Home Standby Generators vs. Battery Backup System

Best Home Standby Generator System

Homeowners looking for reliable backup power might ponder whether to go with a permanent standby generator or a battery backup system. Let's look at the Pros and Cons of each.

Battery Backup System

A battery backup system offers reliability and instant on seamless backup power. However, battery backup systems are primarily designed for short-duration power outages lasting a few hours. The actual length of time a battery backup lasts will depend on the number of installed batteries and which appliances are being run from the system.

One of the biggest electrical loads on any standby system is air conditioning and heating. Ovens and clothes dryers are other high loads. A battery backup system will consume power quickly when A/Cs and other house circuits are added to the load.

Another downside to a battery backup system is the eventual battery replacement cost. Battery backup systems should last several years but homeowners should plan on replacing all batteries when run cycles hit their max.

Standby Generators

Standby generators also offer reliability and begin to energize connected electrical circuits within 10-seconds or less. Fueled by natural gas, propane, or diesel, backup generators are the ideal choice for homeowners looking to power essential circuits for short- and long-term power outages lasting days or weeks.

Natural gas generators have an unlimited supply of fuel from the gas meter and are a great choice for city-dwellers. Propane generators require a propane tank and most tanks are good for 24-hours of operation or more. Diesel generators are the gold standard in both reliable and durable standby power and also require a fuel storage tank. Most diesel generators come equipped with a 24-hour subbase mounted fuel storage tank.

A professionally maintained air- or liquid-cooled generator system should last 15 or more years. Diesel generators can last decades.

Battery backup systems have no real operating cost but those batteries will eventually need to be replaced. Standby generators can be less costly to install but have associated operating costs in fuel, routine maintenance, and repairs. 

Weigh the Costs

After determining which electrical circuits are essential during a power outage and whether you're prepping for short- or long-term outages, consider the cost of each system. If you need a system that can last days or weeks, a gaseous standby generator is your best choice.

Buckeye Power Systems offers quality standby power systems from the world leader in power generation equipment - Cummins Power Generation. Based in Fridley, Minnesota, Cummins has been manufacturing standby power systems for 100+ years. The quality, reliability, and durability of its backup power systems is second to none.

Here's a quick guide for Whole House Generator coverage with a budget-friendly air-cooled home standby generator:

Up to 1200 SF Homes with a 3-ton A/C:
Cummins RS13A Natural Gas / Propane Generator

Up to 1500 SF Homes with a 4-ton A/C:
Cummins RS17A Natural Gas / Propane Generator

Up to 2000 SF Homes with a 5-ton A/C:
Cummins RS20A or RS20AC Natural Gas / Propane Generator

Up to 3000 SF Homes with two 5-ton A/C - Managed Whole House* coverage: Cummins RS20AC Natural Gas / Propane Generator

Be sure to check out Cummins Liquid-Cooled Backup Generators and Cummins Diesel Generators.

For larger homes, talk with a Buckeye generator specialist at 901-379-8097. We will walk you through the process of generator sizing for any size home.

* For more information on Managed Whole House backup generator coverage, be sure to read Whole House or Just the Essentials Generator Coverage?