100 kVA power class
100 kVA Diesel Generator (80 kW)
A 100 kVA set delivers 80 kW at a 0.8 power factor, and it is the smallest three-phase rating that most projects buy as a permanently installed machine. It is sized for one building or one critical load, and it is normally built as a 1500 rpm canopy set with an integral base tank.
Ratings
Ratings at a glance
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Prime power (PRP) | 100 kVA / 80 kW |
| Emergency standby (ESP) | 110 kVA / 88 kW |
| Rated voltage and frequency | 400/230 V, 50 Hz (380/220 V or 60 Hz on request) |
| Rated speed | 1500 rpm, four-pole (1800 rpm for 60 Hz) |
| Full-load current | 144 A per phase at 400 V |
| Typical duty | Standby for a villa, shop or small office; prime power on telecom and pumping sites |
Specification envelope
What is normally inside a 100 kVA set
| Item | Typical range | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | Four-cylinder, 3.9-6.0 L, mechanical or electronic governor | Sets the starting capability of the largest motor on site |
| Alternator | Brushless, class H insulation, IP23, self-excited | Voltage regulation under motor starting |
| Fuel consumption | 14-17 L/h at 75% load (60 kW) | Sets tank size and refuelling interval |
| Base tank autonomy | 150-250 L, 9-10 h at 75% load | Whether a separate day tank is needed |
| Noise at 7 m | 65-72 dB(A) canopy, 78-85 dB(A) open frame | Site boundary limits |
| Weight | 1.0-1.3 t open, 1.3-1.7 t canopy | Base slab, lifting points, access route |
| Footprint | Approximately 2.8-3.2 m x 1.1 m canopy | Plant room or yard layout |
Sizing
Four checks before you order 100 kVA
- Add up the load, not the nameplates. A 100 kVA set carries about 80 kW continuously. Diversity means the sum of connected kW is usually higher than the running kW, so list running kW and power factor per load.
- Look at the largest motor. As a rule of thumb a set can start a direct-on-line motor up to roughly 25-30% of its kW rating, so about 20-24 kW here. Anything larger needs star-delta, soft start or a variable speed drive.
- Derate for site conditions. Above 40 C ambient or 1000 m altitude, engine and alternator output fall, and the published curve has to be applied before the rating is fixed.
- Decide the duty first. A standby machine may run a few hundred hours a year; a prime power machine on a pumping or telecom site runs continuously and is rated lower for the same hardware.
Applications
Where 100 kVA is the right size
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Telecom and remote sites
Base station cabinets and microwave sites, usually as prime power with a small canopy and remote start.
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Villa and small office standby
Essential circuits only: lighting, sockets, water pumps and one air conditioning unit.
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Water pumping
Boreholes and irrigation pumps, sized around the starting method of the pump motor rather than its running load.
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Site offices and workshops
Temporary power for a construction office block, with a trailer or skid chassis for moving between sites.
Options
Configuration options that change the build
| Option | What it changes |
|---|---|
| Automatic transfer switch (ATS) | Starts the set and transfers the load within 8-15 s of a mains failure, then transfers back |
| Enclosure grade | Canopy sound level, IP rating and colour; open frame for plant rooms that already have acoustic treatment |
| Tank size | Base tank autonomy, or a separate day tank where fire rules limit fuel in the plant room |
| Control panel | AMF, auto start, protections and remote monitoring by GSM or ethernet |
| Chassis | Fixed skid, or trailer with lights and brakes where the set has to move |
Questions
100 kVA questions we are asked
How many kW is a 100 kVA generator?
80 kW at the conventional 0.8 power factor. The standby rating of the same machine is normally quoted about 10% higher, so 110 kVA / 88 kW. If a tender quotes kW without naming the rating, ask which duty it refers to.
What is the full-load current of a 100 kVA set?
144 A per phase at 400 V three-phase. Cable, busbar and breaker sizing starts from that figure and is then adjusted for ambient temperature and the installation method, so the final cable size is normally larger than the current alone suggests.
How much fuel does a 100 kVA generator burn per hour?
Budget 14-17 L/h at 75% load, which is 60 kW. A 150 L base tank therefore gives roughly 9-10 h at that load, and a 200 L tank about 12 h. Part-load running costs more fuel per kWh than running near rated load.
Can a 100 kVA set start a large pump or compressor motor?
As a rule of thumb, direct-on-line starting is comfortable up to about 25-30% of the set rating, so around 20-24 kW here. A 30 kW pump can still be run, but it needs star-delta, a soft starter or a variable speed drive so that the starting current stays inside the set capability.
What is the difference between a 100 kVA and a 110 kVA set?
Usually nothing in hardware. 100 kVA is the prime power rating and 110 kVA is the emergency standby rating of the same engine and alternator pair. Selling the same set at the higher figure for continuous duty is not correct practice.
Related
Other pages in this range
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Diesel generator sets
Ratings, voltage and frequency combinations, and how to read a datasheet.
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200 kVA
160 kW at the same power factor, for hotels, clinics and small production lines.
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300 kVA
240 kW, the step up when a project outgrows a single 100 kVA machine.
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Request a quote
Send the load list and site conditions, and we reply with the rating and build options.
Sizing a 100 kVA set for your site?
Send the load list, the starting method of the largest motor and the site conditions. You will get the rating, the fuel figures and the options that apply.