Selecting A Generator - Which Will Suit Your Needs?
There are quite a number of 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 the uninitiated. What source of fuel do you prefer - diesel or petrol? Do you need a small “emergency” generator for the home, or one with sufficient power to act as a back up when the mains electricity fails in your business? If you don’t have much knowledge as to how portable generators work, you will find it difficult to select one.
How then, do you make a selection? Firstly, you should decide for what precise purpose you will need the generator, as this will assist you in determining the capacity. If you need a new diesel generator for home use, it would not make sense to choose a heavy duty industrial generator, as it would provide more power than you really need. Similarly, if your requirement is to run machinery, a generator with a low output of power will not be sufficient as it is likely to fail when you need it most.
Diesel and petrol generators operate in a similar way. 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 because there is no mains power (as with construction sites) or the mains power cannot be relied upon (agricultural areas and factories).
In determining your generator needs, you should choose the most efficient model. The size of the new portable generators is indicated by the output and speed provided by the manufacturer: usually, a more powerful generator has a greater output and speed. Most generators fall between an output of 5KVA (kilovolt-ampere units) and 2500KVA. The lower KVA generators are suitable for home use, whereas the higher ones are more than ample for most industrial applications.
The efficiency of the model is the first step: however, you will also have to determine the load you have to supply. To do this, you simply have to calculate the power demand, whether this be for home or business use, during normal operating conditions. The level of power that the generator is able to provide will tell you whether it is sufficient to meet the requirements of your home or business: the capacity of the fuel tank only indicates the number of hours the generator will operate between refueling.You should always choose a generator that can provide a little more power than you really need, thus minimising the chances of overloading.
Something else you may need to consider is the decibel level of the petrol generators. Does the generator need to be run during the night in the home? If this is the case, it is a good idea to choose a silent diesel generator as the decibel level of these is much lower than than traditional diesel generators. It is also sensible to choose 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 level is not such problem if it is used in an industrial situation, or during the day.
If you only need to use the generator occasionally, it makes sense to look for a good quality used generator, as this will cost far less.
Ensuring that you have a diesel generator available for emergency situations, such as natural disasters or power outages, or perhaps when there is no existing mains electricity (camping is one such example) is an excellent idea. However, it pays to do your homework and carefully choose a generator that best suits your individual requirements.