There has been a growing rise in homeowners and businesses hiring or outright purchasing generators. The reason for this is they are extremely reliable and the perfect equipment to have on hand when there is a power cut either in the local area or just your property, generators can help power appliances so that life can go on normally.
Some people can’t afford for their power to be off for an extended period due to a whole number of things such as losing freezer food, large restless households and many more.
A frequently asked question people may have when either purchasing or hiring a generator is how long should your generator run when you are using it.
Now we hate to be vague with our answer but it depends on certain factors from what fuel your generator runs on, the size, model etc. But we are going to do our best to explain to you fully how long can a generator run and the best practices when it comes to running your portable or standby generator for a long period.
Every generator is different, you will find that some models on the market are made to run for longer periods while some are made for just brief periods to help people get through some sort of power cut.
When you are looking for a generator, you will have to think of a few things such as budget, how many appliances you need to power, the size of the building etc.
If you are unsure about what generator would be ideal for your situation then you can talk to our friendly expert support team here at Pleavin Power and we can find you the correct generator to purchase or hire.
Gas & Diesel Portable Generators
The most popular generator that you will find when looking for a generator are portable generators due to them being extremely accessible and you can use them for activities such as outdoor weddings or camping trips so a lot of families will have portable generators for emergencies or trips away.
They are either small to medium-sized units which can go all the way up to over 11,000 watts of electricity depending on their size.
You will find that several portable generators on the market have different fuel tanks & sizes so run-time depends heavily on which model that you have got. We can’t give you an exact time on how long these portable generators run but you can get at least 6 to 10 hours of runtime on gas portable generators.
If you are planning to run a diesel portable generator, you can expect to get 10 to 16 hours out of most models. Some portable generators may come with larger fuel tanks if you are requiring a larger run-time so you can get 18+ hours of run-time when getting a larger fuel tank.
How Long Will A Standby Generator Run For?
A standby generator is a much larger and more powerful piece of equipment compared to your standard portable generator.
These types of generators were created to power bigger types of units for a longer period so naturally will have a much longer runtime. Standby generators are designed to either wire inside your home or business building electrical system and they will turn on to power your appliances automatically when they detect that there is a power cut.
If you are running your standby generator with natural gas, your generator’s run time can last for as long as it needs to as it is a certainty that the fuel will always outlast the power outage at hand.
Like portable generators, your standby generator will require maintenance regularly if you wish for it to run without any problems or break as they are expensive pieces of equipment so it’s ideal to get it serviced & maintained by professionals to help get your money’s worth over time.
You may find a standby generator that can power a medium-sized home for at least up to 3,000 hours if need be. Standby generators are extremely durable as well-meaning if you were to experience at least 3 power cuts a year that last for 30-40 hours, you will find that you can have your generator for up to 50 years and it still works perfectly.
Fuel Will Affect The Runtime
Those are the average run times that we’ve found when dealing with generators over the years but you must take heavily into consideration – fuel.
You can continue to run your generator so long as you have the fuel to do so but if you are in a serious power cut in your area, there is a high chance you will not be able to have a continuous source of fuel on hand to power your generator.
Not only mention that it could be costly paying to constantly fuel your generator but there is a high chance that you won’t have to run your portable or standby generator for a massive period and the fuel runtime should be enough to get you through your power outage, activity or camping trip.
Searching For The Right Generator?
Generators from the outside are complex pieces of equipment and it can be difficult to understand all the moving parts so it can seem like a hassle looking for the right generator for your situation.
There is no need to worry, here at Pleavin Power we are the leading authority in the UK when it comes to generators and by contacting our team, you will be put into touch with one of our friendly support teams who is always on hand to answer any questions and listen to where you currently stand.
We have all the skills and experience necessary to put you with the right generator for your current needs, budget and situation.
Jack is the owner of Pleavin Power which was founded in 2017. He has worked in the power industry for over a decade and has an extreme focus on providing a quality service to clients across the UK. This has led Pleavin Power to becoming the market leader in the Critical, Prime & Standby Power markets.
