want to power the entire house? Or a hybrid approach where I would power only select appliances? Or would I plug utilities directly into the generator?

Hybrid vs. Whole House

For me personally, I went the hybrid route which looks something like a whole house generator setup, but was implemented with a typical generator that you could purchase at a big-box store. My generator is not fixed like a whole house generator which gives me some flexibility, but I still use a transfer switch to power certain appliances and areas of the house.

My goals were to power my well water pump, my refrigerator, freezers, a handful of outlets and most importantly, the coffee machine. The generator that I chose was the best generator for home backup power for our needs.

Gasoline vs. Diesel vs. Propane (and LP)

Selecting the type of fuel for your generator is an important step to selecting the best generator for home backup power. My advice is to select a fuel that you can reliably and consistently store for at least a month or more. I feel that the storage of generator fuel is more important than the availability but that mindset could be different for someone that lives in rural areas vs. more populated cities and towns.

Generally speaking, diesel fuel tends to have a longer shelf life than gasoline. Diesel fuel is less volatile and more stable than gasoline, which means it is less prone to evaporate and degrade over time. The shelf life of diesel fuel can vary depending on factors such as storage conditions, temperature, and the presence of contaminants.

Properly stored diesel fuel, kept in a cool and dry environment, can typically last for several months to a few years without significant degradation. In contrast, gasoline tends to have a shorter shelf life due to its higher volatility, and it can start to degrade within a few weeks to a few months, especially in warm and humid conditions.

LP (liquefied petroleum) and propane are terms often used interchangeably, but they refer to the same type of fuel. LP is a more general term that encompasses various hydrocarbons in a liquid state, including propane and butane. Propane, on the other hand, specifically refers to a hydrocarbon gas within the LP family.

Propane, when stored under proper conditions, has an indefinite shelf life. Unlike some fuels that degrade over time, propane is a stable and non-perishable gas. The key to maintaining its quality is proper storage.

I’ll be fully transparent and say that at the time I did not research the different types of fuels and their shelf life. I ended up getting a dual-fuel gasoline/LP generator but if I did not have a dedicated 550 gallon on propane tank, I would have gone the diesel/LP route.

If you do not have storage options for propane, diesel is going to be your next best option because you can store diesel fuel for a much longer period of time.

Champion 7500 Watt Generator

The generator that I used for our hybrid backup power setup is a Champion 7500 Watt generator. I purchased this generator for around $800 on-sale and it provides more than enough power to run the appliances that I need without peaking out on power.

With the dual fuel feature, I can run the generator on both gasoline and propane (aka LP) fuel sources. We converted our gas stove into a wood stove so we now have a 550 gallon tank of propane dedicated to our generator.

The Champion 7500 watt generator has electric start and also has a backup-pull start. It has several outlets, including a 220 outlet to connect to a power transfer switch.

Power Transfer Switch

The power transfer switch is wired to select breakers in our main power breaker box. Which power source is used, backup vs line, is determined by the switches on the transfer switch. When GEN is selected, power is running off the generator. When LINE is selected, power is run off the main grid.

A dual pole, 20 amp breaker is provided for our well water pump and the other, smaller breakers are used for our refrigerator, freezers and outlets.

When the power goes out I move the generator outside and connect the long power cable to the transfer switch. This gives me flexibility that I wouldn’t otherwise have a with permanent, whole house generator.

This setup also gives me the flexibility to eventually setup a solar power source to the transfer switch if I ever decide to do that.

The best generator brands

Some of the best generator brands that I trust are Champion, Craftsman, Genmax, DuraMax and Westinghouse. Build quality and customer support are the two most important things that I looked for in a generator company.

I am slightly biased towards Champion generators because that is all I have really ever known. Most of the parts are made in the U.S.A and their customer support is top notch. I needed some assistance with my generator and they actually called me back on Sunday. Good luck finding that kind of support anywhere else!

At the end of the day, the best generator brand will most likely be what is available to you in your area and what kind of support you can get. To find out if a generator brand is trust worthy, try calling their technical support phone numbers before purchasing. If you can get someone on the line quickly over the weekend, you probably have found the best generator brand for you!

The best generator for home backup power

The best generator for home backup power is the generator that will provide the electricity needs for you and your family during an emergency.

Write down what your needs are for backup electricity. Then, go find the best generator that will meet your backup power needs and run with it. At the end of the day I am just trying to buy some time with our freezers and refrigerator but you may have other needs.

The purpose of home backup power is for short or medium term emergencies like power outages or natural disasters. We should never rely on backup power as a generational, long term energy solution. If a world disaster were to occur and the crap really does hit the fan, we may need to learn to live without electricity all together.