For many years, fossil-fuel-powered generators were the de-facto solution to obtaining power away from the grid.  But, as we all know, generators are loud, consume ungodly amounts of fuel, and produce dangerous emissions. Not to mention, they cannot be used indoors, are unreliable, and need constant maintenance.  

Nobody loves their generator – they suck. Plain and simple.

Let's examine each of the aspects that contribute to their negative reputation:

Noise

We’ve all heard them.  Whether you’re listening to the background hum of your neighbor’s 1kw generator at the campsite, or trying to place an order over the rattle of a 10kw generator at the food truck, the noise made by generators is intrusive and, over time, dangerous. Generators operate between 55 db and 90 db with the vast majority operating at about 70db, or the point at which prolonged exposure will cause hearing loss.

Safety

Generators produce the poisonous gas carbon monoxide (CO) at a rapid rate. CO is an odorless, colorless gas that is extremely dangerous and can take a life within minutes. One generator can emit as much carbon monoxide as 450 cars per hour, according to federal figures.

Per the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, generators kill an average of 70 people in the U.S. each year and injure thousands more, making them one of the most dangerous consumer products on the market.  

Due to the health risk and other factors, state and federal legislators are taking action. The California Assembly bill AB 1346 imposes gas-powered generator restrictions. In 2024, the sale of portable generators will be required to meet more stringent emissions standards. Beginning in 2028, however, generators will need to meet zero-emission standards.

Maintenance

Generators contain fossil-fuel combustion engines, and like all things with moving parts, those require regular maintenance. Otherwise, owners expose themselves to a multitude of issues such as dangerous conditions, expensive repairs, and lack of power.

Most new generators require an oil change after just 25 hours and regular oil changes every 50-60 hours of runtime, which can mean weekly maintenance for those who regularly use and rely on generators for mobile power.

Costs

When the price of fuel soars, so does the cost to operate a generator. The average 5kW generator burns about 0.75 gallons of gas an hour. Running a generator for 8 hours a day at 75% capacity will consume about 6 gallons daily.

That does not include the cost of maintenance. As previously mentioned, it is imperative to have regularly scheduled maintenance on gas-powered generators. Oil changes and inspections are necessary to ensure the safety of those operating and in range of a generator.

There are more than a few hidden costs of generators.

Inefficiency

When looking at power and energy needs for a particular application, a generator will be the most inefficient choice. To understand why, let’s first look at power vs energy:

Power = Watts (this is what actually drives equipment)

Energy = Watt-Hours (how long things can run as they consume Watts)

To size a particular application correctly, you need to know both power and energy requirements. They can be very different. Power needs for equipment vary according to the type of equipment being used, and how each piece of equipment runs. Generally, there will be peaks, as a device switches on, but they will quickly diminish as the device reaches its operating target (i.e. a motor spins up, an oven warms up, a refrigerator cools off, etc.)  A graph of typical power consumption patterns looks like this:

The graph shows that peak power needs are nearly 10 kilowatts, but usually, the average needs are far lower.  

When figuring out which generator to use for this power profile, the answer is easy: you need one that can supply 10 kilowatts. But, when 10 kilowatts are not needed, which is most of the time, the generator is just wasting fuel and operating very inefficiently.

Even though generators have been the go-to for off-grid power needs, especially for food trucks, their drawbacks and limitations are undeniable. As more and more legislative actions are taken to restrict when and where generators can be used, mobile businesses will need a better solution. Luckily, Joule Case is an industry leader in food truck power and other mobile power applications. It's time to power up with Joule Case and leave generators in the dust.