Do I need a generator?
Recently moved to Panther Valley and curious about how long the worst power outages are. Should I invest in a generator or is power typically back up quickly?
Reginald
4catmom Personal choice I suppose. Perhaps if you work from home or maybe have a medical device that requires power then the decision is an easy one. The Boy Scout in me leans towards always be prepared.
Greg I have a whole house set up. I’m happy I did. First two years no outages then several outages. It works as piece of mind for me. I was getting tired of pulling out the portable and feeding it gas. Also didn’t like having to shut it down for the evening.
It comes down to personal choice.
Mr 4Paws We live in Hackettstown and own two generators. Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get. During Sandy it was over a week without power and that same power ran the gas pumps making gasoline scarce. If you get an automatic generator, it will add value to your home.
Robert Rowe Thanks folks, I think I'll just buy a small $600 2500w quiet portable inverter generator just need to keep the furnace on and food from going bad in the fridge/freezer.
The real question I have is, how frequent are power outages (outside of natural disasters like Sandy) and how long typically? does power typically go back on after few hours or are there instances where it's out for a whole day?
It really depends on where you live exactly. In general terms, the more remote you are, the longer you could be without power.
3wbdwnj We live in Allamuchy (but not inside PV) and our electric comes from a “different part of the grid”. We lose power a few times of year and most times it’s out for a few hours. We have a portable generator that connects to the main panel through a transfer switch. It’s there in case of an emergency but at a much lower cost than a standby system. For us it’s been the perfect solution.
FarmerJake Reginald - in recent times - ours has gone out - but by the time I find the phone number to report it, it has been back on - We're in the Goldfinches - I can't speak for other area of PV
I live a mile south of PV on 517. In the 13 years we’ve been here I’d say we lose power on average 2 times a year. Once a year the outage lasts less than one hour and the other time per year it lasts 2-3 hours. Once every 5 years the outage lasts 12-24 hours. Once a decade it’s out for more than a day. I guess being on 517 and just north of Mars Chocolate has something to do with how fast the power is restored but that’s just a guess.
Best bet is to check with your immediate neighbors/street, etc. They would have the best idea because it really does depend on where you live and what "grid" you are on.
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