Posted: 4/28/2005 9:05:59 AM EDT
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Heres the situation. I'm a construction manager for a design/build architecture co. and we are building three large homes in a remote area. I would like to buy deisel generators for the jobsites to use until we have power. I would like a gererator that is on a trailer, and reliabilety is a must, fuel comsumption is also a consideration. It will have to be able to carry the power demands of a typical constrction site, skillsaws, aircompressors, drills, sawzalls ect, all standard 110. I've been told by the rental company 20kw, that seems big but if thats what I need I guess its a good place to start. Propane might be an option as long as it has a trailer. The plus side to propane would be fuel delivery is done by others. Any ideas, or recommendations? Thanks Mark |
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While 20kw may seem a bit large, you should consider that you will not be stressing it. A propane fueled unit is a bit cheaper to run at present. Consider this also. Many, many homes are having auto-start standby generators included in the construction process. If you include a gen set with each home built you may get the double benefit of on demand power before the utility builds to the site and it will add to the features the home offers to the buyers. |
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I'm not aware of any circular saws that consume more than 1.5KW. Ditto for Sawzalls. Few drills consume more than a few hundred watts. No 120 volt air compressor draws more than 2.5 KW, simply because that's the limitation on 120 volt power plugs (20 amps) In short, 20 KW does indeed sound like overkill for working on just one house at a time (unless you're planning on also using it to run several arc welders). Rather than leaving the generator at the job site (with the attendant theft and refueling hassles), have you considered installing it in the bed of a worksite pickup? That allows you to tap into the truck's fuel supply (which can be refueled on the way to or from the job site every day), and doesn't leave it at the jobsite overnight. |