Do Generators Produce a Lot of Heat?
How Do They Work?
One of the biggest concerns people have when it comes to getting a generator is the heat they produce. Generators can be very hot devices especially if they are left on for a long time but there is a lot of scope to generators some can be much less prone to producing heat than others.
To find out how much heat a generator can produce we need to take a closer look at how they work. So, let’s do that, shall we? Generators don’t create electricity in the way most people think they do they actually convert mechanical/ chemical energy into electrical power.
They do this by harnessing the fuel and turning it into electrical power. If this is confusing then think about it like this a generator essentially works like a motor but in reverse. It uses motion to generate electrical energy by taking electrons from the fuel and pushing it through an external circuit.
Most generators work in this manner although there can be some slight variations. The fuel source again doesn’t really make much of a difference in how it produces the electrical current although some fuel sources can generate more heat than others.
The principles behind how generators work were discovered by Michael Faraday, a very famous English scientist who made significant inroads in the studies of electromagnetism and electrochemistry. Once the current has been produced by converting the mechanical/ chemical energy it is transferred using copper wires.
Once the power is transferred it can then be used to power other external appliances. Conventional home backup generators can produce more power while smaller portable models with have lower wattages. So, now you know about how generators work let’s take a closer look at how heat is generated.
Generator Heat Levels
Generators convert motion into power (that is a simplification but basically what happens) because of this they can be surprisingly hot machines. Some generators like solar powered machines are noticeably cooler when compared to machines that run on petrol and diesel but even these can still get very hot.
Now yes this is a safety hazard which means you need to follow proper safety precautions. First of all, always ensure your generator is in a safe location when in operation. Home backup generators will need to be professionally installed in a safe location.
Fuel should never be stored close to the generator either which is an all to common mistake. You should also take care when refuelling the generator as fuel could ignite if it is placed inside when the generator is still hot. Generators do produce heat it’s a natural side-effect of how they work but if you take proper precautions you will be quite safe.