Need More than a 20kw Generator can offer? A peek at Larger Units and Who Needs Them

Air-cooled standby generators top out at 20 kilowatts, a just 83 amperes at 240 volts. Most new homes have 200-amp service. Normally, most homes don’t use the volume of power their service is capable of supplying, and seldom come close―most of the time. Actually, most homes don’t exceed 80 amperes apart from short periods or when large motors on air conditioners or well pumps start. Through the 1940s to the 1970s, 60-ampere service was usual and 100-ampere service became common in the 1970s.

With power management features intended for most residential standby generators, along with conservative power use practices, most homes can function comfortably on 20 kilowatts or a reduced amount of standby power.

Higher Power Requirements

Larger homes have higher power requirements. It is not uncommon to need 300- and 400-amp service in large homes, and the largest luxury homes are often provided with even larger electrical service. They have got multiple, high-capacity air conditioners and furnaces, and in general, larger appliances.  Power use exceeding 20 kilowatts could be the normal, everyday degree of used in these homes.

Smaller businesses and manufacturing facilities may also be higher users of electrical power. In the case of larger facilities, multiple standby generators are often used to produce enough standby electrical power in order to supply emergency systems that don’t include everyday operational requirements.

Liquid Cooled Generators

Liquid-cooled standby generators use engines comparable to those present in cars. There is a fan-cooled radiator stuffed with coolant that’s pumped through the engine to chill it. Because they don’t rely on the ambient air temperature to directly cool the engine, and because their cooling system is active as opposed to passive, they have less issue with overheating and give more reliable operation.

Standby generators of this type are available with as much as 60 kilowatts of power for residential use, and larger models as high as 150 kilowatts for commercial use. A capacity of 60kW can provide as much as 250 amperes of current continuously, enough to hold most luxury homes operating without judicious using power.

The larger, commercial standby models will handle the needs of most commercial facilities and can supply power to restaurants, offices, apartments, and retail facilities. Facilities which need more power can install multiple units.

Manufacturers

For residential use, Generac Power Systems manufacturers the QuietSource distinct home standby generators. The QuietSource models can be bought in 22, 27, 36 and 48 kilowatts, enough power for the majority of larger and luxury homes. QuietSource generators include models in 240-volt single-phase,  208-volt three-phase, and 480-volt three-phase standby power.

Generac’s Commercial series of liquid-cooled standby generators include 22 to 150 kilowatt models for business or commercial use and come in 240, 208, or 480 volt models in the single and three-phase configurations. Models with steel or aluminum enclosures are available.

Briggs & Stratton has three models intended for entire house standby power in 35, 45, and 60 kilowatts to power the largest of luxury homes within a power outage. With this type of power available, you don’t need to forgo some of life’s necessities or conveniences.

Considerations

Homes that rely on high-demand electric appliances like ranges, dryers, water heaters, well pumps, electric heating, and central air conditioners may require more power than an air-cooled standby generator can provide without extensive management and careful using of power. These homeowners should consider a bigger, liquid cooled generator.

Businesses and commercial operations will want the reliability and higher power advantages that larger, liquid-cooled standby generators may offer.

For more information on these great brands, please go to: www.NPSGenerac.com