Portable Generator

Description

Portable generators are used wherever electricity is needed. There are many options for portable generators, and they are always cheaper than backup generators. Smaller models are commonly used for camping, RVS, tailgating, food trucks, and basic home or office needs. Larger portable generators (up to 17,500 watts) can be used on worksites, larger RVS, or even run homes, stores, or worksites.

Portable generator Fuel type

Most portable generators use gas as fuel to drive the engine. Some use diesel, although this is rare and usually a generator with higher output power. Propane (liquefied petroleum gas) is a popular fuel type due to its clean-burning properties. In addition to being the preferred choice of environmentalists, there are several other advantages to using a propane generator. You can learn more about propane generators in this article: Propane and Gas Generators. In terms of the cost of these generators, gas, and propane generators cost about the same, while generators equipped with diesel engines will cost more. Some generators can run on natural gas or propane, these are called dual-fuel or hybrid generators. You can even get three-fuel generators that can run on natural gas, propane, or natural gas. These generators will cost slightly more than generators designed for one fuel. Although the price difference is small, the advantages of using dual-fuel or triple-fuel generators are self-evident. You have more options, and when fuel is more readily available, this can be of considerable value during natural disasters.

Parameter

The following is a simple introduction to several convenient generators according to different application scenarios:

Portable household generator

In general, household portable generators can consider a generator of more than 3KW. If you are considering a smaller 3-4 kilowatt generator, the maximum amount of electricity produced can meet the electricity needs of your refrigerator (or room air conditioning), as well as your lights, TV, computer, and some low-current appliances. If you are using a generator below 5KW, it is not feasible to connect a small generator directly to the power lines in your home, usually, you need to use an extension cord, this is because the power lines in your home cannot provide enough power. When your home uses more electricity than the output the generator can provide, the generator can easily trip.

You can connect a portable generator to your home with a switch. This is not as convenient as a backup generator with an automatic change-over switch, but it will still make things a lot easier. You can purchase manual transfer switch kits in various sizes. These will require you to turn the generator on and off yourself. You also have to manually switch from mains to generator and back again. But you can easily use existing electrical outlets and hard-wired lights in your home. If you use an extension cord, you can only use a lamp plugged into an outlet.

For generators with power greater than or equal to 5KW, you should only consider using a transfer switch. Even then, you can only use a few lines. You won’t be able to use a portable generator to power the entire house. Although the largest portable generators can provide all the power you need. The great thing about using a portable generator as a backup power source for your home is that you can also use it for other purposes, such as camping.

You can buy a basic transfer switch (Reliance Control TF151W) for a few hundred dollars. Although more than likely, you’ll want a complete kit that supplies the auxiliary circuit breaker for the generator. For these high-end changeover switches, you can expect to pay between 1600 and 2500 yuan, depending on how much circuit you need. Larger generators will be able to handle more circuits, so larger transfer switch kits are required. You also need to consider installation costs. The kit may come with all the necessary plugs and wiring, but you will still need a qualified electrician to install it for you. Because the transfer switch is directly connected to the house wiring, this requires compliance with specific regulations.

Portable camping generator

If you’re camping, you may not have much room for a large generator. For basic tent camping, you can consider a really small 1Kw to 2Kw generator. These are usually small and light enough for one person to carry. They also don’t require much gas and can fit in the trunk of most cars. Although you will be limited by what the generator can be used for. These generators can power a stereo, television, or similar electronic devices, as well as provide some lights and a stationary fan or small space heater. If you are using an air-conditioned RV, 10,000BTU of AC requires at least 3,000 watts. You’ll probably want something bigger so you can run more than your air conditioner on a generator.

Food truck portable generator

If you only need to power the point of sale system and the coffee machine (or similar load), you can equip the food cart with a 1-2kw generator. In most cases, though, you’ll probably want to use a few more appliances. Food truck owners seem to prefer 3-4 kW generators. These are small enough, practical, and provide enough electricity, a small (under the counter) refrigerator, some appliances, necessary electronics, and lighting. The size of the generator used by food trucks depends entirely on the size of your truck and what power you need to keep your business running.

Portable field generator

Site requirements vary widely. One thing to consider when using generators for power tools is that they require a high starting wattage (peak load). It will also depend on how many people work at the same time. Several tools starting at the same time will require a high peak load. For some drills or similar tools, about 3KW is fine. Although most site generators tend to be 5KW or higher. If you use a high-power tool, such as an Angle grinder, a higher power output will be essential. Even more important if you’re using a table saw or an air compressor. An air compressor can be started with any power of 3-6kw.