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Different Types of Generators & Their Uses (with Pictures)

By: David S. Miles | Last Updated: January 21, 2024

In the modern world, electricity has become one of the most crucial necessities for humankind. However, there are many situations of electrical breakdown or power cut. Moreover, people often travel to remote places where a generator is a must.

If you think of purchasing an efficient generator anytime soon, there are some facts regarding different variants and their uses. Nowadays, most generators are handy and you can carry them easily while traveling.

8 Different Types of Generators and Their Uses

Types of Generators

The types of generators differ in terms of fuel, power and style of usage. These also act as determinants for the prices. We are here with the details about eight different kinds of generators.

1. Portable Generator

Portable generators generally have turbine engines that can produce electricity for a few hours. It can run all home appliances like microwave ovens, freezers, television and lighting.

However, as the amount of electricity is limited, you can carry it anywhere. These generators run on different types of fuels like diesel, gasoline and natural gas. You must purchase one that best fits your budget.

Portable generators are best used in construction sites, traveling camps and remote villages.

2. Gasoline Generator

Gasoline generators get its name from the fuel it runs on. These generators are more affordable than most other types of generators available in the market.

Moreover, gasoline is also quite cheaper than diesel and natural gas. You can get different models of gasoline generators depending on the amount of electricity they generate.

You can use gasoline generators for your home easily as it can produce enough electricity to run all the major appliances of your house. You can use these to light up your tents during camping or small shops.

3. Solar Generator

You can purchase solar generators if you are concerned about eco-friendliness. However, these are more expensive than most other variants. Moreover, to run the solar generators, you would need several accessories like charging cells, inverters and batteries.

Solar generators can generate high units of electricity and are mainly used in factories. These generators work instantly but need careful maintenance.

4. Inverter Generator

Nowadays, inverter generators have become one of the trendiest commodities people are purchasing for home-usage. There are many advantages of inverter generators like prolonged performance, portability and soundlessness.

The inverter generators work on the electromagnetic mechanism which produces AC. This current is automatically converted into DC and distributed to all the appliances.

Inverter generators are available at different prices and power outputs. It would be best if you chose one keeping your average electrical consumption in mind. The best trait for these inverters is the automatic charging feature.

5. Diesel Generator

Diesel generators are one of the oldest types of generators that are still available in the modern market. You can get different models of diesel generators depending on the brand and power.

The best thing about diesel generator is its durability. Mostly, different components of diesel generators are made with cast iron and give outstanding performance.

You can also get diesel generators that run on combination fuel. For these variants, you will need to fill the gasoline with diesel or natural gas with diesel.

Diesel generators can be effectively used in the case of homes and industries. However, these generators produce emissions that can cause air pollution. Prolonged performance is another advantage you can enjoy when using diesel generators.

These machines come in different sizes and you can choose the best one considering the price, output and size.

6. Standby Generator

The primary work of standby generators is to provide electrical back-up to any premise in case of a sudden power cut. No manual effort is needed to turn on the standby generators.

These generators are always connected to the main circuit and it ensures continuous flow of electricity wherever needed. Generally, standby generators run on combined fuel like diesel-gasoline, diesel-CNG, etc.

Hospitals, corporate offices, major industries prefer using standby generators for the convenience it provides. You can only buy this type of generator for your home only if it is vitally needed. Always remember that the standby generators are remarkably expensive.

7. Hydrogen Generator

Like solar generators, hydrogen generators also work in an eco-friendly manner as it consumes hydrogen as fuel. Although many scientists have tried to make a hydrogen-based electricity generator for years, it has recently reached the market.

These machines are portable and you can easily refuel them. However, hydrogen generators are expensive and rarely available in the market.

Hydrogen generators can work in the home or office. You can also carry it while travelling to a remote place. However, carrying hydrogen cylinders can be a challenging job.

You should avoid purchasing the hydrogen generators if you reside in a place having an extremely cold climate. In such cases, the risks for the generator increases.

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8. Natural Gas Generator

When it comes to fuel efficiency, you can instantly consider a natural gas generator. These machines consume propane or petroleum and generate a decent amount of electricity as the output.

The natural gas generators are specially designed for home usage as you can mount it either below or above the ground according to space in your house.

If you mount a natural gas generator in your house, you can save a lot as these machines need minimum maintenance. Choose a generator that runs on natural gas if you think of mounting it in a shop or your business premises.

Compared to many other types of generators, the natural gas variant has a low level of emission.

Conclusion

Purchasing an efficient generator can be a tricky job. You should never instantly purchase it without researching its mechanism and output. The best you can do is talk with an expert who can suggest the right variant to buy according to your necessity.

Many brands are dealing with all types of generators. Consider the price and convenience you can get when buying a generator of a particular brand. You should always grab a product from a brand that gives you a good warranty, free installation and service.

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