Need Generator Advice to power our mobile cafe this summer!

[chicago]

So, we are finally hoping our mobile cafe in Chicago this summer, but we are having trouble making a decision on a generator. We are torn between a diesel and gasoline, we know the diesel supposedly saves a bit more on fuel costs, but is it worth it? since they usually cost more and can be expensive to repair!?!

We have been looking and researching for a while, and we think we need 7.5kw or more due to wattage needed for the espresso machine, ice maker, and grinders. Any one have experience with this? The rising fuel costs aren't helping either!:???:

Anyone have advice on specific models and the cost on running all day? HELP!

Any advice anyone could give would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

 

[Randy G.]

Can you find a diesel that is quiet enough, and can you direct the exhaust well enough to not have to smell it? What about noise? Honda makes some extremely quiet generators, and some can be run in parallel to boost power.

 

[shadow745]

I wouldn't bother going with diesel as they are heavy in comparison, noisier and more costly upfront.

Also wouldn't bother with Honda as they are overpriced for what you're getting. You can run them parallel, but it's costly to buy/maintain 2 smaller gensets to get comparable power to one larger one. I strongly recommend Generac or Kohler as they are built for long term use and offer alot of bang for the buck. Don't read into the hype that Honda makes the best small engines. That's like people believing Mazzer makes the best grinders. We run a 13KW propane fired Generac Guardian that has been awesome and we have ALOT of onboard equipment to power. May not be the quietest available, but it's not annoying either. Much quieter than smaller portable generators I've been around. You can also go the RV generator route which are usually a bit smaller and better insulated for quieter operation, but you pay dearly for it.

Add up your total wattage needed and add 15% to that because alot of electrical items require more power to actually get started. It's better to have more power than you need. For example, the 13KW we use is rated at 1.55 gallons per hour at half load of propane usage and 2.18 gph at full load, but based on my math we are getting around a 1.3gph average. In comparison there is a new Kohler 14KW genset I have researched that has a smaller engine (750cc vs the 992cc in our Guardian) but the fuel efficiency of the Kohler is only 5-8% better because the smaller engine is being pushed harder to obtain a similar output.

Propane is cleaner burning than other fuel sources and there is NO gumming of fuel systems, fouled spark/glow plugs, etc. like you can have with gasoline/diesel. Propane is more efficient as well. Right now we pay $2.65 per gallon of propane and get around 16 hrs. out of a 100 lb. tank (23 gallons when 80% full). Basically it costs us around $3.25~ per hour to run it.

 

[SecretCoffeeTv]

What about AC Delco power units? Have you considered one?

 

[Mr Shave]

Do you have a list of your equipment and required draw?

What type of ice maker did you decide to go with? Why did you decide to have a ice maker on board instead of buying ice?

For the generator do you plan on towing, mounting outside, or mounting inside? The size constraints of your setup will dictate your generator type.
I would rather pay a little more for the generator and fuel and have it quiet. Believe me, making a loud generator quiet is $$$ and very time consuming.
One advantage for diesel or unleaded is if it is the same type of fuel as the truck you can connect it to refill from the trucks gasoline tank.

In that price point I would check out some of the Honda or Pramac generators. Most of the Pramac ones use Honda engines.
Pramac S7200 CARB Work Generators at PowerComplete.com

Keep in mind 74db is LOUD and you will need a box
For running costs figure out how long the generator will run on 50/100% load and multiple by the number of hours you will be working.
Example: 9.2 hours on 50% load with 8 gallon tank
8/9.2 = .87 gallons per hour at 50% load. .87 x number of hours operating (are you going to need to run the generator to setup and break down for lighting?) 10 hours = 8.7 hours per day
8.7 hours per day x $4.60 (or whatever you want to budget for gas) = $40.02 a day in gas

This is just an example to give you a ball park figures. One of my friends (non coffee lunch wagon) runs propane to heat food and uses two parallel Honda generators for everything else. He told me they don't even go through 3/4 gallons a day. They only run 3-5 hours though

 

[Starlight]

Do you have a list of your equipment and required draw?

What type of ice maker did you decide to go with? Why did you decide to have a ice maker on board instead of buying ice?

For the generator do you plan on towing, mounting outside, or mounting inside? The size constraints of your setup will dictate your generator type.
I would rather pay a little more for the generator and fuel and have it quiet. Believe me, making a loud generator quiet is $$$ and very time consuming.
One advantage for diesel or unleaded is if it is the same type of fuel as the truck you can connect it to refill from the trucks gasoline tank.

In that price point I would check out some of the Honda or Pramac generators. Most of the Pramac ones use Honda engines.
Pramac S7200 CARB Work Generators at PowerComplete.com

Keep in mind 74db is LOUD and you will need a box
For running costs figure out how long the generator will run on 50/100% load and multiple by the number of hours you will be working.
Example: 9.2 hours on 50% load with 8 gallon tank
8/9.2 = .87 gallons per hour at 50% load. .87 x number of hours operating (are you going to need to run the generator to setup and break down for lighting?) 10 hours = 8.7 hours per day
8.7 hours per day x $4.60 (or whatever you want to budget for gas) = $40.02 a day in gas

This is just an example to give you a ball park figures. One of my friends (non coffee lunch wagon) runs propane to heat food and uses two parallel Honda generators for everything else. He told me they don't even go through 3/4 gallons a day. They only run 3-5 hours though

Maybe you have already found your satisfied generator, for diesel generator, Cummins (USA), Perkins (UK), Honda (Japan), and Volvo (Sweden) are extremely good and famous generator. Noise is quiet. Low noise, good performance, low fuel consumption, small vibration, etc.

 

[Octane]

Do you have a list of your equipment and required draw?

What type of ice maker did you decide to go with? Why did you decide to have a ice maker on board instead of buying ice?

For the generator do you plan on towing, mounting outside, or mounting inside? The size constraints of your setup will dictate your generator type.
I would rather pay a little more for the generator and fuel and have it quiet. Believe me, making a loud generator quiet is $$$ and very time consuming.
One advantage for diesel or unleaded is if it is the same type of fuel as the truck you can connect it to refill from the trucks gasoline tank.

In that price point I would check out some of the Honda or Pramac generators. Most of the Pramac ones use Honda engines.
Pramac S7200 CARB Food Truck Generators at PowerComplete.com

Keep in mind 74db is LOUD and you will need a box
For running costs figure out how long the generator will run on 50/100% load and multiple by the number of hours you will be working.
Example: 9.2 hours on 50% load with 8 gallon tank
8/9.2 = .87 gallons per hour at 50% load. .87 x number of hours operating (are you going to need to run the generator to setup and break down for lighting?) 10 hours = 8.7 hours per day
8.7 hours per day x $4.60 (or whatever you want to budget for gas) = $40.02 a day in gas

This is just an example to give you a ball park figures. One of my friends (non coffee lunch wagon) runs propane to heat food and uses two parallel Honda generators for everything else. He told me they don't even go through 3/4 gallons a day. They only run 3-5 hours though

It might be the late reply, but I'd like to add my twopence.

Diesel power is good for a mobile trucks in general, but it's heavier, noisier and less emission friendly than propane/gasoline options. On the plus side diesel is fuel efficient and long lasting.
On our van we have a "standby" Generac propane fired 13KW unit and it will run as long as need be provided you have enough fuel onhand. Most of the energy consumed by the machine is heating the water in the boilers.
I know that some mobile cafe's prefer inverters. Though I wouldn't waste the time/money as it will limit your capacity. I'd recommend a good generator rated at least 15-20% more than all your needs totaled and better yet an electrical connection as it's so much cheaper to operate and electricity is getting easier to obtain at events, street fairs, etc.

 

[Albertmitchell]

I would recomened you to look at this propan generator Westinghouse WGen3600DF (If you need, i can send you the link with review on it) - A conventional generator with a sturdy construction and a powerful engine, providing enough watts for all essential appliances and a long runtime
I know the real story when this machine became the best friend for small family business

 

[Jackchan]

Currently, there are three types of generator which runs on different kinds of fuel.
Gasoline – This type of generator is considered to be the favorite type due to the fact that gasoline is cheap and is widely available. However, you may also need to consider the fact that gasoline is highly flammable and therefore burns at a faster rate than other fuel such as diesel. Liquid Propane– This type of generator produces approximately 10% less power if we were to compare it to the Gasoline. Diesel – This type of generator burns cleaner than that of Gasoline Generator and produces more power than that of Liquid Propane Generator. Buy a dialed generator for your mobile cafe. Source:https://www.bestpowerstation.com/best-generator-for-rv/


Look at the level of noise, a lot of National Parks and even private campground has limit the noise level to 70 decibel at 50 feet. Therefore, it’s best not to buy a generator that produce a noise level that is more than 70 decibel. For example, Champion Power Equipment 100294 has an advanced sound dampening technology as well as an artificially designed muffler that has a low-tone which helps this generator to operate at a residential friendly 63-decibel noise level so that you would not have any problems letting your generator to operate all day long.

 

[PatrickMartin]

best opportunity to use coffee

 

[Torrance]

I would recomened you to look at this propan generator Westinghouse WGen3600DF (If you need, i can send you the link with review on it) - A conventional generator with a sturdy construction and a powerful engine, providing enough watts for all essential appliances and a long runtime
I know the real story when this machine became the best friend for small family business

Hi, is this 3600 model loud? I want to buy a gen around 4000, but now I'm considering an inverter option as they are considered quieter.
Can anyone give feedback on Westinghouse iGen4500DF, foun it in the article about truck generator, but I'm not sure. Is it worth overpaying for this modern inverter technology?
I used to own cheap Duromax gen, but it was too loud for me

 

[yyyog]

​Currently, there are three types of generator which runs on different kinds of fuel.

 

[Rustlen]

I understand you, but in this situation you need a good generator not a generator advice, that's my opinion. I live in the suburb of Montreal, and we also have a small cafeteria there too, so my father and I decided to buy a new generator because sometimes there can be small problems with the electricity. Furthermore, I found on trimthatweed.com some good ones, you can look there maybe you will find something for you too. Hope my message will be useful for you, and you will solve your problem with the generator.

 

[benjaminhale]

solar panels maybe an alternative

 

[Gibsongi]

I understand you, but in this situation you need a good generator not a generator advice, that's my opinion. I live in the suburb of Montreal, and we also have a small cafeteria there too, so my father and I decided to buy a new generator because sometimes there can be small problems with the electricity. Furthermore, I found on trimthatweed.com some good ones, you can look there maybe you will find something for you too. Hope my message will be useful for you, and you will solve your problem with the generator.

I agree with you.