Comparison Husqvarna G5500P 9676652-01 vs FUBAG DS 5500 A ES

The type of fuel that the generator's engine runs on.

— Gasoline. One of the main types of fuel for internal combustion engines. Gasoline generators are usually cheaper than diesel generators, all other things being equal, but they are more expensive to run due to the higher price of gasoline; in addition, they usually have a shorter resource than diesel ones. Therefore, it is believed that gasoline generators are well suited primarily as a backup power source in case of a power outage.

— Diesel. Diesel generators are usually more expensive than their gasoline counterparts; on the other hand, diesel fuel is cheaper than gasoline, so the increased cost may well pay off with regular use. In addition, diesel generators have a longer resource and a larger power range than gasoline ones. This allows them to be used as both backup and main power sources, including at rather "energy-intensive" objects.

— Gas. The advantages of gas-fired generators are relatively low noise levels and low emissions. On the other hand, the use of gas as a fuel is associated with certain difficulties: it is necessary to connect to a gas pipeline or regularly replace special cylinders, the fuel system is especially sensitive to leaks, etc. Therefore, there are relatively few such models produced, and most of them are stationary high power generators, in which the mentioned disa...dvantages are covered by the advantages.

- Gasoline / gas. Models capable of using both types of fuel indicated. This gives the user the opportunity to choose the option that best suits a particular situation, and also reduces the likelihood of being left without fuel at the most inopportune moment; on the other hand, such models are more expensive than single-fuel ones. The technical features of gasoline and gas are described in detail above.

— Copper. Copper winding is typical for advanced class generators. The copper alternator is characterized by high conductivity and low resistance. The conductivity of copper is 1.7 times higher than the conductivity of aluminium, such a winding heats up less, and compounds made of this metal endure temperature drops and vibration loads. Among the disadvantages of the copper winding, one can only note the high cost of the alternator. Otherwise, generators with copper winding have high reliability and durability.

— Aluminium. The aluminium winding of the alternator is typical for low-cost-class generators. The main advantages of aluminium are light weight and low price; otherwise, such a winding is usually inferior to copper counterparts. An oxide film is created on the surface of aluminium, it appears everywhere, even in the places of contact soldering. The oxide film undermines the contacts and does not allow the outer protective braid to securely hold the aluminium conductors.

The working volume of the engine in a gasoline or diesel generator (see "Fuel"). Theoretically, more volume usually means more power, but in fact, everything is not so clear. Firstly, the specific power strongly depends on the type of fuel, and in gasoline units, also on the type of internal combustion engine (see above). Secondly, similar engines of the same power can have different volumes, and there is a practical point here: with the same power, a larger engine consumes more fuel, but by itself it can cost less.

The operating power of the engine installed in the generator. Traditionally stated in horsepower; 1 HP approximately equal to 735 watts.

First of all, the rated power of the generator directly depends on this indicator (see above): in principle, it cannot be higher than the engine power, moreover, part of the engine power is spent on heat, friction and other losses. And the smaller the difference between these capacities, the higher the efficiency of the generator and the more economical it is. However high efficiency affects the cost, but this difference can pay off with regular use due to fuel savings.

Method of starting the electric generator engine. To start the internal combustion engine (petrol or diesel, see "Fuel"), it is necessary to turn the engine shaft in any case; this can be done in two ways:

— Manual. With this method of starting, the initial impulse is transmitted to the engine manually - usually the user needs to pull hard on the cable that spins a special flywheel. The simplest in design and cheapest method of starting, from additional equipment it requires only the cable itself with a flywheel. On the other hand, it may require the user to apply significant muscular effort and is poorly suited for high-power units.

— Electric starter. With this type of start, the engine shaft is rotated by a special electric motor, which is called a starter; the starter is powered by its own battery. This option for starting the generator power unit is the easiest for the user and requires a minimum of effort. Depending on the implementation of the electric starter, it is usually enough to turn the key in the ignition switch, press a button, turn the handle or rotate a special drum, etc. The power of modern starters is sufficient even for heavy engines, where manual starting is difficult or impossible. Also note that an electric starter is required by definition to use the ATS autostart (see "Features"). On the other hand, additional equipment affects the weight and cost of the unit,...and sometimes quite noticeably. Therefore, such starting systems are used mainly where they cannot be avoided - in the aforementioned heavy equipment, as well as generators with ATS.

Fuel consumption of a petrol or diesel generator when operating at half power, and for combined models when using petrol (see “Fuel”).

Fuel consumption usually increases with load. However, generator efficiency is not always linear - fuel consumption may vary disproportionately with different loads. In this case, the approximate amount of fuel consumed by the generator when operating at half power (50% of the rated power) is given. Knowing the fuel consumption and tank capacity, you can at least estimate how long one fill-up will last.

The volume of the fuel tank installed in the generator.

Knowing the fuel consumption (see above) and the capacity of the tank, you can calculate the operating time on one gas station (if it is not indicated in the specifications). However, a more capacious tank is also more bulky. Therefore, manufacturers choose tanks based on the general level and "voracity" of the generator — in order to provide an acceptable operating time without a significant increase in size and weight. So in general, this parameter is more of a reference than practically significant.

As for the numbers, in low-power models, tanks are installed for 5 – 10 liters, or even less ; in heavy professional equipment, this figure can exceed 50 liters.

The total number of sockets for 230 and/or 400 V provided in the design of the generator.

This number corresponds to the number of devices that can be simultaneously connected to the generator without using splitters, extension cords, etc. If it is a three-phase model (see "Output voltage") with different types of sockets, it is worth specifying the quantity of each type separately, as different models may have varying configurations. For example, a unit specified as having 3 sockets might have 1 three-phase socket and 2 single-phase ones, or 2 three-phase and 1 single-phase socket. Generally, the most basic modern generators have only 1 socket, though models with 2 sockets are more common; and the most powerful models can have 4 or more sockets.

It is also important to remember that the ability to connect various devices is limited not only by the number of sockets but also by the generator's rated power (see above for more details).

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).