Power Generators: Types and Life Span

Garden & Outdoor Generators

In this modern-day and time, people live with modern technological advancements to enhance their lifestyle. However, most technological advancements require electrical energy to run. Electricity has played a vital role in our society's development as it is used in almost everything we have. On the other hand, some people or communities could live without electricity.

On mountains and other remote areas, there is limited-to-almost-none no access to electricity. Power generators are used in these places to have access to electrical energy. There are several types of generators which are listed below. We also recommend you read our review on pulsar generators!

Types of generators

1 Standby generator

Standby generators automatically work to supply electricity to the network system during blackouts. These generators are mostly used on buildings to give sufficient electrical energy for elevators and lighting. Standby generators are also often used in locations with frequent power outages.

2 Portable generator

Portable generators can be used for emergency power anywhere. These are mostly used to run businesses that are in remote locations. Portable generators can also be used when going outdoors.

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3 Inverter generator

Inverter generators can be used with a parallel mode connected to another generator to produce twice the original output. Experts say that inverter generators provide cleaner electricity as it produces less dangerous power spikes. This type of generator is considered very efficient as it can throttle the energy production based on its consumption.

These generators operate on either of the three:

Gas Generators- This type of generator uses natural gas to function. It has a lower cost compared to diesel fuel which is advantageous to longer durations of usage. Gas generators don't have on-site fuel storage, which means there is no regular fuel tank maintenance. It also has an advantage to lesser air pollution as natural gas burns cleaner than diesel.
Diesel Generator- Contradictory to the cost of diesel fuel, diesel generators produce more energy which can produce twice of those gas generators. The maintenance of the diesel is fairly low in terms of its design. This type of generator is also considered safer because it doesn't require frequent refills than gas generators. Most experts prefer diesel generators as it has simpler engines that can be easily fixed.
Dual fuel - This type of generator can use a wide range of fuels such as Diesel, Petrol, and Liquid propane. It is considered very economical as its fuel consumption is fairly low. It is also durable which can last for long hours of power generation.

How long can a generator run (24-hour basis)?

According to an article, the average generator usage without refilling or breaking is around 7 to 12 hours. These are considered with different types and sizes of generators. With these being said, generators can't perform 24 hours of usage as it is only designed as back up power source.

How long can a generator run(Life span)?

Many generator companies provide 2 to 3 years of warranty for the generators. However, as it is designed as a backup power source, it is measured by hours of usage.

Professionals say that the average life span range of portable generators is around 10,000 to 20,000 hours of usage. On the other hand, standby power generators can run based on maintenance and size, which is expected to have 20-40 years of usage.

Last Updated on June 16, 2021 by Nelson