March 24, 2017 / by Danny Mavis

The climate is changing, and we here in Australia are very well aware of its disastrous effects. Just last September we’ve experienced a severe storm that damaged the electricity transmission lines and resulted in South Australia running out of power. If you were among the 1.7 million affected, then you must know how it feels to function in the dark and having to eat canned food because the one you were keeping in the fridge is already spoiled. Even worse, you might have been part of the thousands of businesses that suffered irreversible losses.

As the weather undergoes drastic changes and the Australian power grid becomes more and more unreliable, power outages could become a routine problem. Instead of sitting there and letting your life and business suffer, you can take precautions by getting a back up generator. A generator has an engine which converts mechanical energy into electrical which you can harness anywhere and at any time you need it. Besides being a life-saver during electricity outages, a generator can also be used in situations where you have no power supply available like staying at camping sites, cottages high up in the mountains, or while working in agricultural fields or on construction sites.

There’s a lot to consider when making your pick out of the many power generators for sale. Depending on the type of engine, there are generators operating on different fuels such as diesel, petrol or natural gas. If you base your pick on the fuel used, a petrol generator can be your best bet as an independent user. Petrol in Australia is generally more affordable than diesel and natural gas. When the environment is concerned, clearly natural gas is the better option, however, Australia currently is undergoing a gas shortage which means prices are sky high and it is extremely difficulty to get supplies of it. Moreover, portable generators are usually fuelled by petrol and there are more power options available, ranging from 2800 W to even 7500W.

Portable generators make for a more convenient back up power source than other alternative options. They have a lot of advantages over stationary generators which are extremely heavy to move and complicated to operate with. Moreover, stationary generators are usually powered by the expensive natural gas and are also quite expensive with prices starting at 2,500-4000$ for a small 7000 W one. And that’s without installation costs. You can get the same power with a portable petrol one but for considerably less money – around 900$. Besides, it’s quite easy to set it up and use it and there is no need to hire a handyman to do that for you. All you need is to find some free space in your backyard or cellar and a long enough extension cord to reach all the appliances you want to power.

When going through the many power generators for sale, you also need to consider the power demands of different appliances and machines. The most common home appliances and their electrical power requirements are:

  • Television ~ 300 W
  • Laptop ~ 250 W
  • Refrigerator ~ 700 – 1200 W
  • Oven ~ 1200 W

As you can see, the powering of the basic essentials in your home can be easily taken care of with a simple 3000 W generator. And if you’re planning to use it on construction work, these are some of the tools and the wattages needed to power them:

  • Circular saw ~ 1400W
  • Hand drill ~ 600
  • Air compressor ~ 1200
  • Battery charger ~ 700

Don’t let unforeseen circumstances catch you unprepared and leave you stranded in your own home, unable to use the conveniences of the 21st century we know and love. And don’t let the lack of electricity interfere with your work – with a portable petrol generator, you will rest assured that you will always have the power!