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What can you power with a generator?
The size generator that will suite your equipment needs depends on the amount of Watt it requires. Generators are rated in KW (1000Watt=1KW). Your equipment will also be marked with a label giving the Watt or sometimes VA it requires. VA is Volts X Amps. If it is marked in VA you will need to convert it to Watt. On smaller equipment with transformers you would multiply the VA with a PFC (Power Factor Conversion) of plus minus 0.7(e.g. 600VA X 0.7PFC = 420Watt).
You have to keep in mind is to always keep your equipment requirement at less than 75% of what your generator size is. This is to accommodate fluctuations in the equipment Watt requirements. For instance, when you switch on your equipment there is a momentary surge for your equipment to initially start-up.
Capacitors in electronic equipment charge like batteries, but much faster. For this there is a momentary need for more Watt. Transformers also use some electricity, although very small, which are not included in the equipment Watt requirements.
For larger equipment like air-conditioners you will multiply the VA rating with 1PFC (Power Factor Conversion) giving a higher Watt requirement.
Always ensure your generator is properly earthed for safety reasons and for preventing what is called a floating earth. This can drastically reduce your generators performance.
When connecting sensitive equipment to a generator like computer equipment, make sure to use a UPS or some form of regulator that will prevent spikes and surges getting to your equipment.
Generators normally need to warm up before you use them; similar to when you start your car in the morning and it runs faster for a few minutes. During this time, the generator will run at higher RPM, producing higher electricity.
Good practice is to have a switchover switch. First, start the generator and let it warm up. Once it is running stable, engage the switchover switch. This in itself will still produce a momentary power surge that will then be absorbed by a UPS protecting expensive equipment.
Alternative option to a generator is a Standby UPS.
This type of unit will charge as long as you apply electricity to it, keeping its batteries fully charged. This type can give you up to eight hours of electricity when there is an electricity outage.
Another option is Solar Power.
Solar power works similar to the standby UPS except it uses the sun to charge its batteries. Though expensive to install, it will save you on the long run. |
