Choosing the Right Size Used Generator?
Many people feel that getting a generator for backup power is
easy because you can just get the smallest generator available
since it is only used on standby. This is faulty thinking and can
not only lead to damage to the generator, but can also cause you
problems as well. There are several sizes and types including:
•%09Single phase
•%09Three phase
•%09KW
•%09KVA
•%09Welder
•%09Standby
•%09Motor starting
There are various power capabilities ranging from 5kW to 50 kW,
that are available for personal and home use, with many ranking
from 50kW to well over 3mW for commercial and business use. There
are some that are designed for portable use with mobile homes, RVs,
or even just for a small office. Businesses must take advantage of
the highest powered generators in order to provide sufficient
backup power for an array of machinery and operations.
When determining the amount of power you need from a generator,
you will be considering the actual functions you want to continue
to power up while your main source of power is down. You will want
to list out the items that are actually going to need generated
power, as well as the starting wattage and the running wattage to
determine just what power capabilities are appropriate for you. If
you are just powering a small device, you will likely need one of
the smaller generators. However, if you are powering a business
building with various machines, you will likely have to make use of
one or more of the larger and more power supplying generators.
Asking the advice of a trained and experienced electrician can
ensure that you get the correct generator or generators you may
need. They will determine which devices require power and how much
will be needed to start and run each device. Each device will need
a specific amount to start up, with another amount of wattage to
continue running efficiently.
When all else fails, remember that going for the bigger
generator is better than going for the smaller generator. A
generator that is too small will cause a short within your devices
and likely within the generator as well. This could be a costly
mistake in the end.