Power and equipment · 4 min read
What size generator does your event need? A simple kVA guide
A power cut in the middle of the muhurtham or the reception speeches is the one thing nobody forgets. Choosing the right generator is mostly simple arithmetic. Here's how to do it.
kVA and kW: what the numbers mean
Generators are rated in kVA (kilovolt-amperes). Your equipment is usually labelled in watts (W) or kilowatts (kW). They're related but not the same.
Most diesel generators are rated at a power factor of 0.8, which means the usable power in kW is about 80% of the kVA rating. A 125 kVA generator gives you roughly 100 kW; a 15 kVA generator roughly 12 kW.
Step 1: list everything that needs power
Walk through the event and write down every item that plugs in, along with its wattage. You'll usually find it on a label or in the product details.
- Decoration lighting: serial lights, jhoomers, focus lights
- Stage lighting and LED walls
- Sound system: speakers, mixers, subwoofers
- Fans, air coolers or air conditioning
- Catering equipment: induction stoves, mixers, warmers
- Anything else: photo booths, phone charging, projectors
Step 2: add it up and convert to kVA
Add all the wattages to get your total load in kW, then divide by 0.8 to get kVA.
Example (for illustration only): if your lights add up to 6 kW and your sound system to 2 kW, your total is 8 kW. 8 ÷ 0.8 = 10 kVA.
Step 3: add headroom
Don't plan to run a generator at 100% of its rating for hours. Some equipment, especially anything with a motor or compressor like coolers and air conditioners, briefly draws more power when it starts. A margin of about 20–25% keeps things stable.
In the example above, 10 kVA plus headroom points to a 15 kVA generator rather than a 10 kVA one.
Placement and safety
Place the generator away from guests, the stage and the kitchen, where its noise and exhaust won't bother anyone, and keep cables covered or routed where people won't trip over them.
Ask the venue what power is already available. Sometimes the generator only needs to back up the essentials, such as lights and sound, rather than run everything.
Not sure? Ask us
We supply generators from 3 kVA to 125 kVA, and we size them from the lighting, sound and other equipment at your event. If we're also doing your lights and sound, we already know most of the load.
Written by the PlannerAddict team.