Me and Genny goes together like peas and carrots.

When you live a child’s handspan above sea level in hurricane alley it can be handy to know a thing or two about generators. We in the Cayman Islands are more experienced than the average homo sapiens in dealing with the aftermath of storms, not to mention planned (and unplanned) electricity shutdowns and the occasional big outdoor PAR-TAY – all of which can be vastly improved if you have a trusty generator to rely on.

Portable generators come in all shapes and sizes and with all kinds of bells and whistles. There are generators suitable for temporary power, emergency power, large businesses, small gatherings and huge outdoor events. Our gennys range from 2.5KW to our mega 176KW (and stay tuned for our 350KW behemoth arriving soon!) – the smaller units can be placed in the back of your truck and the larger ones can be towed away, or we will deliver and pick them up from anywhere on island.

Our genny’s get around – you’ll have seen them recently at Batabano, Taste of Cayman, the World Open Squash tournament, Sunset Bay, various construction sites and many, many more places. Here are some tips to make sure you choose the right generator for the job.

Genny wants a (wo)man who knows themself

Wattage needs – Determine how much power you need for the items you need to use (use this great power selection worksheet from Amazon to help work it out).

Consider additional costs – In addition to the rental cost of the generator, you will need to pay for delivery and collection (if you don’t do that yourself), possibly additional power distribution accessories and definitely diesel/gasoline. We rent our generators fully fuelled and we keep a fuel deposit upon renting – make sure you re-fill it before returning it otherwise you will lose your deposit – eek!

Establish your budget – Our generator prices fall across a wide range, so determining how much you’d like to spend is important.

Hook-Up Method – Our larger generators do not simply plug into the piece of equipment that you would like to power. You have to connect to a breaker box to ensure the genny does not accidently “backfeed” electricity into utility company lines, which could electrocute a line worker. We stock all the power distribution accessories you could need so just check with us when renting.

Portable Generator Safety Tips:

• Never connect a generator directly to your home’s wiring unless your home has been wired for generator use. This can cause backfeeding along power lines and electrocute anyone coming in contact with them, including lineworkers making repairs. Have a licensed electrician install the equipment necessary to safely connect emergency generators to your home.

• Always plug appliances directly into generators. Connecting the generator to your home’s circuits or wiring must be done by a qualified, licensed electrician who will install a transfer switch to prevent backfeeding.

• Use heavy-duty, outdoor-rated extension cords. Make sure extension cords are free of cuts or tears and the plug has three prongs. Overloaded cords can cause fires or equipment damage. [See our blog post on extension cords here!]

• Ensure your generator is properly grounded.

• Never overload a generator.

• Turn off all equipment powered by the generator before shutting it down.

• Keep the generator dry. Operate it on a dry surface under an open structure.

• Always have a fully charged fire extinguisher nearby.

• Never fuel a generator while it is operating.

The good thing about renting from Massive is that our friendly team is not only here to help you find the exact generator you need, but we’re also falling over ourselves to give you the right advice on anything and everything you will listen to! Contact the human-fountain-of-knowledge Howie with any questions, or pop in to see us Monday – Saturday, 8am – 5pm.

We hope you and Genny will be very happy together.