Genset or an electric generator is an immense utility on a set in the case of power failure. However, when it comes to ordering or renting them, most folks become entangled in the technical jargon associated with them. While ordering, the vendor usually asks what is the needed power of the generator or what is the wattage or how many amperes of generator do you need? Having these answers at hand may be of higher importance if you are ordering the generator for an outdoor shoot or function since renting a generator with insufficient output would be futile and possibly damage equipment.

Understanding Electricity

Once you understand how units of electricity are interrelated, it would be extremely easy for you to determine the answers to these questions. In very simple terms, electricity is the flow of electrons through a metal wire. It can be compared with the flow of water in a hose.

  • The pressure with which the water flows through the pipe is comparable to the amount of pressure with which the electricity flows in a metal wire. This pressure is termed voltage or volts and is represented by the symbol V.
  • The rate at which the water comes out of the hose is measured by what is known as the flow rate. In terms of electricity flow, this is measured as current and is represented by the symbol capital I.
  • The pipe or the metal wire through which water/electricity flows faces some resistance due to the gauge of the pipe or metal wire. The resistance faced by the flow of electricity is measured in ohms and is represented by the symbol R.

Now that you understand a few basic things about electricity, you will know what factors will affect the output of an electric generator. If the pressure or the voltage is increased, the output will also increase. If the flow rate is increased or if the resistance is decreased by taking appropriate actions, the output will also increase.

It is all about Power

Now here is fun part: You are increasing the output but you need to use that output wisely to ensure your work is completed. Suppose you manage to increase the output of the hose pipe by increasing the pressure, hiking up the flow rate or decreasing the resistance (by using a larger gauged pipe). You still need to use it appropriately to ensure the work gets done. For instance, if you are using the hose to clean your car, then pressure, flow rate and resistance all combined will determine how fast your car can be washed. Keeping in mind the analogy of water, the amount of work done with electricity is termed electrical power (P) and is measured in watts.

Understanding Generators

When someone orders a generator, he is usually are asked by the person taking the order how many kW (Kilowatts or 1,000 watts) of power do you need or what is the ampere power you are looking at. You may not have a proper response if you do not know the amount of electricity you will be consuming. So here it goes.

  1. Prepare a list of electrical devices you will be powering using the generator(s).
  2. Each device has a label that mentions its wattage. Write it down.
  3. In case the label mentions the requirements in volts and amps, you can calculate the wattage simply by multiplying both (P=VI or power = voltage x electricity flow). Yes, you have to return to pre-algebra.
  4. Add the required wattage and you have mathematically calculated your power requirement per hour.

In simple terms, if you hire a 10kW generator, you can power devices that consume not more than 10,000 watts of power per hour.
In case the output of the generator is asked in amperes (amp or A), here is how you can proceed.

  • Generators usually have outputs in 120V or 240V. Most large appliances need 240V so most likely this will be the generator for you.
  • Ask for the ampere of the generator.
  • For determining the total wattage output, simply multiply the voltage with the amperes. For instance, a 240V generator producing 20 amps would generate electricity enough to power of 4800 watts or 4.8kW.

Final Note

If you are sure that you will not be powering any device which requires 240V of supply, ordering a 120V generator would be sufficient.

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