What should generator output voltage be?

15 Apr.,2024

 

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If you have a three-phase generator (or motor run as a generator), what part of it governs the output voltage? For example the speed at which you rotate the shaft governs the output frequency, but what governs the output voltage?

The reason I ask is that I'm looking for cheap ways to produce three-phase power in an off-grid scenario, and electric motors from damaged EVs are relatively cheap. Many of these seem to be three-phase permanent magnet motors, but finding out what voltages they produce when driven as generators is very hard to come by.

I am wondering whether it's a function of some part of the motor design (e.g. the strength of the permanent magnets) or whether it's something you can control as part of driving the generator, as you do with frequency by varying the shaft speed as required. For example does the output voltage go quite high if there is no load, and enough of a load must be placed on the generator output to drag the voltage down to the desired level? I'm not sure if that's right because I thought the load was related to the frequency (and how hard it is to turn the shaft at the correct speed in order to maintain the desired frequency).

In other words, if you are designing a three-phase generator from scratch, what (if anything) do you change in the design to adjust the output voltage it produces?



The Calculation

As a standard rule, companies rate the generator output in Watts (W) or KiloWatts (kW). The accepted formula is Watts = Volts X Amps. Therefore, when you purchase a

How do you decide the type of generator to buy?
Prepare a list of all the electrical appliances you want to power in your home, office or factory. Add up the power consumption in Watts to figure out the generator capacity you need. Note that specific appliances like air conditioners or electric motors require substantially high wattage to start, but later on can operate with lesser power.

You should always go for a higher capacity generator. If all the electrical appliances add up to say 5000 watts in your home or 200,000 watts in your factory, you should go for a minimum of 7.5 kW generator for your home and a

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Let us now look at some of the generators of various sizes and discuss their working and other features and aspects.

1 kW to 10 kW generators
Homes and small offices can work on 1 kW to


10 kW to 50 kW generators
Nowadays, people use several electrical appliances in their homes such as AC units, geysers, water purifiers, water pumps and so on. These appliances require more power to function. Appliances like washing machines might consume 750 Watts but need about 2500 watt to start. It is better to choose a generator with a capacity higher than your standard requirement. Therefore, many households opt to have 50 kW generators as a durable standby power source. These generators run on fuels like diesel, natural gas and propane. Yes, they make noise, but you can set up mufflers to muzzle the sound.

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50 kW to 100 kW generators
Anything over 50 kW is not necessary for home units. Offices and restaurants can opt for generators in the 50 kW to 100 kW capacity range. These generators can power up AC units, especially central air conditioning systems. Offices have a large number of computers, lights and fans to power in addition to AC units. Therefore, 100 kW generators would be ideal to provide backup power to an office. A 100 kW generator is a large unit that can create sufficient noise to distract people. Modern-day gensets come with powerful silencers and mufflers to reduce noise distractions. Such large generators usually run on diesel engines.

100 kW to 200 kW generators
Industries and large offices need generators with capacities exceeding 100 kW. These generators are large machines capable of running for about eight to ten hours on a full tank. Industrial machines consume a lot of power. Therefore, small to medium industries need a minimum of 100 kW to 200 kW generators. These generators can also power marine equipment like fishing boats and trawlers. These machines can function on both diesel and gas depending on the availability of suitable fuel. Generators running on gas are more environmentally friendly as compared to the ones that run on diesel.

200 kW to 300 kW generators

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Greater than 300 kW generators
When you need workhorse generators to power large industries and official establishments, you have to rely on generators with capacities more than 300 kW. These gensets are capable of powering heavy machines and large equipment. Usually, these generators work on diesel and produce a lot of noise. But high-quality silencers available today make these machines one of the most sophisticated generators of today.

Reach out to Top Generator Dealers near you and get free quotes

You should evaluate the right size of the generator before you venture out to purchase a generator for your home, office or factory. The calculation is straightforward, and will thus save you a lot of time, energy and money.As a standard rule, companies rate the generator output in Watts (W) or KiloWatts (kW). The accepted formula is Watts = Volts X Amps. Therefore, when you purchase a 5kW generator delivering 120 Volts, it can give you an output of 41.67 amps. Similarly, you have dual voltage generators that can provide an output of 120 Volts as well as 240 Volts.Prepare a list of all the electrical appliances you want to power in your home, office or factory. Add up the power consumption in Watts to figure out the generator capacity you need. Note that specific appliances like air conditioners or electric motors require substantially high wattage to start, but later on can operate with lesser power.You should always go for a higher capacity generator. If all the electrical appliances add up to say 5000 watts in your home or 200,000 watts in your factory, you should go for a minimum of 7.5 kW generator for your home and a 300 kW generator for your factory.Let us now look at some of the generators of various sizes and discuss their working and other features and aspects.Homes and small offices can work on 1 kW to 10kW generators . A 5kW generator can power up to four lights, a fan, an electric motor and a refrigerator. Small homes can function with such a basic generator. However, the ideal generator for a home should at least be of 10 kW capacity. A 10 kW generator is equivalent to an emergency backup power system capable of providing basic comfort and security. These portable generators usually run on diesel, natural gas or propane. In some cities there are provisions for connecting generators to your home gas line, thereby eliminating the need for filling fuel tanks.Nowadays, people use several electrical appliances in their homes such as AC units, geysers, water purifiers, water pumps and so on. These appliances require more power to function. Appliances like washing machines might consume 750 Watts but need about 2500 watt to start. It is better to choose a generator with a capacity higher than your standard requirement. Therefore, many households opt to have 50 kW generators as a durable standby power source. These generators run on fuels like diesel, natural gas and propane. Yes, they make noise, but you can set up mufflers to muzzle the sound.Anything over 50 kW is not necessary for home units. Offices and restaurants can opt for generators in the 50 kW to 100 kW capacity range. These generators can power up AC units, especially central air conditioning systems. Offices have a large number of computers, lights and fans to power in addition to AC units. Therefore, 100 kW generators would be ideal to provide backup power to an office. A 100 kW generator is a large unit that can create sufficient noise to distract people. Modern-day gensets come with powerful silencers and mufflers to reduce noise distractions. Such large generators usually run on diesel engines.Industries and large offices need generators with capacities exceeding 100 kW. These generators are large machines capable of running for about eight to ten hours on a full tank. Industrial machines consume a lot of power. Therefore, small to medium industries need a minimum of 100 kW to 200 kW generators. These generators can also power marine equipment like fishing boats and trawlers. These machines can function on both diesel and gas depending on the availability of suitable fuel. Generators running on gas are more environmentally friendly as compared to the ones that run on diesel.Large industries and high-rise buildings require generators with high capacities because these units require powering large machines, elevators and a large number of AC units and so on. 300 kW generators run on diesel or gas. Some of them also classify as bi-fuel generators. Modern-day gensets come with high-quality silencers that make these generators as noiseless as possible.When you need workhorse generators to power large industries and official establishments, you have to rely on generators with capacities more than 300 kW. These gensets are capable of powering heavy machines and large equipment. Usually, these generators work on diesel and produce a lot of noise. But high-quality silencers available today make these machines one of the most sophisticated generators of today.

What should generator output voltage be?

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