How do I determine the kilowatt/hour output of a generator? 1

[Boonstra]

I am attempting to determine what the kilowatt/hour rating of a 30kW generator is.

Is it simply 30kW x Hours of use?

I question because if I have a 30kW load the generator produces the 30kW requirement instantaneously.

Is it assumed that any given load (watts) is based on one hour of time? i.e. If a 20 watt light bulb is turned on is it consuming 20 watts/sec or 20 watts/hr?

 

[dpc]

Watts = power
kilowatt-hours = energy

energy = power x time (for constant power)

A generator operating at 30 kW output power for 20 hours has produced 600 kWh of energy.

A 20 watt bulb uses 20 watts of power. If it is on for 2 hours, it uses 40 watt-hours of energy.

 

[Boonstra]

Thanks dpc! You have cleared up any mis-conceptions that I had.

 

[itsmoked]

To add no generator would be listed as an X-kWhr generator as that conveys no useful information about it's power capability.

kWhr is an energy value. They could say you may get Y kWhrs typically per tank of fuel at %50 load. But more likely would be, "It will run at %50 load for 8 hrs on a tank of fuel."

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[stevenal]

Power is the rate of energy use. 20 watt is shorthand for 20 Joule/s. Multiply constant power by time to get energy. Depending on the units chosen you may end up with a value in Joules, watt-hours, ...