Generator Set: Fuel Consumption vs Power Consumption of Connected Devices (Gas/Petrol Options)

Hello

I am thinking of buying a generator that I would use very sporadically on a plot with a gazebo (it is not possible to connect electricity from the network, unfortunately). Regardless of whether it will be gas or petrol.

Therefore, I have a question (probably stupid, but electrics and machines are completely not my field), is fuel consumption somehow correlated with the power consumption of devices connected to this generator?

Because when buying an aggregate that has a consumption of 1l or 1kg / h at a load of 75%, I understand that if I connect only a phone charger to the aggregate, fuel consumption will be much lower or is it just a waste of energy?

I would like to sit on this plot for Friday, Saturday and Sunday with a connected refrigerator with beer and food (because the plot is in a terrible place and the store is far away and I will not drive the car for%), of course, without a tanker with fuel. It makes sense if these aggregates are not equipment for gardeners?

Yes, fuel consumption is load dependent. Just like in the car, when driving with lights, fuel consumption increases slightly (greater load on the alternator), which was one of the arguments against driving with low beam 24 hours a day.

When working without load or with a negligible load - in comparison - it is as if you gently turn on the water in the tap. It doesn't rain, it doesn't drip.
At full load, it's like draining the water in the toilet ...

beam_beer wrote:

When working without load or with a negligible load - in comparison - it is as if you gently turn on the water in the tap. It doesn't rain, it doesn't drip.
At full load, it's like draining the water in the toilet ...

micho.no1 wrote:

There is a certain minimum fuel consumption, idling speed below which you will not go below.

mariuszp19 wrote:

Yes, fuel consumption is load dependent.

Thanks gentlemen, then the question is - is it worth having fun with it? Since the fridge pulls me this 1kW per hour + some light bulbs so as not to sit in the dark because the nights are getting longer, then if I buy a 2kW aggregate, it has to run half a whistle, you will need at least 50 liters of fuel for a stupid refrigerator.

I thought it was some electronics that adjusts the speed / whatever to the current power consumption and scales nicely. So where do the rest run away? As it has a power of 2kW and, for example, it consumes only 100W. And where to look for information on the minimum fuel consumption, the consumption is given everywhere at full power or at 75%.

Buy a genset with the option of automatic speed control, there are such. Honda has EU 1000 and, very quiet and you connect electronics without worries.

m_Dkb wrote:

As it has a power of 2kW and, for example, it consumes only 100W.

The principle is simple - the engine performs continuous work to maintain work - i.e. compression, work, exhaust, suction strokes, generating a spark - and at the same time generates a lot of heat from combustion. When you don't plug anything in and the engine is running, it uses fuel - just like in a car when idling. Remember how much force you need to put in to start the unit with a jerk, while overcoming the compression pressure.

This is practically the same as the fuel consumption of a standing car with the engine running. Yes, he smokes a lot less than when he is driving, but still a lot.

The refrigerator uses an average of about 1kWh per day, so you could effectively use the generator for an hour no more. Only the refrigerator works, it takes less, and it only works for a few minutes and turns off again. So it is extremely ineffective. In addition, the clamor around the clock, even at night ...

Maybe you should think about using a battery and a small portable refrigerator? An alternative would be to use a battery and an inverter to power a normal refrigerator.

Then, optionally, you could either carry the battery for charging or actually use the generator, but first to charge the battery. You would turn it on once or twice a day when you would need electricity for something else (e.g. heating the water in a boiler) and charge the battery that would power the refrigerator and, for example, undemanding LED lighting until the next generator start-up.

Maybe not this caliber, but we have a 32kW generator at work. The standard specified by the manufacturer is 14 liters of oil per moto hour. We used it a couple of times with a load of several kW (say up to 10) and the load was variable (bigger, smaller). After a few hours, the fuel consumption was 4.2 liters per moto hour.

Once again, thanks, gentlemen, the method with the battery + mini-fridge will probably be the best, because I have not yet seen someone drag the aggregate to the plot, besides, the refrigerator actually works very unfavorably because it is cyclical, the aggregate is not good for me. And you made the fuel consumption situation clearer for me, I thought it looked much better.

Thank you and best regards.