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If you’ve ever experienced a power outage, you know how much it can disrupt your life. Your refrigerator stops working, leaving food to spoil. Lights go out, leaving you in the dark. The coffee maker won’t brew coffee for the morning and your favorite coffeemaker may even stop brewing your morning cup of joe. Even if you have a backup generator, it may not be able to supply enough power for all your critical loads like a well-insulated home or business climate control system. Fortunately, there are 20 KVA generators you can use to keep the lights on and appliances running during a power outage. But what is a 20 KVA generator? Are there different types of generators? How do they work? Let’s take a closer look at everything you need to know about this handy device!

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What is a 20 KVA Generator?

A generator is a device that converts kinetic energy (the energy in motion) into electrical energy, which can be used to power appliances and lights in your home or business. Different models have different capacities, and many have the capacity to power larger loads like refrigerators, freezers, and even air conditioners. The most common generator size is 20 KVA, which is short for kilovolt-amps. A kilovolt-amp (kVA) is a unit of power that measures how much power a device draws from the grid. A 20 KVA generator can produce up to 20,000 watts, or 20 kilowatts, of power. That’s enough to power up to 26,800 watts of appliances or equipment (though this will usually result in a brown-out and could damage your appliances).

Why do I need a 20 KVA generator?

A 20 KVA generator can help you stay powered up during a power outage. It can even help you ride out a storm if there’s enough time to get it set up. If you have a well-insulated home with energy-efficient appliances, though, you may only need a smaller generator, like a 5 KVA. If you have an older home with appliances that use more energy, you may need a larger generator, like a 40 KVA. A 20 KVA generator can power enough appliances and equipment to keep the essentials going in your home or business. Depending on your specific generator, this may include lights, refrigerators, freezers, HVAC systems, and even a few select pieces of critical equipment like medical devices or security systems. If you have a well-insulated home, you may even be able to power your climate control system with a 20 KVA generator. But you’ll want to make sure your generator can handle the load, and you may need to adjust some settings. Even if you can’t keep the AC running, you can still keep the house at a comfortable temperature with plenty of fans running.

Things to know before you buy a 20 KVA generator

Before you buy a 20 KVA generator, make sure you have room to store it. Depending on the model, a generator can be as large as a small car or take up as much space as a large fridge. Some are even big enough that you need a special foundation to keep them upright. If you live in a high-humidity area with lots of moisture, you’ll need a generator that’s equipped with a de-humidifier. You’ll also need to have enough fuel on hand to keep the generator running. Depending on the size of your generator, you may need to refuel it every few days. You can also buy a generator that runs on natural gas, which will keep it running as long as you have fuel. You’ll also need an electrical service that can handle the increased load from a large generator. If you run your 20 KVA generator too long, you risk tripping your breaker or circuit breaker as well as shortening the lifespan of your generator. Choose a model you can easily disconnect when you don’t need it.

How are generators different from inverters?

An inverter is a device that converts DC (direct current) into AC (alternating current), which can be used to power appliances and lights in your home or business. But unlike a generator, an inverter doesn’t produce power on its own. An inverter is a type of transfer switch. It converts power from DC to AC so that it can be sent to your appliances and lights. When the power goes out, it will automatically transfer the power from your backup generator to the rest of your home or business. Inverters are best for smaller loads like refrigerators and freezers and may struggle if you have a lot of AC-powered devices. A generator, on the other hand, can produce enough power for larger devices like air conditioners, electric stoves and even some well-insulated homes.

Final Words: Should you buy a 20 KVA generator?

If you have a large home or business with a lot of critical loads that need power, you may need a 20 KVA generator. If you run a medical practice, have a manufacturing plant or have high-tech security systems, you may need a larger generator to keep your business running. A smaller generator may not have enough capacity to power everything you need during a power outage. A 20 KVA generator can provide enough power to keep the essentials running and protect your business during a power outage. It can even help you stay powered up during a storm if there’s enough time to get it set up. And remember, 20 KVA may be the maximum power you can produce, but the load your generator can handle will be less.