Storms Roll Through Upper Midwest and Northeast United States

Spring visited us for a day or two, but Jack Frost is back in town for one final hurrah! The cold, frosty scalawag is bringing with him a storm, and it won't be a little one.

Even with winter getting closer to its end, these storms will continue. As temperatures drop, they'll transition from snow and ice to rain and wind. This also means flooding

Before spring kicks into full gear with raining and flooding, it's recommended that you have a quality portable generators and a battery backup sump pump to keep your power on and your basement dry.

Dumping substantial snow from northern Illinois to northern New England, the storm will start Wednesday night and continue through Thursday. Travel conditions will be strongly effected, and school cancellations are likely.

The heaviest snowfall will be seen throughout interior New England, possibly exceeding 1 foot in the northern part of the area.

The I-95 corridor from Providence, R.I. to New York City to Washington, D.C. will see mostly rain, however colder air plunging southward behind the storm may mean a change from rain to snow toward the end.

What's the Difference Between an Inverter Generator and a Conventional Generator?

Inverter generators differ from conventional generators in that they make DC power which is then inverted into AC all through a control board called a "microprocessor." By inverting the voltage from DC to AC, the signal will be very clean and will not harm flat screen TVs or computers which have very sensitive electronics.

An inverter generator will also run at variable speeds depending on the load. By running at variable speeds, it makes them more fuel efficient by idling down the load very low, saving fuel and making them quieter. Another nice feature of inverter generators is that they tend to be lighter and smaller than conventional generators due to having a smaller engine and alternator.  The Honda EU2000i is a great example of an inverter generator and one of the best sellers on the market.

On the flip-side, Conventional generators typically have an engine that is connected to an alternator, which has heavy copper wires and runs at 3600 RPM to produce AC power. In other words, the generator must run at full speed regardless of the load put on it. When a load is put onto this type of generator, the throttle opens and allows more fuel and air to enter the engine to keep up with the load thus making it not very fuel efficient and louder comapred to an inverter generator.

Furthermore, the electricity produced from a conventional generator is not as clean as utility power and is not recommended for powering sensitive electronics such as you TV or computer. Conventional generators are a great option for emergency backup power to a home such as appliances, lights, pumps, and fans.

So when picking yourself a generator, determine what you'll be using it for and choose the kind that's best for you. Having too much or two little power can create more problems rather than solutions. For more assistance in choosing the generator that's right for you, visit our Generator Buyer's Guide.