5 kva Generator

[Tony6]

Hi I need a bit of help?

I have 5KVA Generator i would like to power an electricial shower for a short period of time while im renovating my home.
The trouble is i can only see advertised electricial showers from 7.2kw

However if the generator can only supply 5kw and the electric shower demands 7.2kw to work at it optimum.will this mean that the shower will not work at its best or can this lead to a fire or damage to the generator

In other words will the shower be happy with the 5 kw being supplied but not giving the correct amount of hot water
or
Will the shower keep on demanding the 7.2kw from the generator and damage it

Thanks For Your Help ,Here to learn

 

[ZenStalinist]

It depends on which generator you have I suppose. Most generators will trip if you try to overload them.

It might just lead to a volt drop, which will eventually result in your shower running at 5kw (there has been a post on this).

Most generators have overload protection, however, so it will just trip and the generator will stop.

 

[breezer]

shower with a friend easier (more fun) and also much less hassle than trying to wire a generator to a shower

 

[Big_Spark]

Showers pull the total load all the time from the moment they are turned on.

A 5kVA Gen Set will not power a shower, and to try to do would cause serious damage to the generator.

 

[plugwash]

most showers have a low power setting dunno if this would bring the load down enough

but it would probablly give a **** shower anyway

why do you need to run off a generator?
do you think you will loose mains completely for a long time or something

 

[dingbat]

If you are doing a rewire in stages then one solution is to sort out the earthing arrangements, install your new consumer unit and run in your shower supply from that. You can install temporary circuits for use while you rewire, then, as you add new/replacement circuits, you can connect up to the CU as soon as they are tested and ready. I'm assuming here that you are intending to run the shower, via the generator or otherwise, on a circuit that is suitable for the purpose?

 

[AdamW]

Here is an off-the wall idea:

What if you step-down the voltage from the generator? I am assuming a perfect world here, so let's say your generator outputs 230V at up to 5kVA... That's about 21.7A

Your 7.2kW shower wants to draw 30A (they are usually rated at 240V aren't they?)

So, what we need to do is step down the voltage until

voltage x 30 = 5000.

In other words, 167 volts. If you were to pass the output of your generator into a step-down transformer at a ratio of 230:167 then the output of the transformer would be able to supply 30A. You can get 110V transformers quite readily but I think they are usually 3kVA which is no good to you.

Anyone got an idea if that would work, and if such a transformer could be purchased easily and cheaply? One suitable for 30A... mmmm, toasty windings!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Here is an off-the wall idea:

Off the wall?

You can say that again.

Your plan is that Tony should buy the little 7.2kW shower (which will be pretty feeble), AND an expensive transformer, so that he can move the shower from the 7.2kW feeble zone into the 3.5kW completely useless zone.

Off the wall???

 

[AdamW]

Fair dos, it would be the 5kW region.

Anyway, all electric showers are rubbish in my opinion, can't have a decent shower from 10kW. So I don't think anyone should buy one!

I was just showing it could be done, doesn't mean it should be done

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Fair dos, it would be the 5kW region.

Your 7.2kW shower wants to draw 30A (they are usually rated at 240V aren't they?)

240V/30A = shower resistance of 8ohms.

....In other words, 167 volts...

P=V^2/R. 167^2/8 = 3486.125

To get an 8ohm load to dissipate 5kW the voltage needs to be 200V.

 

[kendor]

Fair dos, it would be the 5kW region.

Your 7.2kW shower wants to draw 30A (they are usually rated at 240V aren't they?)

240V/30A = shower resistance of 8ohms.

....In other words, 167 volts...

P=V^2/R. 167^2/8 = 3486.125

To get an 8ohm load to dissipate 5kW the voltage needs to be 200V.

Your calculations are out!
See my post: //www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9701&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

 

[AdamW]

I must not forget Year 7 physics
I must not forget Year 7 physics
I must not forget Year 7 physics
I must not forget Year 7 physics
I must not forget Year 7 physics
I must not forget Year 7 physics
I must not forget Year 7 physics
I must not forget Year 7 physics
I must not forget Year 7 physics
I must not forget Year 7 physics

Wish I had a pc to do lines when I was at school!

 

[david and julie]

If it is an old house I presume it as a cylinder. Could you not connect the generator to the old immersion heater and use the cylinder for a shower?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I'd worry quite a lot about earthing if I were using a portable generator to supply equipment in the bathroom...

 

[securespark]

While you're at it, installing the Gen, make the bathroom a Faradays Cage too...