Use electricity at home, at the dacha, and in the forest! Or why buy a generator?

Power outage for several hours — a problematic situation. And we have all experienced it, undoubtedly. Without electricity in the grid, all processes around us don't just slow down — they completely stop. There's no lighting, no heating, household appliances don't work. Lucky if the computer is connected via an uninterruptible power supply, it will last half an hour or a bit longer. But if even this backup doesn't exist, and your phone has run out of charge, then you're in big trouble.

Power outages, which the people call simply — 'no light' — occur both in apartments and in country houses. Such cases often catch you off guard at the dacha, where the electrical network is very unstable, and the current frequently disappears. During this forced isolation and unbearable suffering, a wise homeowner comes up with a brilliant idea — why not buy an alternative power source?

As a personal source of electricity, you can imagine a stabilizer or a powerful UPS. But the best remedy for 'dead' electrical networks — a quality generator.

What is a generator, and what advantages does it offer?

An electric generator is a device for producing electric current. It is equipped with an internal combustion engine, whose mechanical energy is converted into electricity and supplied to all connected devices. That is, you get backup electricity, truly independent of anyone.

Powerful electrical stations are used for business, while small ones — for household needs.

Having a good home generator, you get significant advantages:

• You are free from dependence on the stationary electrical network.
• You become confident and calm, since you know that electricity will always be there — right at hand, just need to start your own little power station.
• You get comfort and the ability to work or relax, regardless of whether there's no electricity in the house, on the street, in the village or city — 'no light'.
• Your electrical devices don't suffer from power outages, they operate in their usual mode.
• If the generator is compact, easily portable or can be transported in a car, you can take it with you on nature trips — fishing, hunting, a hiking trip, even your personal computer can be taken with you to work in fresh air.

Thus, thanks to the generator, your electricity is always with you and never fails. Just need to refuel it in time and in the required amount.

What fuel is used in generators?

To make the generator's engine work, you need to pour gasoline or diesel fuel into its tank, or connect the unit to a gas cylinder or gas pipe.

Thus, there are three types of generators:

1. Diesel — durable and adapted to loads.
2. Gasoline generator — these stations are the most popular and cheapest.
3. Gas — the most economical in terms of saving money on fuel.

There are also dual-fuel or 'hybrid' generators. They can operate on both gasoline and propane-butane gas. You simply switch the station to the required mode, depending on the fuel you have and which is more convenient to use.

To help you choose the most optimal fuel type, considering how often you will use the station and at what power, we will describe each type of generator in more detail.

Diesel generators — powerful, productive, easily withstand loads

Diesel generators — the most powerful and durable. The engine has a special construction, and diesel fuel has excellent lubricating properties, thanks to which the unit has the following advantages:

• Longest engine lifespan (2-3 times longer than gasoline).
• Can operate in the most difficult and unfavorable conditions, over a wide temperature range, high dust and pollution.
• Diesel mechanisms are specially designed for increased loads. Even working at maximum power for many hours in a row, a diesel unit won't 'stall' or shut down, because overloading is not a problem for it. Working 'at full capacity' — is a completely normal mode of operation for diesel.
• These devices always have an effective cooling system. In less powerful models — air cooling, in more powerful ones — liquid cooling. That's why diesel stations can work continuously for 12-15 hours without overheating. Gasoline units can't handle this time, at most 5-8 hours.
• Diesel generators are often used not only as backup, but also as a constant power source in places where there's no electrical network at all. For example, construction work, emergency situations, mobile trade.

True, the cost of such a station is 30% higher than gasoline. And 'break-even' this high price is possible only with frequent use. Therefore, it is worth buying a diesel generator if power outages are frequent and long-lasting.

When used in winter, in freezing temperatures, low-quality diesel fuel may freeze, which is a drawback of diesel. In diesel generators from popular brands, there is often a preheating function, in which the diesel fuel won't freeze at low temperatures.

Diesel's drawbacks also include its high noise level, so you need to buy a model in a casing, or make your own noise-insulating container with an exhaust for exhaust gases.

Gasoline generators — undisputed bestsellers

Gasoline generators — the most popular among the population. The reason for their popularity is that they are cheap and easy to use and maintain. This is the ideal backup power source for household needs.

A gasoline generator with a power of 3 kW is enough for a small dacha, 5-7 kW — for a medium-sized house. And a station with a nominal power of 10 kW will power all the electrical appliances that are possible in a large country house (refrigerator, freezer, boiler, water heater, washing machine, microwave, electric stove), provide lighting, heating, start a water pump, etc.

A gasoline generator works 5-8 hours in continuous mode. It needs to be given a break for the engine to cool down. The noise level is lower than in diesel, no special casing is needed, nor a container for installation.

A sub-type of gasoline stations are the most modern generators — inverter type. Inverter generators are lightweight, compact, very quiet and extremely economical. You can even install it on a balcony of an apartment building.

The smallest inverter generators (900 W-1 kW) are produced in the form of a travel suitcase with a handle, very convenient to carry with you to the outdoors.

The biggest advantage of an inverter is that the current it produces is of the highest quality, voltage is stable, deviation is no more than 5%. You can safely connect expensive computer equipment, sensitive gas boiler ignition blocks, various modern gadgets.

Gas generators — serious savings on money

A gas station, in most cases, works from a propane-butane gas cylinder. A small cylinder is sold at gas stations, and it lasts for a long time. Savings on money are significant, fuel costs are 25-30% lower than with a gasoline generator. That is, 1 kilowatt of your own electricity will be very cheap, almost as from a stationary network.

Such devices can also be connected to a gas pipeline, but this requires permission from the gas service.

The resource of a gas generator is higher than that of a gasoline one, since gas produces fewer combustion products. It is quieter and more environmentally friendly. But it costs more, and only some manufacturers produce it, so choosing a good model is somewhat difficult.

What to pay attention to when choosing

• Type of installation. Open (on a frame) or closed (in a casing). A casing provides advantages in noise reduction, as well as protection from dust and dirt. An open structure cools better.
• Phase type. Usually, for a home, a single-phase generator is chosen, since household appliances mostly require 220 volts voltage. However, if you have three-phase tools or equipment, you need to buy a three-phase generator (380 volts). It has sockets on the front panel for both 220 and 380 volts. That is, it will provide power to both three-phase and single-phase devices. Just need to consider that when connecting 220-volt devices to a 380-volt generator, its power in kW will be divided by three. That is, you will get one third of the power — for each single-phase line. For example, 6 kW of power — this will be 2 kW for single-phase users. In addition, it is necessary to carefully calculate the connection by power, the difference between lines should not be more than 20%, to avoid the phenomenon of 'phase imbalance'.
• Type of start. Manual start — this is a pull cord. It is convenient only for small models. It is difficult to pull on a cold day, or if the generator is large and heavy. Much better way to start — electric starter. With it, the unit is started by simply turning the key in the ignition switch. The most comfortable way is AVR — automatic voltage regulation. The automation will be able to start the generator as soon as the current disappears in the network, without your presence, and then automatically turn it off when the need for backup power is gone.
• Presence of stabilization function. An integrated stabilizer will not allow the voltage to deviate from 220 or 380 volts more than 10%. You will get a stable output voltage, which is very important for sensitive equipment in the home.