What Is a Diesel Generator?
A diesel generator is a device used to convert the energy stored in diesel fuel into the electrical energy used by household and industrial devices. A diesel internal combustion engine, similar to those found in some cars and trucks, burns diesel fuel and uses the energy to turn a shaft. Unlike in vehicles, however, the shaft is connected to an attached electrical generator and converted to electrical rather than kinetic energy. Internal combustion engines, whether diesel or conventional gasoline powered, ignite a mixture of fuel and air. The energy of that explosion moves a piston that is connected to a crankshaft. The linear movement of the piston is converted into rotational movement of the crankshaft. In a vehicle, this rotational movement is used to turn wheels. In a diesel generator, it’s used to move a shaft that is connected to the electrical generator portion of the system. Electricity is generated when there is relative motion between a magnetic field and a conductor. By atta
Put simply, a diesel generator is the combination of a diesel engine with an electrical generator (alternator). The purpose of a diesel generator is to generate electricity. Diesel generators are also called diesel generating sets or gensets. A genset typically includes a fuel tank and a cooling method, usually a radiator. The electricity produced by a diesel generator is used where power from the grid is unobtainable, difficult to obtain or expensive. Diesel generators produce alternating current (AC) which can be measured in voltage (volts) frequency (Hz) and power (watts). In Australia, diesel generators commonly produce 240V output.
