Generator running costs for low, medium, and higher usage scenarios

[Jan]

How much it costs to run a generator for load-shedding

Running a generator through Stage 4 load-shedding will cost a medium to high-energy usage household between R485 and R780 per month in fuel.

Petrol prices rose to R19.47 at the beginning of November, and South Africa experienced Stage 4 load-shedding intermittently over two weeks.

 

[Lupus]

You don't mention the type of generator, you also don't put in oil and servicing costs.
Also most people don't run their entire house on the portables, they'll power a few things.

 

[Other Pineapple Smurf]

My Grip 5Kva generator uses 1-1,5L per hour. We do draw up to 4000watts - Aircon and professional hair dryer that wife uses for up to an hour on client.

So R20-R30 per hour. Considering that my wife was still able to work uninterrupted last week and make food, the cost is worth it.

Done over 70 hours since Easter 2019 as you only need this during the day. Can't use it at night as I'm not such a bad guy as the neighbours tell you.

 

[Lupus]

My Grip 5Kva generator uses 1-1,5L per hour. We do draw up to 4000watts - Aircon and professional hair dryer that wife uses for up to an hour on client.

So R20-R30 per hour. Considering that my wife was still able to work uninterrupted last week and make food, the cost is worth it.

Done over 70 hours since Easter 2019 as you only need this during the day. Can't use it at night as I'm not such a bad guy as the neighbours tell you.

My Omega 2800 uses 0.5l an hour, I've never really pushed passed 1000l. My freaking little 900w where I power about 600w is about 0.3l an hour, I've had that thing on 1l of petrol over a 3 hour session and there was still some left. But the last 100ml or so you can't use.

 

[BuckRogers]

Working from home I find a bit of planning helps a lot. LS kicks in and I run on the laptop battery for a good while. When the battery gets low or I miss the second monitor too much, the genny gets started. You end up running the genny for less than half the shed hours.

 

[joshuatree]

My Omega 2800 uses 0.5l an hour, I've never really pushed passed 1000l. My freaking little 900w where I power about 600w is about 0.3l an hour, I've had that thing on 1l of petrol over a 3 hour session and there was still some left. But the last 100ml or so you can't use.

Are you referring to this little Ryobi?

https://ryobi.co.za/products/generator-max-950w-cons-650kva-2-stroke-air-cooled-rg-950/

If indeed, how much effort is the 2 stroke mix oil and fuel thing, and you rate it as fuel efficient, or am I getting you wrong?

 

[Lupus]

Are you referring to this little Ryobi?

https://ryobi.co.za/products/generator-max-950w-cons-650kva-2-stroke-air-cooled-rg-950/

If indeed, how much effort is the 2 stroke mix oil and fuel thing, and you rate it as fuel efficient, or am I getting you wrong?

It does seem to be fuel efficient, I got this

Game South Africa | We beat any price

www.game.co.za

Still using the original 2 stroke oil from the start of lock down. You use so little per l.
Look the 900w cannot power a lot, but it really is a lot more efficient over the 2800

 

[joshuatree]

Beurtkrag: Ma van 2 dood toe kragopwekker ontplof https://www.netwerk24.com/netwerk24...-van-2-dood-toe-kragopwekker-ontplof-20211111

- this was an unfortunate event, either a problem with ventilation, petrol gets very hot in tank after 2 hours load shedding and like a bom, or a leak with the petrol pipe - according to the article.

 

[joshuatree]

It does seem to be fuel efficient, I got this

Game South Africa | We beat any price

www.game.co.za

Still using the original 2 stroke oil from the start of lock down. You use so little per l.
Look the 900w cannot power a lot, but it really is a lot more efficient over the 2800

So those markings above the 1L petrol marking is for different types of oil? You pour in 1L petrol, and then just the oil? Nothing else, like an attempt to mix it or something?

 

[G.A.S]

To help you compare vehicles that use electricity, a conversion factor is used to convert electrical energy consumption values, expressed in kilowatt hours per 100 kilometres (kWh/100 km), into gasoline litres equivalent per 100 kilometres (Le/100 km). One litre of gasoline contains the energy equivalent to 8.9 kWh of electricity. (Per link in article)

I hardly believe an article about cars is a reliable source to use for generators.

 

[Lupus]

Beurtkrag: Ma van 2 dood toe kragopwekker ontplof https://www.netwerk24.com/netwerk24...-van-2-dood-toe-kragopwekker-ontplof-20211111

- this was an unfortunate event, either a problem with ventilation, petrol gets very hot in tank after 2 hours load shedding and like a bom, or a leak with the petrol pipe - according to the article.

Paywall can't read it.

 

[Lupus]

So those markings above the 1L petrol marking is for different types of oil? You pour in 1L petrol, and then just the oil? Nothing else, like an attempt to mix it or something?

You then shake or stir but yeah those are the markings.
The fuel cap also has a reservoir for oil, on a full tank you fill that and pour in and shake the generator.
But I prefer the bottle much easier to work with and measure.

 

[wingnut771]

So those markings above the 1L petrol marking is for different types of oil? You pour in 1L petrol, and then just the oil? Nothing else, like an attempt to mix it or something?

Different oil to fuel ratios afaik.

 

[Lupus]

Different oil to fuel ratios afaik.

That is it, different things require different mixes, the generator is 50 to 1.

 

[joshuatree]

You then shake or stir but yeah those are the markings.
The fuel cap also has a reservoir for oil, on a full tank you fill that and pour in and shake the generator.
But I prefer the bottle much easier to work with and measure.

Nice, I would prefer that as well.

 

[bwana]

My RG-2600i uses about 1-1.5l per hour. Thirsty little bugger but it's worth it.

 

[joshuatree]

Different oil to fuel ratios afaik.

Couldn't see the ratio sign " : " on the phone.

Thanks, enlarged it a bit now, could make it out in a way. Makes sense now.

 

[mypetcow]

My Grip 5Kva generator uses 1-1,5L per hour. We do draw up to 4000watts - Aircon and professional hair dryer that wife uses for up to an hour on client.

So R20-R30 per hour. Considering that my wife was still able to work uninterrupted last week and make food, the cost is worth it.

Done over 70 hours since Easter 2019 as you only need this during the day. Can't use it at night as I'm not such a bad guy as the neighbours tell you.

So 4000 W at 1.5l per hour meaning: 4kWh at 1.5l.

So 1 kWh = 0.375l = +- R7.12/kWh (@R19/l)

Even for those of us paying R2.00/kWh from Eskom/our favourite local municipality it’s more than 3.5x as expensive as the grid.

I think that’s the more important metric the article should have focused on. I mean without generator specification and specific load shedding schedule the random Rands per month is not really telling…

 

[moklet]

Every time I run my genni, I feel I am just contributing to government coffers. Not only do we have load shedding, but our area seems to be suffering from more than average infrastructure breakdowns. Yet our rates and taxes are above average

 

[hend]

Chinese 7.5kva diesel generator using 1 to 1.5 l/h. Heating geyser with lights, TV fringe,etc. Or even run the oven with TV lights, fridge, etc