Installation of a generator for a house.

It is a strange phenomenon but larger diesel generators are much cheaper than their smaller brothers. A 20-40kVA set may sound very large, but if you have the space you should get a perfectly serviceable one in a silent container etc. for a few £k. It will be very reliable, and if you are lucky an F.W.Wilson one with full mains C/O fitted could cost less than some smaller thing which will only run for a few hours before needing more fuel. If you have something bigger the cooker and electic heaters are easy to use too. I used to have a 40kVA one which used about 70p in fuel (red diesel) an hour on light load, in fact not much more than mains power when fully loaded either. The tank inside was 300 litres, enough for a week on light load (continuous running). Propane engines are petrol ones with a different carburettor fitted and a gas evaporator to use the liquid gas. The snags are ignition as usual and certainly more expensive to run than diesel, unless you have a bulk tank available for your CH, in which case probably similar. Not many available second hand though, so expensive to buy. A big unit will prevent theft too, which is common with small generators.


Broadgage, you always use red if you can, it is much cheaper. Diesel fuel does not "go off" like petrol, although if very cold (-15C or lower) can go a bit waxy, Either additive or a heater in the tank easily keeps everything fine.

It is a strange phenomenon but larger diesel generators are much cheaper than their smaller brothers. A 20-40kVA set may sound very large, but if you have the space you should get a perfectly serviceable one in a silent container etc. for a few £k. It will be very reliable, and if you are lucky an F.W.Wilson one with full mains C/O fitted could cost less than some smaller thing which will only run for a few hours before needing more fuel. If you have something bigger the cooker and electic heaters are easy to use too. I used to have a 40kVA one which used about 70p in fuel (red diesel) an hour on light load, in fact not much more than mains power when fully loaded either. The tank inside was 300 litres, enough for a week on light load (continuous running). Propane engines are petrol ones with a different carburettor fitted and a gas evaporator to use the liquid gas. The snags are ignition as usual and certainly more expensive to run than diesel, unless you have a bulk tank available for your CH, in which case probably similar. Not many available second hand though, so expensive to buy. A big unit will prevent theft too, which is common with small generators.


Broadgage, you always use red if you can, it is much cheaper. Diesel fuel does not "go off" like petrol, although if very cold (-15C or lower) can go a bit waxy, Either additive or a heater in the tank easily keeps everything fine.