Generator question for electrician

[rslater]

I'm looking for a propane, gas or diesel generator to run a catering truck. In terms of the generator, what specific informaton do I tally up to account for the generator I should purchase. For example, if I purchased this Blender

1.25 Horsepower
3450 RPM
10.8 Amps
110volts/60Hz
1056 Watts

and this Refrigerator

H.P. 1/3
V/Hz/Ph 115/60/1
Amps 3.9
Energy (KWH) 2.41

What size generator would I need, or specifically what information should I look for to figure out if I needed a 3000, 5000, 7000 watt generator etc. I'm I just looking for the KWH output or something? I'm I just adding up the wattage of each device, so voltage times amps? I'm electrically challenged as you can see.

[murd0c]

I sell the 3500W and the 600W at my work. They run on propane of course.

http://www.allpoweramerica.com/produ...hp?idctg_prd=1

[rslater]

Originally Posted by murd0c

I sell the 3500W and the 600W at my work. They run on propane of course.

http://www.allpoweramerica.com/produ...hp?idctg_prd=1

So for these you sell are you just adding up the wattage of each device if their are multiple devices?

[dangonay]

For generators, yes you add up the watts. Then add in 50% for good measure. In your case, you need about 1,500 watts so I wouldn't get a generator less than 2,250 watts minimum and would probably get a 3,000 watt one to be safe. Your generator will output enough to meet the load so you're not wasting fuel using a larger generator. In fact, a larger generator running at partial load would likely be more efficient than a smaller generator running at maximum output.

That said, do you need a generator? How many hours in a day will you use the truck? How long is the fridge running? How much will you use the blender?

You might be better off buying a propane fridge and using batteries and an inverter for the blender, especially if it runs intermittently.
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[johny]

you have to acount for start up current since you are running motors. which is way higher then running current, as it'll spike when they turn on. this can be 2-3x the running current.

I would go 3000 min.


for example 3 weeks ago I tryed to run a shop vac (10 amps, 1200w) off a 2000w inverter and it wouldn't work. pluged into the wall, using a clamp meter with peak hold funtion we measured 40 amps at startup. it happens for such a short time it won't trip a normal 15 amp breaker, but you need the current available to start it.

a 3000w gennie probably has a peak draw of 4500 or so.

however as dangonay posted, their might be better options. you'd need some pretty decent sized batterys though if you plan to run the blender a lot

[Manic!]

You could go with a gas powered blender. This one is Honda powered.

http://www.blenderblaster.com/blenderblaster/

[dangonay]

[N]rslater[/B]: I'll answer your PM here in case anyone else wants to add.

So your list of items to run are: Fridge, hot water tank, panini grill, blenders and juicers.

Now I think it's time to consider propane. Heating water and running a grill will take a lot of electricity and you're going to need a large (expensive) generator.

- Fridge - get a propane one. They're efficient (better than using propane to run a generator to make electricity to power your fridge).
- Panini grill? They also have propane powered ones.
- Hot water tank? No brainer, propane is better than electricity for sure.

That leaves electricity for your lights, blenders and juicers. Of course, you have to take into account venting the gas appliances, but that's no real problem.


BTW, have you gone to any companies that specialize in making equipment for catering trucks to see what they use? My recommenations are from working with my RV, which has a mix of 12V, 110V and propane devices (as do all RV's).

Also, will this truck sit in one location all day? Or do you drive from site-to-site and spend a short amount of time at each spot (like those caterers that visit work sites)?

[cheapskate]

Originally Posted by Manic!

You could go with a gas powered blender. This one is Honda powered.

http://www.blenderblaster.com/blenderblaster/

Wow that looks really cool! and ridiculously excessive!

[rslater]

Originally Posted by dangonay

[N]rslater[/B]: I'll answer your PM here in case anyone else wants to add.

So your list of items to run are: Fridge, hot water tank, panini grill, blenders and juicers.

Now I think it's time to consider propane. Heating water and running a grill will take a lot of electricity and you're going to need a large (expensive) generator.

- Fridge - get a propane one. They're efficient (better than using propane to run a generator to make electricity to power your fridge).
- Panini grill? They also have propane powered ones.
- Hot water tank? No brainer, propane is better than electricity for sure.

That leaves electricity for your lights, blenders and juicers. Of course, you have to take into account venting the gas appliances, but that's no real problem.


BTW, have you gone to any companies that specialize in making equipment for catering trucks to see what they use? My recommenations are from working with my RV, which has a mix of 12V, 110V and propane devices (as do all RV's).

Also, will this truck sit in one location all day? Or do you drive from site-to-site and spend a short amount of time at each spot (like those caterers that visit work sites)?

Most catering trucks run entirely off one large propane/diesel/gas generator powering all the appliances. Some vehicles do however have separate propane tank for specific equipment like the water heater.

The refrigerators we are looking at do not come with propane power unfortunately as were looking for an under the counter fridge with a prep surface found in commercial kitchens.

The truck will not be sitting at one location all day but rather moving around. Thus the propane would need to be running the fridge and hot water tank all the time, so for 8 hours.

The specs from the outfitter after reading them include the propane tank to power the hot water tank in specific. Thus, our generator would be powering the rest of the equipment. The generator would thus be running to power the fridge and lights all the time, but the rest of the equipment would be used momentarily for 30 seconds at a time.

If the vehicle we purchase is propane powered, can you tap into that tank and reroute propane to power either the generator or say a propane water heater? The outfitter mentioned that we could get a much larger propane tank to power the generator and the hot water tank, but that the tanks get very expensive the larger you go. That’s why I wanted to know if I can tap into the existing propane tank that the engine runs on.