There are many options for the home owner and business operator when the time comes to choose a generator: so many, in fact, that it can be quite confusing to those who do not possess the necessary information. What source of fuel would you rather use - diesel or petrol? Is your requirement for a small "emergency" generator for use in the home, or one with plenty of power to act as a back up when the mains electricity is not working in your business? If you don't have enough knowledge of how generators work, it could be very hard for you to choose the best one for your needs.
How then, do you make a choice? To begin with, you should make a decision as to what precise purpose you will need the generator, because with this knowledge you will be able to determine the capacity. If the generator is 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 enough as it is bound to fail when you need it most.
Diesel and petrol generators operate in a similar way. Diesel electrical generators are quite often 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 is usually because there is no mains power (as with construction sites) or the power supply is unreliable (agricultural areas and factories).
When you are deciding upon your generator needs, you need to choose the most efficient model. The size of the petrol generator is indicated by the output and speed as given by the manufacturer: generally speaking, a more powerful generator has a higher output and speed. Most generators can be categorised between an output of 5KVA (kilovolt-ampere units) and 2500KVA. The lower KVA generators are best for home use, whereas the higher ones 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 need to supply. To do this, you merely have to calculate the power demand, either for the home or the business, during normal operating conditions. The degree of power that the petrol generator can provide will tell you whether it is powerful enough to meet the demands of your home or business: the capacity of the fuel tank just determines the length of time the generator will operate between refueling.It is always sensible to opt for a generator that provides a little more power than you absolutely need, thus reducing the chance of overloading.
Another factor you may have to give some thought to is the decibel level of the silent generator. Does the generator need to be run during the night in the home? If so, you should choose a silent diesel generator as the noise output of these is much lower than traditional diesel generators. It is also a good idea to choose a silent diesel generator with a decent sized fuel tank, to make sure that it runs overnight, thereby avoiding refueling in the middle of the night. The decibel output is not such a problem if it is used in an industrial situation, or during the day.
For generators that will be used only occasionally, it makes sense to choose a good quality used generator, as this will save you a good deal of money.
Ensuring that you have a generator available for emergency situations, such as natural disasters or power outages, or perhaps those times when there is no electricity supply available (camping is one such example) is an excellent idea. However, you should conduct some research and carefully choose a generator that best suits your individual requirements. |