Buying a backup power source, the first thing that comes to mind is a generator. However, the vast variety of available generator options can be overwhelming at times. The very first dilemma that buyers face is whether to buy a diesel generator or a petrol gen-set.
In many cases, buying a diesel generator is not an option. Mostly because diesel is the most preferred fuel choice for heavy load gen-sets. However, the recent trends show another area where diesel generators are topping the charts- home and portable generators. So, what is it that makes this fuel option more popular than others?
In this article, we shall explore what makes diesel generators so popular.
Weather May Change Anytime
Despite the technological developments in weather forecasting, there are still several shortcomings in the predictions. Weather can be highly unpredictable and may change anytime. Diesel fuel is not as inflammable as petrol, making it suitable for regions that experience extreme hot climates. On the other hand, it also makes a suitable choice for regions with sub-zero temperatures. The reason why diesel fuel can be used in a wide range of temperature conditions is its rather simple combustion process. Unlike petrol and natural gas, diesel can be fired up with compressed air that increases the internal kinetic energy of the fuel. Thus, reducing the fuel needed after every compression cycle.
Avoiding Downtimes During Blackouts
Modern diesel gen-sets come with automatic changeover switches. In the event of a blackout or even a brownout, the switch automatically turns on the gen-set and changes the supply over to the backup. And as soon as the power is restored, the switch turns the gen-set off and switches back the supply to the grid. This reduces downtime while saving users a lot of money, especially for commercial activities. Downtimes can mount up to huge losses in working hours, which affects productivity and profitability.
Diesel Is Cheaper To Gasoline
Another reason for its growing popularity is the lower cost of buying diesel as compared to gasoline or petrol. The reason for this is diesel is easily separated from crude oil, whereas petrol needs much more distillation. Besides, petrol is never used as such. In other words, the petrol that we use has a lot of other additives to it such as butane, to improve its combustibility. It makes petrol costlier than diesel.
More Energy Efficient Than Other Fuels
Comparing diesel with other fuel options, a surprising fact is that the diesel has more energy value. Simply put if the same volumes of petrol, natural gas, and diesel are burned, the energy given out by diesel is highest. This property of the diesel fuel, as explained by the experts at Krugerpower, makes it a more preferable choice over other fuels. The fact that it produces higher energy also makes it more efficient and less impactful on the environment. And to add to this, the modern engines make it even more efficient by reducing the carbon footprint after the combustion of the diesel.
Diesel Is Easy To Procure
Natural gas is usually supplied through pipelines by the authorities or the distribution companies. This makes it difficult to procure in regions with difficult terrain. A similar issue is with petrol which is rather difficult to store for long. Once again, the diesel is easier to procure, store, and even transport. Even the remotest locations have easy access to diesel, and the reason for this easy availability is the transportation industry. Since most of the transportation vehicles run on diesel, there are more outlets that sell diesel as compared to petrol.
Economical Maintenance
Petrol and natural gas make use of the spark ignition technology for efficient combustion. On the other hand, a diesel engine uses compression technology for the combustion of fuel. Additional technology integration makes the construction of petrol and gas engines more complex. It returns back in higher repair and maintenance costs when compared to diesel engines. Yet another advantage of diesel generators over other fuels.
Cleaner Fuel Option Over Petrol
Most significant of all, diesel is considered a cleaner fuel as compared to petrol. Although diesel contains twice as much carbon as petrol, the emission of toxic carbon compounds is relatively lower. And the newer generations of combustion engines reduce the carbon footprint for diesel even more.
Summing it up, diesel gen-sets offer a variety of advantages over the other options. Budget-friendliness, versatility in applications, and environment friendliness are a few of the benefits, just to name. And these benefits are more than enough to justify the growing popularity of diesel generators among homeowners and businesses alike.