The world has gone very far from the days that manual labor was required for most activities. And this is all because of the progress that humans have made in the area of technology which started from the need to make tools that aided labor.
From making simple tools for basic activities to building machines and equipment that basically does the work or enables us to function at a certain pace, indeed, giant strides have been made. One such giant stride was the invention of electricity which helped revolutionized the world’s systems.
Today, Canada like all firs- world countries is greatly reliant on electricity for almost all aspects of daily life such that in the event of a power outage, many activities would be stranded. However, power generators give us all an alternative that we could always fall back on.
What Are Power Generators?
This is a machine that converts mechanical energy into electric power. This is done by functioning on the electromagnetic induction principle. It is a crucial device in our society today seeing that we are reliant on electric power for most of our activities today. You can read more about it here.
Types of Generators
Power generators are basically of two types namely:
- Dynamos or dynamic or direct current (DC)
- Alternators or alternating current (AC)
It has to be noted, however, that most times, whenever power generators are being talked of, what people are generally referring to are electric generating sets also known as gen sets. These are the ones used commonly to generate electricity or power other facilities. Some of its uses include the following:
- It can be used in some situations as an alternative power source when the central power grid cannot be accessed.
- It can be used as an emergency alternative where there is a power outage in an area due to either reason of storms, tornadoes, or other un-envisaged occurrences.
- It can be used by factories or production sites that require more electric power than what is provided.
- It can also be used by organizations or industries that do not rely on the normal electricity supply or the central power grid to function. In other words, they have to provide their own electric power supply.
Types of Generating Sets
Portable Generating Sets
As the name implies, these are generating sets that are easier to handle and can be carried about. It is the type mostly used by households and small businesses in the event of a blackout in the area. It can also be used at campsites when people go for outings that may take days.
The Inverter Generators
These types of generators are used in equipment like refrigerators, air conditioners, boats, and automobiles among other such machines. They are inbuilt in those devices. The inverter works by producing AC power and then converts the AC power into DC power using a rectifier; this DC power then gets inverted into AC power to generate these appliances.
Standby Generators
As the name suggests, these generating sets provide an immediate alternative to the general power providing services thus, immediately the power grid fails it switches on automatically. These types can also be used in large households but are mostly used by hotels, hospitals and other service providers that would not want their services or routines disrupted by power failures from the power grid. Many institutions or major service providers must have this because, in crucial times, it can make the difference between success and failure or even life and death for hospitals.
Induction Generators
There are two types of these, they are:
- The externally excited generating sets which are used in electric locomotives, hoists, and cranes and
- The self-excited generating sets that are used in windmills where wind is converted to electric power.
Industrial Generating Sets
These are large generating sets that are mostly used for industrial purposes and can serve under difficult conditions. They are very different from the other types of power generators mentioned above and are usually more customized than these other ones too. Again, their range of power supply abilities is vast; an example being that they can supply three phases at the same time.
Also, there are various types of these industrial sets as they are usually classified based on the type of fuel used to work their engines. These fuels include diesel, gas, gasoline, propane, and kerosene. Finally, it is also possible to get portable industrial generators where installing the large ones will not be possible. You can read more on these at https://m.economictimes.com/small-biz/productline/power-generation/portable-industrial-standby-different-types-of-generators-and-their-applications/amp_articleshow/69097436.cms .
Getting the Right Generating Set for You
Lots of Canadians have various needs for a generating set; thus, the market for these appliances is a huge one. Seeing that there are many types of generators, the burden falls on the buyer to choose what is best suitable to the buyer’s purposes and preferences. The following are some factors to consider:
Purpose
What purpose is the generating set that you want to buy going to serve? Is it for your residential building, or for your business establishment or for a factory? The answer to this question is important as it determines your next step.
The Type of Generator to Buy
When the purpose of the generating set is established, the next question is; what type of generator is best suitable for that purpose? A hospital will need a standby generator in the case of an emergency while an industry will need an industrial generating set. Your household, however, could just make do with a portable generating set.
Where to Get the Best Generator Providers?
You are obviously hoping to make your purchase or rental from the best generating set service providers or sellers as this is usually a guarantee of good quality products. One way to do this is to do a market survey in your town or city of residence in Canada and compare the various available services. You could also search online for generators for sale in Canada and then closely examine the results you get.
Conclusion
The importance of electricity in our lives today cannot be understated. Many of us cannot imagine life without it and life as we know it will practically grind to a halt.
However, despite the generally reliable power supply available from the power grid, events do occur that may demand an alternative or more than just the normal power supply grid. For this reason, it is necessary to get a power generator for you or your organization’s use.