Keeping the POWER Going!

Don't let power outages shut you down! Thunder Electric proudly installs complete generator sets for your home or business, so you can be ready whenever power outages occur. In residential or commercial applications, you need professional installation and top quality equipment to be certain that the power is there when you need it! We can install a variety of sizes of diesel or natural gas generators with manual or automatic transfer switches. Uninterruptible Power Sources can keep your critical electronic equipment protected against power outages, line sags or other power quality problems. Call us and we can put together a package that fits your needs and budget!

Home Backup Generators

Most of us find a power outage to be an inconvenience, but for the elderly, ill, or the very young, extended outages in hot or cold weather can pose very real dangers. You can also risk damage to your home if you rely on a sump pump to keep your basement from flooding, and water pipes may burst in the winter if the furnace is inoperable for an extended period. Losing power also leaves you without a security system or computer. Much of the US electrical grid is old and becoming more prone to failures, leaving us all at risk of more frequent power outages.

Many people rushed out to buy generators after the big storms, but found that the small portable gasoline powered versions were simply not powerful enough for them. They require extension cords, are noisy, and no one wants to go out and pour gasoline into the generator tank at three a.m. to keep their furnace running. People who are thinking ahead to the next outage are looking at natural gas or propane systems with automatic transfer switches to satisfy their need for backup power. With a fully automated system, you might barely notice when the power goes out. Natural gas and propane generators are connected to the same supply that feeds the house. This eliminates buying and storing dangerous fuel, and minimizes maintenance costs. The units are permanently installed outdoors inside an enclosure slightly larger than the average air conditioner, which reduces the noise of operation and protects it from the elements. In some cases, it may even be possible to have the unit installed away from the house for aesthetic reasons.

The generator must be connected to the home electrical system by a transfer switch that is installed near the electrical panel. This disconnects the utility power, Starts the generator, and switches to generator power. This prevents the power from feeding back on the utility lines and endangering utility workers, as well as protecting the home and the generator. The system automatically switches back to utility power when it comes back online. It can also test the system periodically to ensure that it is ready to go when you need it. Transfer switches are normally wired to supply power to the most essential circuits, such as heat, lighting, and security systems. The number of circuits that can be powered depends on the size of the generator. Some homeowners are simply choosing a generator with sufficient capacity to power the entire house. The decision simply comes down to the budget you decide on.

The only way to be certain that a generator starts when you need it and delivers sufficient power is to consult a professional when choosing a unit and have the installation performed by a knowledgeable electrical contractor. Improper installations may lead to unreliable and unsafe operation, and may violate electric codes. If you depend heavily on computers or other similar electronic equipment, you may also want to consider an uninterruptible power supply that uses a battery backup to prevent any loss of power to critical equipment. The last thing that you want is to spend the money on a generator and not have it work when you need it!