FAQ

FAQs regarding Generators

Which generator you should go for?

The most important points to keep in your mind are output, efficiency, portability, safety and price. At allgenerators.com.au, we have simplified this task for you by making the generators available at one place in accordance to the use which they can be put to : so irrespective of your need like event organisation, construction onsite, home or office we have a generator just to suit your needs. The first step is to refer to our website that comes handy and gives you a glimpse of the various options at one go. Our generators are from the renowned companies and have been sourced just for you from Korean, Japanese, Indian, Italian, American companies.

How to decide the size of your generator?

The size of generator is important as it decides the number and type of appliances that can be connected with it. Equally significant is to work out the power that the appliances shall not only require to run but initially to start them as well. You can find information in appliances manual about how much power is required to start the appliance and later how much is required to keep them running so that you could figure it out what capacity of generator you need to connect with.

So for the calculation purpose you need to sum up the total amount of power that all the appliances you want to run on the generator require, and then note the highest starting power of the appliances and add it to the total in the first step. This sum shall help you determining the minimum power of the generator that you should go for. Just bear in mind that overloading a generator may result in the damage of not only the generator but also the equipment’s connected with it. 

Still require an expert opinion feel free to contact us.

What to do: When generator is not getting started?

1. Make sure that the fuel being used to run the generator is fresh and clean.
2. Make sure that the engine on/off switch is ON.
3. Make sure that the choke is turned off or is used only in the beginning for few minutes while attempting to start.
4. Make sure that if the generator has a vent valve on the fuel cap then that valve is set to OPEN.
5. Make sure that the rubber priming bulb/thimble on the rear of the generator has been pressed for the enough times so that the fuel is pumped throughout the system.
6. In case of the electric start model: even if turning on the ignition key doesn’t help and the engine does not start then check the connection, also battery must be charged or a 12V battery charger can be used for charging. Alternatively, the unit can also be jump started from a car battery. The engine of the generator will itself charge the battery while running. The battery should always be charged each month or left on trickle charging if the air compressor is not being used for a long period of time. 
7. Always check the engine for the oil in it. The engines sometimes have the sensors that will not allow the engine to start if the oil level is too low. It’s important to always place the engine on a levelled surface to have an exact idea about the oil level inside it and thus avoiding pouring excessive oil in it.

Which oil needs to be put into the engine?

While the specific oils for some engines of the generators shall be mentioned on their manual but typically engine oils available at automotive shops 10W-30 or 15W-40 or 20W-50 engine oil shall be fine.

What type of fuel is required for the petrol generators?

Unleaded fuel carrying a 95 or 96 RON rating is the best fuel to be used for petrol generators.

Generator stops after running for some time?

Make sure that the choke is in run position and the fuel tank breather valve which is there on the fuel cap is in open position.

What is meant when it reads on the battery: “Do not charge a sealed container”?

It means that the battery should be disconnected prior to connecting it to some external charger used for charging it.

What to do if it appears that the battery is not getting charged by the generator? 

There are few steps to follow to make sure that the battery is getting charged properly by the device:

• Disconnect the battery.
• Start the machine by the pull start.
• Now test the red and black wires that go to the battery, if the 12V supply is shown then the battery is charging. 

Why is the battery draining even being OFF?

The remote-control switch if left ON may also drain your battery.

Is earth strap important, why is it there?

Earth straps are used to run the very sensitive equipment. It’s not generally required.

Circuit breaker: tripping or switching off?

It’s important to note that the 3 phase generators supply approx. 1/3rd of the total power to an individual volt outlet. Make sure that only those appliances are connected that draw not more than 1/3rd of the generator’s total output to single 240-volt outlet. When multiple appliances are to be used make sure that these are spread across all the outlets.

When do I need a generator with a long-range fuel tank?

If you need to run the generator for the long periods of time without the hassle of refilling them then a long-range fuel tank generator is handy. While the standard fuel tank lasts 2 to 4 hours, a long-range tank means up to 12 hours of hassle-free supply!! The point is that some of the generators can also be customised.

How safe is to run a computer or laptop on generator power?

It all boils down to the type of generator that you are using to run such sensitive equipment. A generator that has an AVR (automatic voltage regulator) is very useful for the sensitive equipment loads like that of laptops or other screen systems. The job of the AVR is to keep the power output consistent, thus making the usage of generator safe.

What if I’m concerned about safety of the generator that I have bought? Can a power breaker be used?

The answer is that the generators are designed to be safe power source. But if you still are sceptical then always go by the features of the generators as some of these come with the ultra-safety features like auto shut off valve, fuse less circuit breakers and safety muffler etc.

If you want to use the power breaker even then just be aware that the generators are configured differently than your mains supply. Difference being the fact that the generators have the floating earth while the mains have the earthed neutral. Power breakers are for the mains so if you want to use the one with your generator it shall have to be configured the same way as the mains. So, you shall require a qualified electrician for this purpose.

What if I need to connect the generator to my house mains in case of a power failure?

Always get in contact with an electrician. Do not try to connect the generator to your mains supply yourself as there are many important things that need to be taken care of.

What is KW and KVA?

KW is the unit of the power while KVA (kilovolt ampere) is the unit of the apparent power. Alternatively, KVA is the power that appears to be flowing (but is comprised of the net power that flows in one direction and the power circulating back and forth between the source and the connected equipment). 

On the other hand, the net power that flows from the source to the equipment is the real power.

Generator sets are usually marked with both the ratings on them.

Power factor: What it is?

The ratio between the Kilowatts and Kilovolt ampere of an electrical load is called the power factor. It is measured by the generators connected load. The higher the power factor of the Generator the more efficiently it will transfer the energy to the connected equipment.

Can generator be used for running the sensitive equipment as well?

The answer to this question depends if you have chosen the right generator for your products. As the case is the power from the generator is not as stable as your mains supply so alternator comes to the rescue.

A power generator with automatic voltage regulator (AVR) is suitable for sensitive equipment because it can provide a consistent voltage regardless of the load or an Inverter generator produces the cleanest stable sine wave. Running sensitive equipment from a standard generator is not recommended. If you are unsure, speak to All Generator or ask the equipment supplier.

What is meant by AVR?

AVR or automatic voltage regulator provides stable voltage during the voltage variations due to load changes. It’s ideal to be handy when the sensitive equipment’s are run on the generators.

What size of generator is required to start a motor?

Well, we can say that it depends on the motor. Motors usually draw much more current in the starting that dips the generator voltage like the induction type motors but on the other side the motors fitted with the hand tools generally do not require the additional current at the time of start. It’s better to check the manual of the motor or the supplier to determine whether additional start up current is required?

Which size of generator is required for the welder?

Welder is to be categorized based on its output current. Thus, for calculating its input power simply divide the output rating by 30. Since it’s just a thumb rule we would like to advise you to choose the generator that shall have more power than required.

If you still can’t find answer to your question, please feel free to contact us.