Generator Buyer's Guide : Useful Information on Everything Commercial Generators
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Generator Basics
Understanding Commercial Generator Basics
If you are thinking that a power generator is a complicated piece of equipment that you could never understand, here is a simple breakdown of their parts. Four important components of a generator are:
The engine (also called the motor) of the generator burns fuel—usually propane, natural gas, gasoline, or diesel—to supply power.
The generator head then turns that power into electricity.
Most commercial generators require a transfer switch, which acts as the interchange between utility power and generator power. The switch recognizes an absence of utility power, and switches your electrical circuits to the generator as their power source. This process happens in roughly 30 seconds or less. As soon as utility power comes back on, the process is simply reversed.
The size of a generator is measured by the amount of wattage it produces, in kilowatts (kW). Sizes range from 1 kW for the smallest, gasoline-powered, portable generators, to hundreds of kW’s for large, industrial generators. The typical range for a commercial generator is 2kW – 20kW for small to medium-sized businesses, and 20kW – 250-plus kW for industrial-sized businesses.
There are several other features of commercial generators that you might be wondering about.
Single-phase and Three-phase Generators . A generator produces either single or three phase emergency power. Choose a single phase set if you do not have any motors above five horsepower. Three-phase power is better for motor starting and running. Most small businesses will require a single phase generator, whereas medium to large businesses and industrial applications usually require three phase power.
Generator Cooling Systems.
Air-cooled generators cost less than liquid-cooled generators, but produce more noise and are less efficient. Portable generators are almost always air-cooled.
Liquid-cooled generators typically cost more to purchase and maintain. Standby generators 20kW and larger typically use quiet, dependable, and effective liquid-cooled systems.
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