Generators in continuous operation – myth or reality?

We have heard from many customers that they have read on the Internet or from retailers that their generators are not suitable for continuous operation.

We would like to clarify this now.

Many dealers specify maximum running times for generators, some of which are very short. It is common to see specifications of 2-4 hours as the maximum continuous running time for generators – but why is that? This suggests that these dealers do not have confidence in their products and that the engines must be technically very simple and prone to failure.

We have been in the generator business for almost 15 years and are heavily involved in the development of generators and innovations. Furthermore, only high-quality engines are used in our generators. Thanks to our many years of experience, we know that engines also work more gently on the material during longer running times. A generator that is only designed for short running times is certainly not suitable for use in domestic emergency power supply or for other applications.

Why generators are suitable for continuous operation

To explain this in simple technical terms:

Engine wear is greatest during the warm-up phase. This is because, for example, the oil must first be pumped through the engine again, and only warm oil has the desired flow and lubrication properties. In addition, all parts heat up slowly and therefore expand at different rates. Not to mention all the other components of the generator, which have to be ramped up and are therefore subjected to greater stress every time the generator is started. In addition, the operating temperature is often not reached during short running times, which means that moisture cannot evaporate from the lubricant. This leads to the well-known “fouling” of the engine.

This is also a familiar problem with cars, for example.

An example

The operating hours of a generator can be compared to the mileage of a car.

Car 1: 200,000 km driven, mostly long-distance trips on the highway. Here, we have low wear and tear in relation to the kilometers driven, as the engine reaches operating temperature, moisture can evaporate, and the time during which the lubrication did not function ideally was short.

Car 2: 200,000 km driven, mostly short trips, 3 km to work and back. Here, the wear is significantly higher. Moisture condenses and drips back into the oil. The lubricating film of the oil does not exist at the start and the consistency of the oil is not ideal.

Now a very simple question arises: Which of the two cars is in better condition?

This means that in this case, “Car 1,” which has exactly the same number of kilometers on the clock, is in better condition than “Car 2” because the car had time to warm up, the engine was oiled, and there was no constant abrasion of the components.

And it's exactly the same with generators, so don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Because that's exactly what generators are designed for.