Before we get into choosing a portable generator, let’s review exactly what a portable generator is, and what the standard uses for them are.

What is a portable generator? Typical portable generators are fueled by unleaded gasoline and have standard 120-volt power outlets like the outlets you have on the walls of your home.

What can portable generators be used for? Portable generators are extremely versatile and can be used for a wide variety of purposes. Among the most common uses of a portable generator are:

- Providing power for a home in an emergency

- Power in locations that do not have access to standard eletric outlets

- Recreational use, such as at campsites and in RVs.

How do I use a portable generator? When the generator is running, you simply plug in your tools or appliances into the 120-volt (standard) electric outlets. Some models of generators also have 240-volt outlets. 240-volt outlets are used for large appliances like clothes dryers.

Now, let’s talk about what to look for when choosing the right portable generator for you.

How high of a power capacity do I need?

Generators use two basic power measurements: peak power (sometimes referred to as startup power), and continuous power. Both kinds of power are measured in wattage.

- Peak power is the required wattage that appliances need at startup or when they are running at their highest power consumption levels.

- Continuous power is the required wattage to operate appliances under normal circumstances.

What are standby generators? Standby generators are generators that create anywhere from 5,000 to 25,000 watts of power (sometimes even more). You need to choose a generator that supplies enough peak power and continuous power for the appliances that you need to keep powered.

What are you going to use your generator for? For recreational use, A small 1,000-watt portable generator could be all you will need. If you need to power tools at a remote jobsite, you could require up to about 8,000 watts of power.

Another thing to consider is how many outlets you will need on your generator. Make sure there are enough outlets to power all of the appliances you will be using at one time.

The size of the fuel tank is another consideration and is very important. Depending on how long you will potentially need your portable generator to run, you may need a larger fuel tank. The larger the fuel tank, the longer your generator will be able to run without refueling.

Now that you know what to look for, you can compare different portable generators and find out which one will meet your needs. A good resource for your research can be found at this portable generator reference website.

David is a member of the staff of:
2Frog Reference

Do an energy audit

Challenges in maintaining a standard of living varies greatly around the world, it is impossible to provide the exact steps to reduce electricity consumption in each scenario. An energy audit will help you to recognize, however, when exactly is your power and how to reduce the use of IT.

Once you understand where our power is for the whole house is easy to recommend ways to reduce energy waste, which is usedCurrent that is used to do the same job that a lesser amount of electricity could be, while continuing to do the same comfort. This is an important point to understand, to save on electricity does not mean you have to live in a house in the cold dark to see significant energy savings and use that in most cases, significantly reducing energy at home the addition of some simple changes will have around the house.

So where do I start looking?

By far the largestthose that consume more energy to homes can be attributed to heating and cooling needs. Heaters and air conditioners have a high specific power and if used frequently during hot weather or cold, what the electricity bills may end up as a shock. Now you may be surprised to know that the location of some of these sources can be comforting enormous amounts of energy, while maintaining the same very comfortable. Here are some practical tips to consider:

Hanging sheets or curtainsin a room open, to keep heat in common areas

Add box valances tend to heat loss through poorly insulated windows, air movement past add insulation, carpets and double glazing to reduce heat transfer between the home and external environment to reduce

Wear appropriate clothing to improve human comfort in a less comfortable

Use localized heating during cold periods

Use local cooling or evaporative cooling in cold but dryclimate only some of these things are to be taken into consideration, but a detailed energy audit is the best heating and cooling practices locate your home to do.

Lighting

Although the power of lighting is a bit 'down, the lights tend to be used for long running times, so we can immediately see the long-term financial incentives to replace less efficient bulbs with more expensive, but less power hungry or fluorescent LED (Light EmittingDiode) bulbs.

Kettle If you are a heavy drinker of tea or coffee, costs can run on electricity bills as are users of large power boilers. A simple advice to help reduce electricity costs for the operation of a water heater is your cup with water and then pour into the pot before heating. In this way we know exactly how much water to a boil. Most people only think of a lot of water, which included 3 or 4 times that the hottest water that is actuallyconsumed. If you cook a few cups of water a day, this could easily change common save about 50 dollars a year on your electricity bill.

Refrigerators If you have an old refrigerator, it can have bad seals so that the cold air escapes. The refrigerator has a working extra hard to keep your food cold, and this may be the use of food to chew. A power meter can be made from work, as the efficient operation of the refrigerator and you may decide that a more energy efficient model can saveconsiderable money in the long run.

Computer and TV screens

Plasma screens are generally the largest energy users, such as LCD screens and LED screens less than LCD screens, but it seems significant changes in the market. If you have a lot of TV, or see you spend a lot of time surfing the Internet, the power consumption of the screen can be an important consideration.

Standby

Think of standby power as a dripping tap that we can not hear orbut gradually see your power. Many plug packs, chargers, stereos, washing machines, drawing, television, computers and a variety of other devices, the power, when they are both from, or there is nothing in them. This is called standby, and even small streams only accounts for a series of energy through the system, this is done consistently run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, energy consumption so small, has increased considerably.

To combat the low standbyApplications can be:

Purchase switching power (lighter versions of heavy packages electromagnetic force)
Manual switch off appliances when not in use
The purchase of a Power Board, which automatically switches off power to devices when a device is turned off. This is useful when many individual components to run off the same socket as system.As stereo or computer is an example that I found the standby power consumption of my desktop computer at home and wants to leaveconnected for 10 years would cost more than electricity in the whole computer cost me to buy it first. Dragging my computer from the wall when not in use, I will gather some significant savings.

The calculation of costs for the operation of a device:

You can calculate how much an appliance by multiplying its power by the time he spent on the cost per unit of electricity. For example, if I have a 100 W light for 5 hours a nightElectricity costs 20c per unit (one unit = 1000W per hour). Then I will spend 365 x 5 x 0.1 x 0.2 = $ 36.50 per year in a row that light. Of course, these values ​​may differ between countries and regions, but gives us a rough idea of ​​costs.

If I have a light that cost $ 10 more, but consumes only 20W invested, I would save 80% off my electricity consumption for lighting. In the above case, I would like to start saving in a few months and more than 10 years I would save almost$ 300! In addition, some of the energy saving lamps much longer and therefore will reduce the time to replace the lamp and the cost position.

Develop the power consumption of devices:

Some devices on the label how much electricity they use to say. For example, a light could say 60W or 25W, etc. and a TV-200W or something like a kettle and I can say is 2400W. The calculation of the cost of operation of these devices is relatively easy since we simply believe that this power isconsistently used when the device is switched on.

Calculation of energy consumption for appliances sporadic use of electricity, such as refrigerators, washing machines, computers, etc., using a power meter, which adds all the power used for a long period of time. These inexpensive devices can be purchased for about $ 20 and are valuable for the operation of an energy audit at home, or at least the beginning of an idea of ​​how much power each appliance uses.

What to do:

Here wetouched some way, power is usually lost at home and in some practical steps to reduce energy bills sometimes frightening. To live is to live intelligently and with a sustainable approach, not only to significantly reduce carbon emissions and increase comfort, but it can also save considerable hard-earned money every time the electricity bill comes around. If you want to reduce the electricity bill, it's time to see where all your electricity is used, andTo make the changes necessary to reduce energy waste in your home. Do an energy audit can be a good way to find out exactly what works, and yet some simple calculations themselves and to make investments in energy efficient equipment or changing some simple habits could already see on the way to lower your energy bills electricity in the future.

If you have old dimmers with the turn knob on them, is it a good idea to replace them? Yes, it is a great idea. Actually, using dimmers are supposed to save energy. And it does not. On old dimmers, they increase the amperage and increase the resistance. That in turn will increase heat which makes more amperage on the circuit. So actually, resistance did not do anything but dim your lights a long time ago. But that was all it was supposed to do, dim you lights. Now, the new dimmers do more than that. They dim your lights, and they save you energy at the same time.

They do it through a different method of resistance using what they call an SCR, silicone-controlled rectifier. But it saves you energy, and in turn, saves you money. A silicone rectifier does not do the same thing as a resister. It cuts the voltage instead of resisting volts.

But the resister, or rheostat, depends on the load. Light bulbs are rated by wattage. Your dimmer is restricted by the wattage that it is rated for. There are dimmers in different sizes such as 600 watt, 1000 watt, and 1500 watt in commercial. Putting too many high wattage bulbs in a fixture will cause your dimmer to get hot. Some new dimmers are much more capable of saving energy than the old resistant type dimmers or rotary type dimmers. The costs for a new dimmer is higher but it will, over time, save you money.

I would like to invite you to visit http://www.energyconsciousconsultant.com to find out how Farbe’s Electric can give suggestions to reduce your energy costs to save money.

You’ve decided to set up wind turbine generators for home electricity and now you need to figure out how. Most people turn to the more expensive option of ‘buy a wind generator‘, but there is a better option for most families. You can actually build your own 1000 watt home wind generator for under $150. That’s a tremendous savings over the $3200 we just recently priced a new one at. Your home built model will look great (we’ve built 3 now) and you can build it with regular tools in only a couple days.

What do you need to start?

· Detailed plans for wind turbine generators for home electricity

· Common household tools- cordless drill, wrenches…

· A reliable helper- family, friends maybe

· A small workspace- garage, extra room, basement etc.

Wind turbine generators for home electricity are quite simple machines really. The heart of the generator is a DC motor that acts as a power turbine producing electricity when the blades turn in the wind. You will have to order this from the sources listed in the plans. Don’t worry, the DC motor can be shipped directly to your door in only a couple of days. While you are waiting you can get started on the rest of the project.

The detailed plans said to start with the blades, so that’s what we did. Balancing the size of the blades with your power output from the DC motor is a little tricky, but not too complicated. Basically the larger the blades, the more power produced and the larger the motor needed. The 1000w wind turbine generators for home electricity that we mentioned earlier needs to have a total blade diameter of 8 feet or individual blades 4 feet long. That catches a lot of wind when it’s really blowing. You will need a tower to get your wind generator up to the constant winds. The detailed plans showed us where to obtain free used TV towers that work great. They even showed us sources of free deep cycle batteries too.

When you get all of the parts together just assemble everything when the DC motor arrives. It really is a surprisingly simple project.

We often wonder why they charge so much for new ones? And when those blades start turning and your home wind machine starts producing free electricity for your home you won’t be able to stop smiling. Did you know that electrical rates are expected to double next year? Isn’t it time you started this project to save on those costs? Let’s get started.

Bill Temple says, if you want to find out more about wind turbine generators for home electricity look here. Wind Generators for Home Very helpful advice it is a must for anyone contemplating using renewable energy in their home.

Wind turbine plans can help you save thousands over ready made windmills, providing step by step instructions to achieve the finished product. However, not all windmill plans are the same, some providing a sketchy design as an after thought of solar power units plans or they do not provide complementary battery bank tips for the generator and how to get them even free and pulse them back to life. Finding old batteries and re-selling them could also become an additional source of income as a bonus on the money saved on electricity from the wind turbine.

Wind turbine plans should give an indication of the windmill positioning before starting off into the project. Blades can be made in PVC for small units. You can buy them or make them. A DIY blade can take as little as 3 hours to make or you could buy one cheaply just like the rotor and the mast. While the mast should be clear of the highest obstacles for optimal generator efficiency, it should be noted that taller masts grow in materials and weight needed to build them in an exponential way. To be correct, a twice as tall mast requires 8 times more materials.

If a 1000 watt or a 3000 watt unit is not sufficient to power the household, smaller units may be built, since a heavy mast supporting a large generator would cost much more and require a team to lift it. Usually the design for a homemade wind turbine is three bladed because this is universally considered the best compromise between efficiency and construction costs. 4 or more blades would increase efficiency only minimally, but bring up the construction costs considerably.

On the contrary, 2 blades are cheaper to build but considerably less efficient, defeating the purpose of saving even more money in construction by reducing the electricity output in the long run for the same wind exposure. If you have already done a wind resource assessment or a pretty sure that this is the renewable energy you need for your household, it may be also wise to look for wind turbine plans only information, not solar panels websites or guides which usually provide wind turbine plans as well, as a second thought to DIY solar power designs.

Dedicated information for wind turbine plans only is more thorough and accurate than one found on multi purpose renewable energy websites or guides. Solar power is excellent, but in the right contest and environmental conditions. If you do not need it, windmill plans only information can assist you better.

If you need wind turbine plans with accurate information on construction, battery recycling for your generator and reselling, plus additional information on how to analyze your DC motor for best efficiency, check out this website. Click on wind turbine plans now.

One of the things that puzzles a lot of people when considering going solar is the cost involved and just how it’s calculated. Let’s see if we can’t solve that particular puzzle here.

The reluctance of people to invest what can be, after all, a sizable sum of money in a new solar electric system without knowing just where their money’s going is perfectly understandable. After all, the total cost of an average sized solar energy system can be in the range of $20-30,000 before rebates, and that is a pretty hefty investment.

What should be remembered though is that this is an investment in the next 20-30 years’ worth of electricity, and does not take into account that a new system will generally have paid for itself within 5-10 years. It’s also an investment in the future of our planet and the reduction of carbon emissions from fossil fuels.

What’s An “Average Size” System?

For the purposes of this discussion, an average size system for a household of 3 or 4 people in a dwelling of 2-3,000 square feet is about 3 kilowatts. A 3 kilowatts system can supply up to 3,000 watts per day, which should be more than enough to power the electrical components and appliances of most average sized homes like ours.

Cost Breakdown By Percentage

We can calculate the cost breakdown of a new solar electric system pretty confidently based on the many installations performed over many years by the solar industry. As stated above, the cost for a 3kw system is around $20-30,000 depending on the components chosen and their functions.

So, the breakdown of components and their cost as a percentage of the total looks like this:

- PV panels (currently costing around $4-7 per watt) = 60%

- panel mounts, wiring, miscellaneous electrical items, etc. = 15%

- inverter = 10%

- installation = 15%

Let’s Look At Each Item

Solar panels are generally the most costly part of a new system due to the complexity of the equipment and the materials involved in their manufacture. The cost of panels has come down dramatically in recent years and will continue to do so as the technology improves, and a 200 watt panel costs around $1,000 each, which means we’d need 15 of these panels at a cost of $15,000.

The cost of the mounts, wiring, etc., will vary depending on the type and angle of the roof, and whether or not the system can be mounted on the roof or has to be mounted on the ground. The costs should be $2-5,000, or about 15% of the total cost.

An inverter is a complex piece of equipment and comes with a variety of features, which can increase the cost, but, for the purposes of our example, the cost will run $2-3,500, or 10% of the total.

Installation costs can vary quite dramatically, so we’d want to get several quotes from as many reliable contractors as we can. But, as a general rule, you should expect to pay around 15% of the total cost of the system, which, in this case, would be $3-4,500. At the same time, this is not an item we want to skimp on, because this is a major investment that will last at least the next 30 years, so we should spend carefully but wisely.

Going solar is a major, and, potentially, life-, economic- and planet-changing decision, and the more facts you can get, the more confidently you can move forward with your decision to go solar. Hopefully, you’ll now be more aware of the costs involved and what you can and should expect to pay for the system as a whole and the individual parts that go into the installation of such a system.

Grab your FREE report, and get much more information on going solar by clicking on the only solar power resource you’ll need. Ray Boreham suggests you’ll find a wealth of information and tips on solar and renewable energy at http://www.all-you-need-is-solar.com/

Solar panels, unlike before, are cheap and easy to install with great efficiency. With this advent, you can save big money as well as help save the environment. A DIY kit is available and has an easy to follow instruction with them. What you need is some simple tools and you’re done.

Here is your guide to make a homemade solar panel:

1. First, you must know the loads of your solar panel and the package that is affordable to you. One watt of solar panel module will coast you about $25 and a 200 watts module is around $1000. If you need more power, you can connect this to form a collector to produce your desired power needs. Electrical connections are made in series to achieve a desired output voltage and/or in parallel to provide a desired amount of current capability.

2. After selecting the solar panel modules, you need a charge controller which is an important system component that regulates the voltage generated by the solar panel. This will regulate your power and provide protection to the batteries from being over or under-charged.

3. Next, you need a solar inverter this will convert 12 volt DC (direct current) from solar panel to 125 volts AC (alternating current) which will feed your appliances. Some high end inverters combine an inverter, battery charger and dual transfer switch in one package.

4. Batteries are needed if there is no sun or there is a blackout in your area. Typically, lead acid batteries are use because of performance and cost. Newer lead-acid battery is called maintenance free and this does not require water addition, but this is expensive. The battery is one of the first components of your solar panel to be replaced. Usually, a battery can have 200 to 300 charge/discharge cycle because of corrosion and depletion of active materials. So, be prepared to change batteries in about a year. Typical price of batteries ranges from 100 to 500 dollars.

5. Also, you must consider the battery enclosure as this are toxic and can explode. Solar PV (Photovoltaic) Panel Mounting System is where your panel will be installed. You can choose either at the roof, pole, or at the ground. There are so many designs to choose from and some have motors to track the sun.

6. The last, but certainly the most important one, is that make sure to have your wire connection checked by qualified technician. Faulty electrical wiring is the most common fire hazard today.

Now that you know how to make a homemade solar panel, you can now start this DIY project with ease. It’s affordable and simple without having to worry about your monthly expenditure on electricity anymore.

You can definitely save money and the environment by making a homemade solar panel at your own home. It is a fun, enriching, and worthy project to undertake.

If you want to know more about the easy and step-by-step guide on building and installing your own solar panels at home, just Click Here.