Power outages are definitely on the list of the century's biggest annoyances. That's because most things depend on it today.
Businesses need electricity to power computers, businesses need electricity to better serve customers, industrial facilities need electricity to power equipment, and even our homes need electricity every day.
In this respect, a generator becomes the most cost-effective solution, as it ensures that production is not interrupted, even in the event of a breakdown or interruption, thus avoiding significant financial losses.
However, unlike many others, it is important to understand how the load is determined and what the specific characteristics are in order to choose the best generator for your needs.
That's what we're going to talk about today. Read on.
What Is Load Size?
Load sizing is a set of factors that are considered before choosing the best generator for your needs.
Basically, it's about the size of the unit and its ability to deliver power to your location in a way that maximizes its performance of your generator without the risk of damage or breakdown.
What's Included In The Size?
When determining the need for a generator set, the first thing to do is to make sure the equipment can easily meet the requirements.
To do this, you can ask questions such as:
- What type of load? (machinery, lighting, induction motors, etc.).
- What are the physical characteristics of the site? (ambient temperature, indoor or outdoor space, height),
- How often is the generator used (occasionally or frequently, how many hours per day)?
- How long can the users be absent?
It is also important to take into account the nameplates of the appliances powered by the generator. It is important to obtain this information, as the power data in watts (W) will allow more accurate calculations to be made.
For example, if it is a resistive device, calculate this value, whereas if it is an inductive device (with a motor), simply multiply this value by four.
How Is The Calculation Done?
Once you have all the information, it's time to calculate the load value of the generator. To do this, you need to gather all the power values for the equipment you want to use.
It's also important to sort them out, in the same way that it's important to distinguish between main and non-main loads for standby generators.
Calculate the power rating of the equipment in kilowatts (kW):
Check and enter the power or consumption in kilowatts (kW) of the equipment to be connected to the generator,
Multiply the result by 1.3 to obtain a safety margin,
Multiply the rated load by the value on the manufacturer's label to determine the maximum value. If the equipment does not have a starting factor, multiply the rated load by 4.
Calculate the equipment in watts (W):
->Add the power or consumption in watts (W) of the equipment to be connected to the generator,
->Range: 10³ watts (1 kW = 1000 W),
->Multiply the result by 1.3 to obtain a safety margin,
->Multiply the rated load by the value on the manufacturer's label to determine the maximum value.
Multiplying the rated load:
Example:
2 power showers of 5000 watts each,
1 microwave oven 200 watts,
1 vacuum cleaner 150 watts,
2 air conditioners of 1450 watts each.
Total = 14,250 watts - x4 on top.
This value must be multiplied by 1.52, i.e. 14,250 watts x 1.52 = 21,660 VA total consumption, which is equivalent to 0.02166 kVA.
S(kVA) = S(VA) / 1000
As you can see from this article, there are many factors to consider when choosing the right generator. If you are having any problems or would like more specific suggestions and recommendations for your situation, contact us today and we will be more than happy to assist you.
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