HireWays Generator FAQ

Why hire your generator from HireWays?

• 20+ years of industrial experience
• Quality well-serviced and work ready generators
• Expert advice to ensure you’re hiring the best generator for your job
• In house certified mechanics
• Quality tested equipment

What do I need to know about my job site before choosing a generator?

1.       Make a list of all of the machines/items that you will run from the generator
2.       Make a note of the starting and running wattage of the respective machines/items
3.       To find this information out for your machines/items, there are often two places to look. First is on the identification plate or sticker and the second is within the operator manual. If you don’t have these or can’t find the information the next step is to contact the manufacturer or consult with a certified electrician.
4. Calculate the total power requirements in KVA or KW

How do I know what size Generator I need?

Hiring a generator that can power all of the machines you need it to is crucial. When a generator with a power rating less than what is required for your machines is used, this may cause damage to your machines, to the generator itself and also be hazardous to the job site, hence it is imperative that you receive the correct generator for your job site. When it comes to generators, having a more powerful generator than you need is far better than using a generator that is lacking enough power.

What does “power factor (PF)” mean and why do I need to know it?

The PF is useful when accessing if the output power of the generator is large enough to service the requirements of your job site.

The power factor is the ratio of the real power that is used to do work and the apparent power that is supplied to the circuit. In other words, it is the ratio between kilowatts (kW) and kilovolt amps (kVA). The higher the PF of a generator, the more efficient at moving energy to the machines that are connected into it, which decreases costs when compared to generators with a lower PF, that are less efficient. The standard power factor for a three-phase generator is 0.8. To calculate the output power a generator can produce we times the PF by the KVA: (PF X KVA = KW).

What does KVA mean on a Generator?

It is understandable that the KVA rating of a Generator is often met with confusion. Most are familiar with KW or Kilowatts. Most electrical items in our homes are KW rated. We’re charged in kilowatts per hour for our standard household power bill.

The KVA (kilowatt ampere) is a little different though. A KVA is the “apparent” power provided by the machine. In other words, the KVA is the amount of current a device can draw in while the kW is the amount of power the device puts out.

The U.S. most commonly uses kW to express power ratings, where most of the rest of the world uses kVA. 

Generators carry the kVA rating so you can determine if it will be able to handle the extra current for reactive loads.

What does an Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS) do?

An automatic transfer switch (ATS) transfers power automatically from its original power source over to being powered from a generator when it detects that there is a defect in the supply of power from the original source.

This means that there are no gaps in power supply and thus no machine stoppages mid use. Then when the ATS detects the power supply from the original source is back up and running, it will automatically switch the power supply from the generator back to the original source.

What is the difference between single and three phase generators?

Three-phase generators are more powerful than single-phase generators.

Single-phase generators produce one single voltage that alternates continuously. Single-phase power supplies are most commonly used when typical loads are lighting or heating, rather than large machinery.

A three-phase generator produces three separate waves of power, delivered in sequence. This means that the operator gets a continuous uninterrupted flow of power that never drops to zero.

Three-phase generators are ideal for heavy duty industrial, agricultural, commercial large machinery. For machines that require intensive and consistent power. A three-phase portable generator will help you get the toughest tasks completed with efficiency in a safe manner.

How do I know if I need an Inverter or a standard Generator?

A standard generator is great for running power tools, and non-sensitive household items, whereas an inverter generator is ideal for running the more sensitive electronics such as laptops, TVs and coffee machines

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