What size generator should I get?

uck51js9zml2yt

Just moved into our new house and realised were screwed if we have power cut.
Its all electric
Has an oil fired range and a well..no mains water.

What size/make generator should I be getting.?
Its a 4 bed bungalow.

Nekarsulm

Kylee Teeny Performance wrote: »

Just moved into our new house and realised were screwed if we have power cut.
Its all electric
Has an oil fired range and a well..no mains water.

What size/make generator should I be getting.?
Its a 4 bed bungalow.

15kva.
At least you'll be able to take a shower at the same time as keeping the heating going and allow for the submersible pump starting.

Are you thinking of engine driven, or tractor powered?

Tractor driven ones are usually Fromate or Magnate brands ( on farms around here anyway)

bassy

10kva diesel gennie would be fine.

uck51js9zml2yt

Nekarsulm wrote: »

15kva.
At least you'll be able to take a shower at the same time as keeping the heating going and allow for the submersible pump starting.

Are you thinking of engine driven, or tractor powered?

Tractor driven ones are usually Fromate or Magnate brands ( on farms around here anyway)

Just a standard deisel powered. Don't have a farm.

bassy

10 to 15kva would be sufficent.

2011

If it was me and I was loaded 10 to 15 kVA, if I wasn’t roiling in it 5 kVA would do just fine. With an oil fired range heating wouldn’t be an issue.

Nekarsulm

Kylee Teeny Performance wrote: »

Just a standard deisel powered. Don't have a farm.

As you probably don't own a tractor then, a Stephill diesel or similar will what youll need.
8 to 10kva will do ghe job, its just that a power shower takes something like 5 to 7 kva to run, and add in lights (minimal I know) a fridge, a freezer, the sub.pump in the well and perhaps someone flicking on the kettle (2 to 3kva) its good to have a bit in reserve.

This is all rough and ready calculations, there are loads of people on here who are actually qualified and will advise you better.

You wont be running it continously either. A few hours in morning, and at lunchtime and at night will be enough, both diesel wise and noise wise.

gctest50

1950's tech ftw : Start-o-Matic Lister

CJhaughey

One thing to consider is the quality of the power, if its a dirty spiky genset with no inverter or AVR you may find it causing problems with electrical equipment that needs a clean power source.

2011

Nekarsulm wrote: »

its just that a power shower takes something like 5 to 7 kva to run

This one which is quite typical is less than 0.7 kW:

http://www.stuart-turner.co.uk/products/monsoon/u30-bar-twin/

Remember it is possible to load shed during a power cut. This makes it possible to live quite comfortably with a small generator. A fridge or freezer is will be ok for a few hours without power if you are really concerned. Thanks to LED technology a 100 watts of lightning can be a lot of lights on.

Nekarsulm

Thats am impressive pump, and if the OP had solid fuel heating the water would be a good unit.
From my own experience, a lot of houses have a Triton T90 or similar, and they are hard run.
We have a 15 kva Fromate gennie, usually hooked up to the pto shaft of a 90 hp Fiat tractor when the power goes out, and if someone goes to take a shower you will really hear the load come on the tractor when the button is pushed.
Of course, as we seldom have prolonged power cuts, its perfectly possible to go a day or three without a shower and a smaller gennie will do perfectly well.

PS, a quick google shows a Triton T90 as drawing 8.5 kva!

2011

Nekarsulm wrote: »

From my own experience, a lot of houses have a Triton T90 or similar, and they are hard run.

Understood. The solution is simple, don't run an instantaneous shower when using the generator. The OP has no end of hot water thanks to the range so either use a non-instantaneous pumped shower (if there is one), use the bath or do without.

Obviously a 15kVA generator would be better. I'm just making the point that there are far more affordable solutions available.

Bruthal

Mix up in terminology between power showers and instant showers perhaps.

Instant showers use more electrical power. But power showers have a more powerful flow.

Terminology, a restrictive obsession with some, and of little concern to others. And everything in between.

uck51js9zml2yt

2011 wrote: »

Understood. The solution is simple, don't run an instantaneous shower when using the generator. The OP has no end of hot water thanks to the range so either use a non-instantaneous pumped shower (if there is one), use the bath or do without.

Obviously a 15kVA generator would be better. I'm just making the point that there are far more affordable solutions available.

Range is oil not solid fuel.. I assume bit needed electricity as well.!

Bruthal

Kylee Teeny Performance wrote: »

Range is oil not solid fuel.. I assume bit needed electricity as well.!

Very little needed for the non electric heating systems. Couple of hundred watts at most. 0.1 - 0.2kw maybe.

2011

+1 to the previous post.

Kylee Teeny Performance wrote: »

Range is oil not solid fuel.. I assume bit needed electricity as well.!

Oil is the real fuel in this case.