There is a vast selection of Diesel generators accessible in the marketplace, and it’s crucial to select one that can cater to your requirements flawlessly. For those who are not knowledgeable about the jargon and technology associated with generators & power machinery, this can be an intimidating job. Therefore, let’s dissect one of the most crucial pieces of information that you’ll need, particularly the parameters like kW and kVa. But what is the difference?
When it comes to energy, the size of a generator is typically assessed in kVa, which stands for “Kilovolt-Ampere.” This refers to the total power output of the generator, or the amount of power available within the system as a whole. kW, or “kilowatts,” is a familiar term that you may have encountered before. For instance, your electricity bill likely measures your power consumption in kW, and you may have learned about it during your studies. kW is used to indicate the amount of power that can actually be utilized from the generator.
Hence, one can consider kW as the power that is being ‘produced’. The comparison between kW and kVa can determine the effectiveness of a generator. In an ideal scenario, a Diesel generator would have the same kVa and kW, indicating that all the power in the system is accessible as ‘output’ power.
What is KW?
The short form for kilowatts, kW represents the factual power that converts into functional power, which can operate a diesel generator. For this cause, kW frequently comes with two more titles, namely ‘real power’ or ‘operational power’, since it is the energy needed to run appliances. To simplify matters, let’s focus on kW before we delve into kVA. Returning to the previous instance, it would be more straightforward to examine the 2kW generator available rather than the 2kVA option.
What is kVA?
With that being stated, kVA remains beneficial for individuals who possess a more profound comprehension of the generator set they intend to buy. Popularly referred to as ‘seeming power,’ kVA informs you about the total power being consumed by the system as a whole. To put it another way, if an appliance has an efficiency of 100%, then the kW will be identical to the kVA – however, this is seldom the case as no appliance operates at full efficiency, implying that not all seeming power will be transformed into productive output.
If you are aware of the “power factor” of a generator, you can determine its effectiveness. It is important to note that the typical pf of a Diesel Generator is 0.8 when calculating the efficiency of a generator. To calculate the efficiency of a generator on our website, apply this equation:
kVA(Apparent Power) x pf(power factor) = kW(actual power)
When searching for a Diesel Generator, this data is crucial, but you may be unsure of how to proceed. Prior to selecting a generator, assess the number of kilowatts required. If you’re utilizing one of our Diesel generators as a dependable contingency plan, examine your electricity invoice (and potentially seek guidance from an expert) to determine your energy consumption. After determining the kilowatts of energy required to be supplied, just invert our calculation to ascertain the kilovolt-amperes (total power) necessary:
kW(actual power)/ pf(power factor) = kVA(Apparent Power)
