Main points
- Generators are dangerous to use to power electronics with integrated circuits, such as smartphones and televisions, due to unstable voltage.
- Powerful household appliances and heating elements can overload the generator, leading to its breakdown or fire, so it is important to know its power and use quality cables.
What devices can break a generator or cause a fire / Collage of Channel 24 / Photo by Depositphotos
When the power grid goes out, a generator becomes a real lifesaver, allowing you to maintain the usual rhythm of life in certain parts of the home. However, it is worth remembering that this equipment is intended for critical situations and ensuring basic needs, and not for powering all home amenities at once.
Improper use of this device can lead to damage to expensive electronics or even dangerous situations in the home, Channel 24 tells us from its own experience.
When can you connect almost anything to a generator?
Modern inverter generators, as well as powerful devices designed for a large number of powerful consumers, are able to cope with almost any home gadgets when it comes to autonomous power supply in a house or apartment.
Airits Tarvids, an engineer and electrician at the Latvian company TET Cloud, told Channel 24 in which cases you can stop worrying about your own devices and generator.
When it comes to 6 kW portable generators, you can connect absolutely anything – from phone chargers to heaters. The main thing is not to exceed the maximum allowable output power of the generator.
What devices can disable a generator or break down on their own?
In general, using a portable generator requires special care. Old or inexpensive devices may not always provide stable power. The most vulnerable in this case are electronics with microcircuits: smartphones , tablets , TVs and game consoles .
Sensitive electronics are very vulnerable to generator power / Photo Depositphotos
The thing is that the operation of the generator engine leads to constant voltage spikes and drops, called “dirty power.” Such fluctuations can instantly burn out sensitive components or significantly shorten their service life.
To safely charge gadgets, it is worth using inverter generator models, high-quality mains filters, or uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) that smooth out the voltage.
A major threat is posed by powerful household appliances such as ovens , washing machines , and refrigerators . They consume significantly more energy than most portable generators can produce, especially at startup.
Powerful home appliances can be damaged if used incorrectly / Photo Depositphotos
This creates an excessive load that causes the voltage to drop dramatically or the generator to shut down altogether. In the worst case, such stress on the system can fry both the generator itself and the equipment connected to it.
Important! Before using large equipment, you must clearly know the power of your unit and the manufacturer's recommendations.
A separate risk group is made up of devices with heating elements : heaters or electric heaters. To heat up quickly, they require a huge amount of energy immediately after switching on, which often leads to system overload.
Devices with heating elements should be carefully checked before use / Photo Depositphotos
In addition, due to the instability of the current, such devices can overheat, which creates a real risk of fire. The operation of generator heaters must be monitored every minute and never left unattended.
A similar problem is inherent in well pumps . To start the movement of water, they need a powerful starting burst of energy, which can cause the generator to stall or fail. Even if the pump starts, any voltage fluctuation can stop it in the middle of a cycle, threatening expensive equipment replacement.
If the pump's operation is critically important, it is worth purchasing a generator of appropriate power and not connecting anything else to it.
Finally, safety depends on the quality of the cables . Cheap extension cords with thin wires and poor insulation are not designed to handle the loads generated by the generator. They can melt and spark due to constant voltage drops, causing a fire.
It is better not to connect an old extension cord to a generator / Photo Depositphotos
When working with a generator, especially outdoors, you should choose only high-quality extension cords with appropriate markings and reliable surge protectors.