Generator Features - Different Generator Types

Single phase power or 3 phase power

Generators produce either single or three phase power.

The decision which type of power suits your needs best, depends on your power consumption. If you do not operate electrical motors above five horsepower, a single phase generator is perfect and will meet your power requirements. Single pahse generators are perfect for most homeowners .

Industrial or commercial utilization of generators usually can onyl be served by three phase power. Three phase generators produce usually one of two voltage choices: 120/208 volts or 277/480 volts.

Fuel Choice For Your Generator: Gas (propane, natural gas) or Diesel

This question ic closely linked with the cost of a generator and the operating hours that can be expected. For home owners who only expect sporadic use of the generator, the more economical solution will be gas. For industrial applications, diesel is in most cases better.

Diesel generators may be better suited, due to their longevity and lower operating costs, if you know that your generator set will be running often and during prolongued periods. Today’s modern diesels are quiet and normally require much less maintenance than comparably sized gas (natural gas or propane) units. Fuel costs per kW produced with diesels is normally thirty to fifty percent less than gas units.

A 1800 rpm water cooled diesel unit operats on average 12-30,000 hours before major maintenance is required. A 1800 rpm water cooled gas unit normally operats 6-10,000 hours, because they are built on a lighter duty gasoline engine block. Because the gas units burn hotter (due to the higher btu of the fuel) they have significantly shorter lives than the diesel units. A 3600 rpm air-cooled gas unit is normally replaced – not overhauled at 500 to 1500 hours. To better understand what these hours mean:

• 480 hours = 20 24-hour days
• 1440 hours = 60 24-hour days
• 6'000 hours = 250 24-hour days
• 9'600 hours = 400 24-hour days
• 12'000 hours = 500 24-hour days
• 30'000 hours = 1250 24-hour days

So if you only expect a few hours of power outages from time to time, the coice is quite clear: Gas.

Generator Engine Operating Speed

One of the callenges for a generator is to output clean electricity. It's important to run very regularly. Electric equipment is designed to use power with a fixed frequency: 60 Hertz (Hz) in the United States and Canada, 50 Hertz in Europe and Australia. The frequency output of a generator depends on a fixed engine speed. To produce 60 Hz electricity, most engines operate at 1800 or 3600 RPM (rotations per minute).

Each of these two speeds has its advantages and drawbacks. 1800 RPM, four pole sets are the most common and least expensive. They offer the best balance of noise, efficiency, cost and engine life. 3600 RPM, two pole sets are smaller and lightweight, best suited for portable, light-duty applications.

When thinking about generator operating speed, you can best understand when you compare it to a car that is driven at 50 mph or 100 mph. At 50 mph a car will last longer, run quieter, need less maintenance and will have a longer life. The same applies to generator engines. Most 3600 rpm units are twin cylinder air cooled lawn mower engines. The water cooled 1800 rpm units are comparable to engines used in forklifts and tractors.

read on: Generator Engine

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