How powerful generator is needed for this PA system

krneki

We're going to have an open-air gig where we'll have to use electrical generator to power up our system. Here's the list of equipment we plan to use:
- 2x EV ZLX12P
- 1x FBT MAXX10SA
- notebook with MIDI controller (source of music)
- 2 or 5 channel mixer
- lightmaxx cls-3

I was wondering how powerful electrical generator should we get in order to make sure there won't be any problems? Where's the bottom end line in specifications? Could we actually damage the equipment if generator wouldn't output enough power?

colmokeeffe

Whatever generator you decide to use make sure there is a voltage regulator

krneki

Maybe I could get Honda EU10i and EU20i, so I was thinking to power up 1x FBT MAXX10SA with EU10i and everything else with EU20i (2x EV ZLX12P, notebook and mixer). Lights are optional. Do you think that could work? Could there be any grounding issues?

In fact I could even power notebook and mixer with 12V to 230V inverter from accumulators. In that case, it would look like this:
EU10i: 1x FBT MAXX10SA
EU20i: 2x EV ZLX12P
1000 W 12-230V inverter from acc: notebook and mixer

What do you think guys? Is that combination rock-solid?

ironclaw

Its not so much if the generator could handle it, its the output quality of the generator. Power tools etc don't mind a bit of noise (And I mean spikes, dips, fluctuations of electrical current) and will work fine. Stick the same supply into a mixer or audio unit, and it won't be happy. The best analog I can give you is an low quality MP3 (Generator) versus a Studio FLAC (Mains supply), except in this case the MP3 will damage the equipment.

As colmokeeffe said, you need a voltage regulator and preferably some smoothing circuitry. Definitely a surge / spike arrestor. The easiest way to do this is to run everything through a good quality UPS or get a suitable generator [Big money there]

Unless you have a decent set up as I describe or are willing to damage the equipment, I'd think twice before doing this. Domestic generators, as you are using here, are not suitable for sensitive audio and computer equipment.

hans aus dtschl

Lights mess up your power source. particularly if they're intermittent.

Get a genny with 2x the VA's you need. Sum up all your VA's and figure out how much of it's gonna be heavily inductive (most of it will be) and you'll know what you need.
Bigger gigs, it might be nice to segregate soundsystem genset from lighting/general genset.

As has been said numerous times, get a regulator.

Benefits of diesel: harder to set fuel source on fire, cheaper to run.
Drawbacks: tend to be bigger/heavier/smellier