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 very confusing to the uninitiated. What type of fuel do you prefer – diesel or petrol? Do you need a small “emergency” petrol generator for the home, or one with plenty of 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 petrol generator work, you will find it difficult to choose.
How then, do you make a selection? To begin with, you should investigate for what precise purpose you will need the generator, as this will help you to determine the capacity. If you require a diesel generator for home use, it would not be a good idea to choose a heavy duty industrial generator, as it would give out more power than you require. Similarly, if you need to run machinery, a small generator will not be enough as it is guaranteed 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 because there is no mains power (as with construction sites) or the mains power cannot be relied upon (such as with agricultural areas and factories).
In determining your generator needs, you have to by necessity choose the most efficient model. The size of the petrol generators is specified by the output and speed as given by the manufacturer: it is usually the case that, a more powerful generator has a higher output and speed. Most generators range between an output of 5KVA (kilovolt-ampere units) and 2500KVA. The lower KVA generators are suitable for home use, whereas the higher ones provide more than enough power for most industrial applications.
The model’s efficiency rating is the first step: however, you will also have to determine the load you have to supply. To do this, you just have to figure out the power demand, whether this be in the home or the business, during normal operating conditions. The amount of power that the generator can output will indicate whether it is powerful enough to meet the requirements of your home or business: the capacity of the fuel tank only determines the number of hours the generator will operate between refueling.It is always wise to choose a generator that can provide a little more power than you really need, thus minimising the possibility of overloading.
Something else you may need to think about is the decibel output of the new petrol generator. Will you need to run the generator during the night in the home? If so, it is a good idea to choose a silent diesel generator as the decibel level of these is much lower than traditional diesel generators. It is also sensible to choose a silent diesel generator with a decent sized fuel tank, to make sure that it runs overnight, so you don’t have to be worried about refueling in the wee small hours. The decibel output is not such a critical factor 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 buy a good quality used generator, as this will cost far less.
Ensuring that you have a diesel generator at hand 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 a great idea. However, you should to do your homework and carefully choose a generator that best suits your individual needs.
