Guides
Generator Engine & Alternator Guides
Practical, plain-English explanations of generator set power ratings, engine selection, and alternator fundamentals — backed by real spec data from the encyclopedia.
Power & Sizing
kVA vs kW vs kWe: Generator Power Ratings Explained
What kVA, kW, kWe and kWm actually mean on a generator spec sheet, how to convert between them with the 0.8 power factor, and how to read prime vs standby ratings.
Read guide →How to Size a Generator: A Step-by-Step Guide
How to size a generator for your load: add up running watts, account for the largest motor's starting surge, apply power factor and a spare-capacity margin. Includes an interactive sizing calculator.
Read guide →Prime vs Standby vs COP vs DCP: Generator Rating Types
The four ISO 8528 generator power ratings — ESP (standby), PRP (prime), COP (continuous) and DCP (data centre) — explained: permitted hours, load type, overload, and which rating to choose.
Read guide →How to Select a Transfer Switch (ATS): Types, Transitions & Sizing
A practical guide to choosing a generator transfer switch — manual vs automatic, service-entrance and bypass-isolation types, open vs closed transition, NEC load categories, NEMA enclosures and how to size the switch.
Read guide →Generator Paralleling Explained: Redundancy, Scalability & Efficiency
What generator paralleling is and why it's used — synchronization, load sharing, N+1 redundancy, fuel efficiency and scalability — and when paralleling multiple gensets beats a single large unit.
Read guide →Low Voltage vs Medium Voltage Generators: When to Step Up
When large generator installations should move from low voltage to medium voltage — how higher voltage cuts current, copper and losses, the cost trade-offs of MV switchgear, and the power levels where MV makes sense.
Read guide →Choosing an Engine
How to Choose a Generator Engine: Fuel, Power, Frequency & Emissions
A practical buyer's guide to choosing the right generator-set engine — how to weigh fuel type, power rating, frequency, emissions standard, cooling and configuration, with example picks for each size class.
Read guide →Gasoline vs Diesel vs Natural Gas Generator Engines
Compare gasoline, diesel and natural gas generator engines — power range, efficiency, fuel cost, emissions, durability and best use — so you can pick the right fuel for your application.
Read guide →Diesel Generator EPA Emission Standards Explained
EPA diesel backup generator standards explained for standby and prime power buyers, including Tier 2, Tier 3, Tier 4 Final, emergency standby rules, and quote inputs.
Read guide →Air-Cooled vs Water-Cooled Engines: Pros, Cons & Lifespan
How air-cooled and water-cooled (liquid-cooled) generator engines differ — how each sheds heat, their pros and cons, durability and lifespan, and which to choose for your application.
Read guide →How to Read an Engine Nameplate & Spec Sheet
Decode an engine nameplate (data plate) and spec sheet: engine model, serial number, rated power, displacement, EPA family, emission standard and the power ratings (prime/standby, kWe/kVA, 50/60 Hz).
Read guide →EPA Tier 4 Final vs EU Stage V: Generator Emissions Compared
How the U.S. EPA Tier 4 Final and EU Stage V diesel emissions standards differ — particulate-number limits, PM and NOx levels, power-band coverage and what each means when specifying a generator engine.
Read guide →Diesel vs Natural Gas Generators: Total Cost of Ownership
A total-cost-of-ownership comparison of diesel and natural gas generator sets — capital cost, fuel cost, fuel security, maintenance, load banking and emissions — and why the analysis period changes the answer.
Read guide →Alternator Basics
Alternator Voltage & Frequency: 50 Hz vs 60 Hz
How generator alternators differ by frequency (50 Hz vs 60 Hz, set by poles and RPM) and by voltage output (230/400V, 480V, medium voltage, star vs delta) — and why it matters when choosing a genset.
Read guide →North American Voltage Standards: 120V / 208V / 277V / 480V
Understand North American three-phase voltage systems: the V(L-L) = √3 × V(L-N) formula, the 120/208V and 277/480V Wye systems, the 208V high-leg-delta trap, and how to match a generator to the facility.
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