Our generator was purchased during a heat wave. It had been over a hundred degrees outside for several days, and the transformers could not handle the load. We lost power for seventeen hours the first time. Believe me, in that type of weather, it was torture. When the power went out the second time, we bought our generator.
We’ve wanted one for a long time. One of the reasons you might need one is a natural disaster. Here, that is likely to be an earthquake but there isn’t any spot that doesn’t live under the threat of one type of disaster or another.
Many of the disasters can mean power outages that last days. A generator can help keep you warm or cool you off, both of which can be very important. It can keep your refrigerator and freezer running and give you a source for news.
Power outages aren’t always the result of a natural disaster or even a heat wave. Equipment failure, either at the plant or on the power poles can also leave you powerless. That is the second reason you might need a generator.
There was a report recently of a woman who died because her power went out. She was on respiratory equipment, and without power, she couldn’t breathe. This may be true of other types of equipment. In this instance a generator could really save a life.
The last reason you may want a generator is fun, at least for our family. We like to go camping, but not all campgrounds have hookups. That’s called “dry camping.” While having a source of power may not fill all the needs on a campout, it sure does make it a lot easier.
Yes, I know that real campers sleep in tents, but that’s for the young folks. Once you reach a certain age (or your clutziness catches up with you), sleeping on the ground is far too painful to endure. A travel trailer (or RV) with a generator lets us still get out there, without having to deal with the pain and stiffness.
Do I think everyone needs a generator? No, there are plenty of folks who don’t. However, under the right circumstances (or perhaps wrong circumstances?) a generator is a valuable piece of equipment to have around.