The best generators for home

Criterias of choice

Today, manufacturers offer their customers a wide range of various gasoline power plants. To navigate a wide variety of models, the consumer needs to study the main selection criteria.

When buying a generator, you should be guided by the following points:

1. Choice of power. It is built on the following principle: the smallest capacity of the installation should provide the total performance of all electrical appliances with a minimum margin of 20%;
2. Manufacturer's brand. The most popular are devices from foreign companies such as Honda, Kipor and Huter. Among the domestic manufacturers are "Caliber", "Vepr" and "Energomash";
3. The number of phases. For domestic needs, a single-phase generator is sufficient;
4. Fuel consumption. This indicator depends on the specific model of the unit, the quality of the fuel and the load connected to the device. Power plants represented in the middle segment consume about 0.3-0.45 kg / kWh of fuel;
5. The level of the generated noise. If at the dacha there is no special room allocated for an electric generator, then in order to ensure acceptable noise levels, it is necessary to choose a station that will be equipped with a soundproof casing;
6. Device control options. The installation can be started in three ways: manually, by means of an electric starter and in automatic mode. The first type is used in inexpensive devices with low power. To start the device, you will need to make physical efforts: pull the cord or twist the handle. In the second case, you just need to press the power button. With the third type of start, the generator starts to work after the power supply is disconnected.

Varieties

Gas generators for summer cottages offered to the modern user are classified according to the following indicators:

1. Engine type;
2. The number of phases;
3. Generator view.

Engine types

The engine is the main element of a gasoline power plant, on the technical capabilities of which the reliability and durability of the installation depends. Under normal operating conditions, the average service life is about 4 thousand hours. The gasoline engine is used in low and medium power devices. It is lightweight and low cost.

Power plants are of the following types:

1. Two-stroke. These units are used in small power plants (up to 1 kW) with a small resource - up to 1 thousand hours. They can only function for a short period of time, therefore they are recommended for intermittent use. The motors are lightweight and small in size, due to which they are successfully used in mobile power plants;
2. Four-stroke. These installations are more efficient and reliable, their service life can reach 10 thousand hours. They are used in gas generators with a power rating of 10-15 kW. Four-stroke units are the best solution for a summer cottage.

Generator types

A generator is a module that converts mechanical energy into electrical current. Depending on the type of device, all gas generators for summer cottages can be classified into two types:

1. Synchronous;
2. And asynchronous.

Synchronous units are distinguished by high quality of the generated current and the ability to withstand extreme loads, the indicators of which are 4 times higher than the nominal ones. They stably maintain the voltage in the network and are not afraid of short circuits.Most professional power plants use just such devices.

Asynchronous generators do not cope well with peak loads, they are less reliable, but more economical and easier to maintain. A feature of this type of device is high level of protection from the effects of the environment. Its disadvantages include the low quality of the generated current. These units allow you to connect household appliances and various types of electrical equipment that do not use high starting currents.

Phase installations

Before the purchase gas generator for summer cottages it is necessary to determine the characteristics of the network and the phasing of the devices.

Depending on the number of phases of the power plant, there are:

• Single phase. These units are designed to power the majority of household appliances using AC voltage of 220 V and a frequency of 50 Hz. Only single-phase consumers can be connected to them;
• Three-phase. These generators can be used to provide electricity to devices operating under voltages of both 380 V and 220 V. The scope of their use is quite wide: they are used in industrial production and the construction industry, and also sometimes find application in modern cottages with a three-phase power system.

Continuity of work

Mini station

This characteristic determines the amount of time that the generator can operate without refueling. Its indicators directly depend on fuel tank capacity and the load on the gas generator. The more electricity is consumed, the more gasoline consumption and the time to the next refueling is reduced.

Models with four-stroke powerful cylinders, as a rule, are equipped with fuel containers from 20 liters, which allows them to work without interruption for 10-15 hours. This option is the most optimal for year-round stationary use of the device.

Mini-power plants are designed for 1-3 hours of continuous operation and their fuel consumption is scanty.

The weight

This characteristic is critical only for mobile portable power plants, since the main parameter here is ease of transportation. The unit weighing 70-80 kilograms is unlikely to please people who are going on a hike or relaxing on a fishing trip.

Optional features

I would like to highlight a small part of the article for some of the main optional features of generators that affect their operation.

Starting device

Which generator is better, electric starter or manual? Manual start-up is a more common form, since it has a simple design and significantly reduces the sales cost of the unit. This launch option is unpretentious in maintenance and always works flawlessly.

Control Panel

The advantages of the electric starter are that it simplifies the work with the power plant and fully automates the work process, if necessary. For example, in the event of an emergency power outage, the generator, as a backup power source, will turn on by itself and will support the switched on appliances in the house without human intervention.

Some expensive models come with a remote control for turning the device on and off from home.

Automatic voltage stabilization system

This system allows you to maintain the power generated by the gas generator in a constant mode, regardless of fluctuations in consumption when the devices are turned on and off. In fact, it is a useless thing, but for some reason it adapts to many devices of an expensive class.

Cooling

Almost all gas generators have an overheating protection function. Expensive models have active water cooling. Generators of the middle and budget class are equipped with air-type ventilation.

conclusions

We hope you figured out for yourself which gas generator is needed for your home in your case.If you are going to buy a gas generator, we hope this article helped you make the right choice. I would like to note the optional features. Their presence increases the cost of the nominal cost of the unit by 10-50 percent, which is a very costly and controversial question: "Is it necessary?" Cooling is almost everywhere air, it cools well enough even in summer, but an electric starter, no matter how convenient it is, can be sacrificed.

Performance characteristics

Evaluating the performance when choosing a generator will help you choose exactly the one that suits you for all electrical appliances turned on at the same time. The energy allocated by the generator should be sufficient to provide the electrical appliances you listed with a surcharge of 20% in order to avoid emergency situations.

Gas generators with different performance characteristics

A more generalized selection option:

• Up to 1.5 kW - suitable for portable use.
• 2-5 kW - medium, the most popular option for providing energy to a small or medium country house.
• 5-15 kW - gas generators for use in medium and large cottage houses.
• More than 15 kW - for mini-production and cottages with a lot of electrical equipment.

When choosing a generator, it is worth considering that the above parameters represent the rated power of the generator, but not the maximum. If the maximum indicator is exceeded, the operation of all devices will, at best, last a few minutes.

Two and four stroke models

By the type of engine used in generators, two- and four-stroke are distinguished, which are produced only in gasoline versions.

A two-stroke engine has a simpler device, since it is devoid of a lubrication and gas distribution system, which has a positive effect on the cost of such units. Half the number of clock cycles determines good overclocking dynamics.

But the simplicity of the device entails some disadvantages:

1. The engine is refueled with a gasoline-oil mixture in a certain ratio, which requires labor and time.
2. Combustion of the mixture is associated with toxic exhaust, which leads to poor environmental cleanliness of the engine.
3. When the engine is running, while the cylinder is filling with the working mixture, it is partially ejected with the exhaust, which causes increased fuel consumption.
4. High noise level.
5. The service life is half that of a 4-stroke engine.

Gas generator noise

The noise of a gasoline generator depends on the load, on the power. Of course, build quality will also go a long way.

It is important that there is a good muffler that is really capable of suppressing sounds.

In addition, excellent noise protection - modern soundproof casing.

Noise table

Let's consider a small noise table.

Now we can imagine the ratio of decibels to real sounds that we all heard.

Thus, the almost silent Caiman Tristar 8510MTXL27 gas generator has a noise level of 45 dB. Such work can be called unprecedentedly quiet for such a unit. Indeed, according to the table, 45 dB is between a quiet whisper and rural silence.

Pros and cons versus diesel

Gasoline and diesel power generators differ in design and performance, which is due to the type of fuel, the process of preparing the mixture, its delivery to the cylinders and the method of ignition.

In a gasoline engine, the combustible mixture is prepared using a carburetor and ignited by a spark from a candle, and in a diesel engine the nozzle injects diesel fuel at maximum compression, which ignites spontaneously.

When comparing a carburetor engine and a diesel engine, without tying their features to generators, the main differences will be as follows:

1. Diesel has a higher efficiency and economy.
2. Diesel has a much longer resource, but needs more qualified service.
3. Diesel reacts more strongly to the external ambient temperature.
4. Diesel is noisy and more expensive.

All of the above factors affect the properties of generators, but for the buyer to make a choice between the two types of generators, this information will not be enough. Their main differences will be manifested in the following:

In the absence of compelling reasons for buying a generator with a diesel engine, it is advisable to choose a device for its gasoline version or take an inverter generator. They are more mobile, less expensive, easier to operate and maintain. The diesel generator will have an undeniable advantage when the operating time per year will be measured in thousands of hours.