Welcome to our Generator FAQ section. Here, you’ll find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about generators. If you have a question that isn’t covered here, please leave a comment below, and we will do our best to address it. Alternatively, you can contact us directly for a private response.
How Have Diesel Generators Changed?
Diesel generators have undergone significant transformations. In the past, they were primarily used in farming, construction, and transportation industries, known for being loud and dirty. However, due to their superior fuel efficiency and longevity, often outlasting other types of generators by a ratio of 20:1, they were the preferred choice. Today, with the introduction of stringent emissions regulations, new “clean diesel” engine options are available, making them ideal for home power generation. These modern engines are smoke-free, odorless, and much quieter. They offer substantial fuel and cost savings and can run continuously for weeks. Additionally, they now come in compact designs, making them perfect for home use and various other applications.
How Long Can Diesel Engine Run?
The short answer? A diesel generator can run 24/7 for up to three weeks non-stop. This means you and your family can have reliable power when you need it most. Diesel-powered engines are designed to operate for extended periods, often up to 500 hours between oil and filter changes, and they outlast any other type of engine at a fraction of the operating cost.
A diesel generator provides peace of mind. Unlike natural gas, propane, and gasoline engines, which are not designed for long-term use, diesel engines are built for endurance. Like lawnmower or snow thrower engines, other engines consume a significant amount of fuel, are air-cooled, and run at high speeds, resulting in noise and reduced power output. Diesel generators, on the other hand, offer efficient and sustained performance.
What is the warranty like on a diesel powered generator?
Great question. If you adhere to a regular maintenance schedule, our warranty has no restrictions. You’re covered whether you’re using the generator for portable power, at the cottage, at a camp, or in an off-grid environment. Unlike many companies that limit their engine warranties to emergency standby use, which is common with natural gas, propane, and gasoline-powered generators, our warranty offers comprehensive coverage for all applications.
How did AURORA Generators get started?
They say that many great products come into existence out of necessity. That’s what happened with us. During the Northeast Blackout of 2003, our family bought a generator from a big box store, and it failed us – right when we needed it most. We wanted a product we could count on for safety, convenience and value. So, we started designing diesel generators for home, off-grid, and industrial use. Aurora Generators is privately owned and focused on customers – not shareholders.
What is a generator?
A generator is a device for locally producing electrical energy on demand. This is mainly used as a backup to the main electrical supply. Some can automatically start and provide electricity for as long as the outage lasts. Other applications include commercial, construction, off-grid backup, and even prime. A generator consists of a mechanical engine and an electrical alternator.
The engine is the mechanical drive source which powers the electrical alternator output source. Engines can be gasoline, liquid propane, natural gas, or diesel.
The alternator contains a rotating mass of copper (rotor) and a stationary magnetic field (stator). When the rotor spins within the magnetic field, it produces electricity at the alternator terminals. This is a simplistic statement, and many other processes and controls are required to produce stable electricity at the correct voltage and frequency.
Who uses a generator?
Our society has become increasingly dependent on electrical power for everyday needs such as; lighting, climate control, cooking, water, refrigeration, computers and home security which all need electricity to work properly. There are times when you could be without power for a few minutes, hours, days or even weeks. It could be an equipment failure on the part of the utility company or severe weather that disrupts the power grid.
The purpose of a generator is to take over when power is lost or not available and provide you with the electricity you and your family need and depend on.
Who uses a generator?
There are 3 primary types of generators:
Air-cooled Portables – These usually have a gasoline air-cooled engine operating upwards of 3600 rpm. Used for small portable power needs, whether light commercial or small home periodic portable standby. These generators are manually operated, recommended for short monitored run times only and cannot be used for automatic home standby.
Standby Generators – These are fixed installations that operate automatically for home or small business standby. Within seconds of a utility outage, an automatic transfer switch senses the power loss, commands the generator to start and then transfers the electrical load to the generator. The standby generator begins supplying power to the circuits. After utility power returns, the automatic transfer switch transfers the electrical load back to the utility and signals the standby generator to shut off. It then returns to standby mode, where it awaits the next outage. Most units will run on diesel, natural gas, or liquid propane gas. Aurora Generators are equipped with diesel liquid-cooled engines operating at 1800 rpm.
Commercial Generators—These are similar to standby generators and can be either portable, such as trailer-mounted, or fixed, which includes prime power. Both the engine and alternator are designed and equipped to be more rugged and durable. Commercial generators are commonly ‘three-phase’ to support a much larger electrical demand. Commercial-grade generators can be custom-built based on your company’s specific needs. They also require minimum maintenance, just an oil and filter change every 500 hours.
Commercial generators are usually diesel due to their far superiority in longevity, fuel economy and lesser overall operating expense. On board, safer diesel fuel supply eliminates costly additional external fuel connections or supply such as is the case with natural gas or liquid propane.
How are generators sized?
Generators are sized in several different ways depending on the site’s requirements and load to be covered. For example, some customers may require that the generator provide backup for the entire site, while others may only require ‘essential’ loads to be generator-backed. It is also necessary to consider the type of load that will be applied to the unit. For example, UPS loads have some harmonic content (especially older UPS), and the generator must be sized correctly to cope with this type of load.
Motors and pumps require a ‘starting’ wattage that will affect the generator’s performance during starting. Another aspect to consider is the nature of the engine chosen. Some turbo-charged engines have a relatively low initial load step capability—it is sometimes necessary to oversize the unit to cope with the required site load.
Careful thought of which loads to apply and whether to stagger the re-application of the loads can make a significant difference to the overall cost of the installation.
What is the difference between an air-cooled and a liquid-cooled generator?
Air-cooled systems work by forcing air to the engine’s metal fins around the engine cylinder only. Liquid-cooling systems, on the other hand, have a radiator and a water pump. The pump cycles the thermostatically controlled liquid coolant to the engine block through hoses, and the heat from the engine is transferred to the coolant. The heated liquid then goes to the radiator, where the air cools it. Diesel generator engines commonly use liquid-cooling, but you will find all portable and most liquid propane and natural gas generators are air-cooled engine models only.
Air-cooled engines are generally cheaper to produce than liquid-cooled engines. This is because their components are less expensive and require fewer parts. Air-cooled engines can easily overheat and have a much shorter engine life. Since air-cooled engines have the potential to overheat, using them full-time is not recommended nor warranted. Air-cooled engines that fail generally require a major overhaul. Their maintenance and repair tasks tend to be more frequent and more time-consuming.
Since air-cooled engines in portable generators or home standby LPG or LNG work at much faster speeds, they also wear out much faster. Oil break-down also happens faster, and damage can occur with little warning. Aurora Generators recommends you do NOT run air-cooled engines full-time. Shut down your air-cooled engine every few hours so it can cool. This is a good time to check your oil, add fuel and perform general maintenance and/or inspections. All Aurora Generators are liquid cooled, ranging from as small as 8kW – 200kW.
Why should I buy a generator?
There are numerous reasons for individuals or businesses to own their own backup/standby, prime or continuous power supply generator set(s).
Generators provide an added level of insurance to your personal daily routine or business operations ensuring uninterrupted power supply. The inconvenience of a power outage is rarely noticed until you are the victim of an untimely power loss or disruption.
Since air-cooled engines in portable generators or home standby LPG or LNG work at much faster speeds, they also wear out much faster. Oil break-down also happens faster, and damage can occur with little warning. Aurora Generators recommends you do NOT run air-cooled engines full-time. Shut down your air-cooled engine every few hours so it can cool. This is a good time to check your oil, add fuel and perform general maintenance and/or inspections. All Aurora Generators are liquid cooled, ranging from as small as 8kW – 200kW.
Gelling starts to occur at a specific temperature known as the cloud point. It is coined after the white haze or “cloud” that appears as paraffin wax crystallizes. For example, #2 diesel fuel has a cloud point of 14 degrees Fahrenheit, or -10 degrees Celsius. If the temperature continues dropping, it will eventually reach a point where wax crystals collect rapidly on the fuel filter, starving the engine of fuel.
Smaller residences only require a small amount of backup power, typically in the neighbourhood of 8-10kW. Larger residences or businesses may require more power, which will increase the cost slightly, but it is still highly affordable, considering the benefits of owning your own power supply.
As a business owner, an emergency standby generator provides an added level of insurance to keep your operation running smoothly without interruption.
Startups and shutdowns due to power outages can prove to be very costly. The advantage to having a localized backup power supply is to provide a consistent power to your business.
Aurora Standby Generator vs a Portable Generator
While portable generators are effective backup power sources, an Aurora home standby generator produces more power and offers hassle-free automatic operation even when you aren’t home. It also offers exercises to ensure extended life.
Why should I buy a diesel generator instead of a gas generator?
In the event of a natural disaster, utility companies or the government usually shut down gas and propane lines to prevent further destruction, leaving customers who have a natural gas or propane generator with a useless unit. Diesel is readily available from your local gas station, and therefore, your diesel generator will operate without any restrictions. This scenario alone has influenced many customers to purchase a diesel generator.
Thanks to Rudolf Diesel for his invention, the diesel engine has proved to be extremely efficient and cost effective. Diesel fuel is priced somewhat the same as gasoline but diesel has a higher energy density, i.e. more energy can be extracted from diesel as compared with the same volume of gasoline. Therefore, diesel engines provide better fuel economy, making it an obvious choice for heavy-duty transportation and equipment such as generators.
How does a diesel engine work?
The distinction lies in the type of ignition. While gasoline engines operate on spark ignition, diesel engines employ compression-ignition for igniting the fuel. In the latter, air is drawn into the engine and subjected to high compression that heats it up. This results in a very high temperature in the engine, much higher than the temperature attained in a gasoline engine.
In a gasoline engine, fuel and air are sent into the engine together and then compressed. The air and fuel mixture limits fuel compression and hence the overall efficiency. A diesel engine compresses at the ratio of 14:1 up to 25:1, whereas in a gasoline engine the compression ratio is between 8:1 and 12:1.
After combustion, by-products are removed from the engine through the exhaust. For starting during cold months extra heat is provided through ‘glow plugs’. Diesel engines can either be two cycles or four cycles and are chosen depending on the mode of operation. Air-cooled and liquid-cooled engines are the variants to be chosen appropriately. Liquid-cooled engines provide far better engine life, performance, and quieter operation.
What are the main advantages of a diesel powered generator?
A diesel engine is much more efficient and preferable as compared to a gasoline engine due to the following reasons: Modern diesel engines have overcome disadvantages of earlier models with higher noise and emissions. They are now quieter, much cleaner and require less maintenance as compared with gas engines of a similar size. They are more rugged, reliable and cost effective.There is no sparking as the fuel auto-ignites.
Is a battery included with the generator?
We install an EastPenn battery in every generator. EastPenn batteries provide the industry’s longest free replacement warranty program. These batteries are made in Canada and are very dependable and will last a long time.
What happens when the power goes out? How will my generator start to work?
You have the option of buying an automatic transfer switch, or manual switch when you order your generator. This is a switch that is installed by your electrician and is attached to your power supply box. An automatic switch will kick in within a few seconds when the power goes out and it will start your generator automatically. Once power is restored, the automatic transfer switch will transfer back to utility power and turn off the generator with no work on your part.
I live off-grid. Will your generator work if I’m off-grid?
Yes, we have off-grid models that are best suited for off grid applications with warranty coverage.
What size generator do I need?
This will depend on what you would like to backup during a power outage. Usually an electrician will walk you through your home, cottage or business and calculate the exact voltage you are currently using to determine what size generator is best for your needs.
One of our Aurora Generator sales team members can assist in sizing as well. Every home or business will have different needs. The most logical way to determine your needs is to envision your home without power. Some outages may be short in duration, while others could last for days or weeks.
Will your generator power my small business or gas station?
Yes, our 30kW generator will power a small business or gas station, depending on your business’s requirements. An electrician can better assist you with the exact generator size you will require.
Can an automatic standby generator replace utility service?
No. Full time residences require 24/7 power. The generator fuel costs and maintenance would be much more expensive than buying power from the utility company since their cost to produce electricity is divided among thousands of customers.
What are the cost considerations?
If you are considering purchasing a generator for your home or business, there are several costs to bear in mind. The first is the cost of the generator itself. If you want to use your generator to power all or part of your home, you’ll need a transfer switch. A transfer switch is a device that is fed by both utility and generator power. It isolates the two types of power from each other so a backfeed does not occur.
Who does the installation work on my generator?
A licensed electrician is required to do installation. You may need to also check with your local by-laws to see if any permits are required.
Can I install the generator myself?
You could perform the simpler site preparation steps and have a professional make the electrical panel and fuel connections, or you could complete the entire installation yourself. However, for safety reasons and to ensure adherence to all local, state and national electrical codes, particularly for non pre-wired or larger systems, we recommend you use a licensed contractor since this will ensure your warranty will be valid
How much will it cost to hook up my generator by an electrician once it arrives?
Every application is different and electricians will charge a different amount based on how long it takes to install, cable requirements, their hourly rate, etc. Talk to your dealer, electrician or installer for an accurate quote before you begin.
What does the generator sit on once it’s installed?
The generator unit should be mounted on a flat, solid foundation, such as a cement slab. The minimum thickness should be 4”. If you have a 100-gallon sub-base fuel tank, the platform it sits on should be 5”-6” in thickness. Speak to an authorized Aurora Generator dealer, or call us directly for more detailed information regarding slab requirements.