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BRIGGS & STRATTON OFFERS TIPS FOR SELECTING A PORTABLE GENERATOR DURING 2010 NATIONAL HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK
BRIGGS & STRATTON OFFERS GENERATOR SAFETY TIPS DURING 2010 NATIONAL HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK
BRIGGS & STRATTON TOUTS NEW 5500 WATT PORTABLE GENERATOR

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BRIGGS & STRATTON OFFERS TIPS FOR SELECTING A PORTABLE GENERATOR DURING 2010 NATIONAL HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK

May 21, 2010

Milwaukee, Wis., (May 23, 2010)—Hazards from hurricanes and tropical storms come in many forms: high winds, storm surge, tornadoes and flooding. And the result can be an entire community without power. Fortunately, a portable generator can help protect your family and possessions should a power outage occur.

A 3500-6500 watt generator can provide home back-up power to let you run lights, your refrigerator, a sump pump, your water well pump, a radio and/or television and your computer. Going up to 7000 to 10,000 watt generator powers those appliances plus a window air conditioner, garage door opener and a freezer. In short, you can count on having the “basics” until the power comes back on.

The best time to buy a portable generator, however, is before you need one. That’s why Briggs & Stratton, North America’s largest supplier of portable generators, offers these tips for selecting a portable generator:

How to Select a Generator
To determine the size of the portable generator you need for your home, follow these steps:

1. Make a list of what you need to power.
   Ask yourself what you will need to power during an electrical outage: just appliances and lights? Computers and home electronics, too? Some families have in-home medical equipment that is a priority, while others need to ensure they have enough power to keep stocked food supplies on ice.


2. Determine what it takes to start each appliance.
   Ensure you'll be able to start (not simply run) your appliances. The "starting wattage" is the amount of wattage needed to start an appliance with a motor; and it may be two to three times the wattage required to run the appliance. If you have operator manuals, check for your appliances' listed start-up wattages (vs. the running wattage or the rated wattage). If you don't have operator manuals, use our wattage calculator to estimate your power needs.


3. Calculate your total power needs.
   It's a two part equation. First, add up all the "running wattage" for all the items you wish to power simultaneously. This equals the total running watts your generator needs to produce simply to run your equipment. Next, add to that total the highest of the "starting wattages" you wrote down in step 2, above. Now you know how much power you need to start and run your appliances and equipment!

Engines Matter
The engine plays a pivotal role in the reliability and performance of your portable generator. And buyers say more power is the second most important feature they want in a generator. That’s why Briggs & Stratton® engines are designed with the power needed for peak performance. In a generator, the more power your engine has, the more easily it will maintain its maximum wattage output under full load.

Briggs & Stratton engines power the following generator brands: Briggs & Stratton, Troy-Bilt and Husky.* Importantly, a portable generator with a Briggs & Stratton engine is supported by one of the world’s largest service networks with more than 3,000 servicing generator dealers across North American and more than 30,000 service engine dealers worldwide.

For more information about portable generators, including safety and usage tips, or to locate a retailer near you, visit www.generatorinformation.com.

Briggs & Stratton Corporation is the world’s largest producer of gasoline engines for outdoor power equipment. Its wholly owned subsidiary Briggs & Stratton Power Products Group LLC is North America’s number one manufacturer of portable generators and pressure washers. The Briggs & Stratton Corporation is also a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of lawn and garden and turf care through its wholly owned subsidiary Simplicity Manufacturing, Inc. and its Simplicity®, Snapper®, Ferris® and Murray® brands. Briggs & Stratton products are designed, manufactured, marketed and serviced in over 100 countries on all seven continents.