Air Cooled vs Liquid Cooled Generators

​Standby generators for homes and businesses fall into two main classes: air cooled and liquid cooled. The cooling refers to how the engine cools itself.

1. Air Cooled Generators are the choice of many homeowners, but also fit the needs of some small businesses. An air-cooled generator uses the surrounding air to cool the engine. An air-cooled generator is less complex, and usually has a smaller engine, and weights much less than a comparable liquid-cooled system. The smaller engine and lower overall capacity (in general) lower the purchase price. An example of this type of engine would be a lawn mower. Air cooled generators are sized from 10KW to 26KW. 10KW equals 10,000watts or 41amps of power at 240volts. This amount of power would equal running your electric range with all four burners and oven at the same time. 26KW equals 22,000watts or 108amps of power at 240volts. This would allow you to run quite a few things in your home at the same time. The most popular size of generator we sell is the 22KW. Air cooled generators are perfectly fine for running hours to days to weeks.

2. Liquid Cooled Generators are also very popular with homeowners and the top choice for businesses. A liquid Cooled Generator engine pumps coolant through the engine block where it absorbs heat from the engine before it enters a radiator. A fan blows air through the radiator to remove heat from the coolant, which then returns to the engine and the cycle repeats. Air blowing though the radiator may blow over the engine to remove additional heat. An example of this type of engine would be your gas vehicle. Liquid cooled generators can weigh three or four times the weight of an air-cooled unit. Liquid cooled generators take up about a 50 percent larger footprint. Liquid cooled generators are more powerful, durable, and can handle higher temperatures and larger engines. For someone wanting the highest quality and the best generator they can get, liquid cooled generators are the way to go. Liquid cooled generators are great for running hours to days to weeks. Liquid cooled generators are sized from 22KW to 60KW. The most popular two sizes of these generators are the 22KW and the 48KW.