When you buy a phone, it usually comes with a whole host of accessories. Some, like the charger, are absolutely necessary while others, like headphones, just serve to enhance your cellular device. This same principle can be applied to generators. While the unit itself is the most important part, there are many accessories available to help improve the way it works or prolong its lifetime. Take a look at some of the products that we here at Qsuper Power Products deem essential generator accessories.
Engine Governor
Your generator works hard to keep your home or business in power- sometimes a little too hard. When the workload on your generator increases, the engine will want to run faster in order to compensate. The problem with this is that more fuel is wasted and the likelihood of an engine burnout increases exponentially. An engine governor senses this and works to quickly return the engine to its original speed without compromising the performance of your generator. Therefore, an engine governor is essential to managing fuel costs and prolonging the life of your equipment.
Voltage Regulator
A voltage regulator serves a similar purpose as an engine governor except that instead of controlling the speed of an engine, it controls the voltage of your generator. Maintaining voltage within predetermined limits is crucial to ensure the longevity of your generator. A voltage regulator will make sure that changes in both input from your electricity provider and load on your generator will not cause dangerous spikes or drops in voltage. These fluctuations can cause engine failure and lower the quality of your generators performance.
Transfer Switch
A transfer switch is a generator accessory that makes using a portable generator much easier and is essential to the function of a standby generator. A transfer switch is basically a gateway between your generator and your property’s electricity grid. There are both manual and automatic transfer switches (ATS) which are compatible with a wide range of portable and standby generators. Traditionally, you would have to run an extension cord from the generator to the specific appliance you want to power. With a manual transfer switch, you only have to hook the generator up to the switch and flip it to the “generator” position. It is even simpler with an automatic transfer switch, which senses that power is lost and turns the generator on by itself.
ATS Control
Working in tandem with an automatic transfer switch, ATS controls allow you to monitor and manage your ATS in order to improve its function. ATS controls are highly programmable so you can customize the transfer of power between multiple generators or between utility power and a generator. You can program a power transfer on a delay and can prevent a power surge by switching off a generator automatically when utility power is restored. ATS controls are absolutely necessary companion to a standby generator.
Above are a few of the most important generator accessories you will need in order to get the most out of your backup system.
