What is a generator?

Electric generators are a backup power source that converts fuel, usually diesel or petrol, into electrical energy to utilize in your home.

How does it work?

Generators use a combustion engine to conduct electricity. It operates based on the electromagnetic induction principle. That means that a current of electricity is created by moving a wire next to a magnet. Thus the generator converts mechanical or kinetic energy of the rotor to electrical energy or current. These engines run at a minimum of 3600 rpm to render the standard current of 60Hz.

Electrical appliances or tools can be plugged into the outlets available on the generator. This is why a generator is ideal for use in remote sites where no electricity is available. Generators generate enough power to run a television or even a freezer or refrigerator, depending on the amount of wattage or electrical current generated by the generator.

What size generator should you be looking at?

Generators come in lots of different sizes. A common mistake is to get the largest unit available to power the entire house. This is certainly an option, but a more sensible & affordable approach is to buy a generator sized to power your home’s most essential electrical circuits. A good idea is to keep the appliances on the generator to a minimum, kitchen appliances, geyser, security system, and a few lights & outlets are the best to connect to a generator to avoid food spoilage, security issues, and general boredom during power outages.

A good starting point in looking for the correct generator is to look at how many people live in your house. For middle-income people, it could be around 8kWh per person and the very affluent sometimes spend around 25kWh per person per hour. If you work it out, a family of 4 will need 8 kW/h per person which equates to 24kW/h total. Using a conversion calculator, A standard household will need 1kw which translates to about 1.25 kva. Our smallest generator starts at 3 kva so a small generator should comfortably power a household of 4 people.

You should just be aware that any power generators are challenged by appliances that have an element because it takes a larger current to effectively power these appliances. This includes kettles, geysers, fridges & freezers so if your household has more of these appliances, you will need to look at a slightly larger generator.

Agmarket has a wide variety of generators to suit your individual needs. Below are 2 of our best-selling generators.

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A generator is a big expense, but with the current power situation in South Africa and our constant load shedding, it will pay for itself over a few years and become a valuable investment to keep you and your family living comfortably, regardless of the interruptions to the electricity supply from the power stations.