Output voltage
Nominal voltage at the generator output.
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230 V Standard voltage of a regular household socket. It is widely used in everyday life, and there are many 230 V devices among specialized equipment; the only exception is powerful equipment (mainly from 4-5 kW), for which this voltage is no longer enough. It is 230-volt generators that should be considered by tech looking for a device for backup power supply of a residential premises or a small office.
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400 V Generators capable of delivering three-phase power with a voltage of 400 V. Such power is extremely rarely used in everyday life, but it may be required for heavy equipment, specialized tools and other similar loads. Generators with an output voltage of 400 V are generally more powerful, heavier, larger, more expensive and more "gluttonous" than 230-volt ones. It is worth specifically looking for such a unit only in cases where the presence of three-phase power is essential.
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230 and 400 V Combined power supply models — most generators with a three-phase output voltage of 400 V are also equipped with single-phase 230 V sockets. This ensures their universal use both for backup power supply of a home or office, and for performing more resource-intensive tasks (for example, in construction and repair, for autonomous operation of high-power loads, etc.).
— 110 V. Generators with 110
...V sockets (or 120 V for certain regions). This voltage is found in household electrical networks in some countries of North and Central America, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and occasionally in Great Britain. It is not recommended to connect 230 V equipment to such sockets (unless otherwise specified in the technical documentation for a specific electrical appliance).
— DC (48 V). Models with one or more DC connectors for powering external devices with direct current. The standard DC socket is round and has a pin in the center, but its depth and diameter may vary. The voltages output to the DC output may vary — in this case, 48 V is implied.Sockets 230 V
The number of 230 V sockets provided in the design of the generator, as well as the type of connectors used in such sockets.
The type of connector in this case is indicated by the maximum power that is allowed for the outlet - for example, “2 pieces for 16 A”. The most popular options for 230-volt outlets are
16 A,
32 A, and 63 A. We emphasize that amperes in this designation are not the actual power that the generator can produce, but the outlet’s own limitation; the actual power value is usually noticeably lower. Simply put, if, for example, the generator has a 32 A socket, the output power on it will not reach 32 A; and the specific number of amperes will depend on the rated and maximum power of the unit (see above). So, if for our example we take a rated power of 5 kW and a maximum of 6 kW, then to a 230 V outlet such a generator will be able to produce no more than 5 kW / 230 V = 22.7 A standard and 6 kW / 230 V = 27, 3 A at its peak. And if the power has to be divided between several outlets, then it will accordingly be even less.
As for specific types of connectors, the higher the power permissible for the outlet, the higher the requirements for its reliability and quality of protection. In light of this, as a rule, higher power outlets can be connected to lower power plugs (directly or through an adapter), but not vice versa. And if there are several sockets, by their type it i
...s possible to estimate with some certainty the distribution of the entire power of the generator between them: between two identical sockets such power is usually divided equally, and more power is allocated to an socket with a larger number of amperes and power. However, specific details on this matter should be clarified separately in each case; It's also worth considering 400V outlets, if available (see below).Sockets 400 V
The number of 400 V outlets provided in the generator design, as well as the type of connectors used in such outlets.
The type of connector in this case is indicated by the maximum power that is allowed for the outlet - for example, “2 pieces for 16 A”. The most popular options for 400V include
16A and
32A, although other types of outlets are also found. We emphasize that amperes in this designation are not the actual power that the generator can produce, but the outlet’s own limitation; the actual power value is usually noticeably lower. Simply put, if, for example, the generator has a 32 A socket, the output power on it will not reach 32 A; and the specific number of amperes will depend on the rated and maximum power of the unit (see above). So, if for our example we take a rated power of 7 kW and a maximum of 8 kW, then to a 400 V outlet such a generator will be able to produce no more than 7 kW / 400 V = 18.42 A standard and 8 kW / 230 V = 21, 05 And at the peak. In practice, these values will be even lower, since three-phase devices are almost always supplemented with single-phase sockets, and the power will have to be divided between different types of sockets. The specific specifics of power distribution in each case should be clarified separately.
As for specific types of connectors, the higher the power permissible for an outlet, the higher the requirements for its reliability
...and quality of protection. In light of this, as a rule, higher power outlets can be connected to lower power plugs (directly or through an adapter), but not vice versa.
