Then and Now
The grandfather of today’s modern generator systems was invented in 1831 by British chemist and physicist Michael Faraday. Named the Faraday disc in honor of its inventor, this groundbreaking technology was produced after Faraday came up with arguably one of his greatest discoveries, electromagnetic induction. Using a copper disc and a horseshoe magnet, Faraday built the first ever electromagnetic generator. Despite its severe limitations, including waste heating of the copper disc and very low levels of voltage output, the faraday disc made the generators we use today possible.
Today, everything from portable, to mobile, to home and business generators exist to fulfill every imaginable backup power need. Companies like GE, Kohler, and Cummins Power Generation produce a wide variety of generator models that can help individuals and businesses alike “weather the storm” whenever a power outage occurs. By far the most respected company in the industry is Generac. Reputed for their high quality and durability, Generac has 53 models available in their home backup generator selection alone. Their top selling Guardian series provides the perfect example for just how far generators have come from the Faraday disc. With features like Mobile Link™ remote monitoring, Quiet-Testing, True Power™ technology, Evolution™ controllers, all-weather steel enclosures, 24/7/365 customer support, and an OHVI engine that allows you to get through weeks without utility power, generators today perform better, longer, and more efficiently.
Resources
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blfaraday.htm http://www.uspowerco.com/articles/background_and_history_of_electric_generators http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_generator http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000422531 http://www.generac.com/all-products/generators/home-backup-generators/guardian-series/guardian-series-8kw http://www.uspowerco.com/articles/background_and_history_of_electric_generators http://www.homedepot.com/b/Outdoors-Outdoor-Power-Equipment-Generators-Standby-Generators/N-5yc1vZbx9sZ4phZbwo5o?NCNI-5 http://www.yellowpages.com/eagle-wi/mip/generac-power-systems-inc-467348607
