Selecting A Generator – Which Will Suit Your Needs?
There are many options for the home owner and business operator when the time comes to choose a generator: so many, actually, that it can be very confusing to those who do not have the knowledge. What source of fuel do you prefer – diesel or petrol? Do you require a small “emergency” petrol generator for the home, or one with plenty of power to act as a back up when the mains electricity is not available to your business? If you don’t have much of an understanding of how portable generators work, you will find it difficult to choose.
How then, do you make a selection? Firstly, you should decide for what exact purpose you will require the generator, as this will help you to determine the capacity. If you need a generator for around the home, it would not be wise to choose a heavy duty industrial generator, as it would provide more power than you really need. Similarly, if you need to run machinery, a small generator will not be enough as it is likely to fail when you need it most.
Both diesel and petrol generators are similar in how they deliver power. Diesel electrical generators are usually found in agricultural environments, on construction sites and in factories and warehouses: in fact, wherever you may need a portable and reliable source of energy. This can be due to the absence of mains power (as with construction sites) or the mains power cannot always be relied upon (agricultural areas and factories).
In determining your generator requirements, you need to choose the most efficient model. The size of the portable generator is indicated by the output and speed given by the manufacturer: generally speaking, a more powerful generator has a greater output and speed. The majority of generators fall between an output of 5KVA (kilovolt-ampere units) and 2500KVA. The generators with lower KVAs are suitable for home use, whereas the those with a higher KVA rating are more than ample for the majority of industrial applications.
The efficiency of the model is the first step: however, it is also necessary to calculate the load you have to supply. To do this, you just have to figure out the power demand, whether this is for home or business use, during normal operating conditions. The amount of power that the generator is capable of providing will indicate whether it is sufficient to meet the requirements of your home or business: the the amount of fuel the tank holds only indicates the number of hours the generator will operate between refueling.You should always choose a generator that can supply a little more power than you really need, thus reducing the possibility of overloading.
Another factor you may have to consider is the noise output of the new portable generators. Will you be required to run the generator during the night in the home? If this is the case, it is a good idea to select a silent diesel generator as the decibel output of these is considerably lower than traditional diesel generators. It is also sensible to opt for a silent diesel generator with a decent sized fuel tank, to ensure that it runs overnight, so you don’t have to be worried about refueling in the middle of the night. The decibel output is not such a critical factor if it is used in an industrial situation, or during the day.
If the generator is to be operated only occasionally, it makes sense to purchase a good quality used generator, as this will save you a good deal of money.
Having a generator at hand for emergency situations, such as natural disasters or power outages, or perhaps when there is no electricity supply available (camping is one such example) is a great idea. However, it pays to do your homework and carefully choose a generator that best suits your individual needs.