Many island owners use gas generators as a back-up source of energy on their islands. Gas generators are great for temporary usage and supplying energy for essential needs such as heating or electricity. Before purchasing a generator it’s important that you know what your will need to power and for how long you wish to power it. You may also want to consider the ease of transporting the generator to your island and the amount of fuel you will need to transport to the island for the generator. These two factors may influence the type of generator you purchase. Typically a 900 W generator will power a small refrigerator, seven 60W bulbs and a 200 watt fan. This generator will require 2.53 gallons of gasoline every 24 hours and sells for approximately $790. A 4000W generator can power a coffee maker a full size refrigerator (725 watts); lights a fan and a 750 Watt microwave. Alternatively it could power a well pump. This type of generator would require 11.7 gallons of gasoline every 24 hour and costs approximately $1,000 dollars. An 8000W generator can run a well pump, a coffee maker, a refrigerator, lights, a fan, a microwave, a sump pump and heating equipment (up to 1800 watts). Alternatives the system could run a 32,000BTU air conditioning unit. This type of generator requires about 25 gallons of gasoline every 24 hours and costs about $1,250.

Filed under: Generators, Powering Your Island