Are Diesel Generators Suitable for Home Use?
Suitability of diesel generators for home use is measured firstly by the power demand (load) in case of a blackout. In other words, how much back up power need to be available.
The second factor, equally important as the first one, is the level of dependability you expect from your emergency power supply system. If your home can actually survive for hours, and days – in the worst case, installing diesel generator is probably an overkill.
Why? because the cost factor – you pay for reliability. It means that diesel generator will cost about 30-40% more than petrol generator of the same output. In case of a 2kW unit, it means an extra $350 outlay.
Of course, diesel generators have many advantages over the gas powered units. Here they are, listed in the order of importance:
- reliability
- high power output
- high voltage stability
- low maintenance cost – long service intervals
However, their disadvantages need to be taken into account as well. If you want to learn more about how diesel generators operate, review the info on other pages within this site. The time spent here will have to make an educated decision, before ordering the ideal unit for your home use. Oh, and view the video that shows some of the most common types of the generators in use, in 2009.
