What Size Generator Do I Need for My Food Truck?
Get the size right and your generator cruises through the busiest rush with power to spare, and you haven't paid for capacity you'll never use. That's why a cart and a truck get different answers.
How hard it works
Each bar shows how much of the generator's rated power a typical set-up uses. We keep everything under the black line at 80 per cent, the most Queensland's Electrical Safety Office recommends for running all day.
Three of the four sit under the line. For the fourth, put the griddle on gas and it drops straight back to the fryer truck's 55 per cent.
Running a one-group cart with a 10A machine? The smaller Hyundai HY5000iSE covers it at 62 per cent.
Three things to check
- ✓Your plugs. A 15A plug needs a 15A outlet. Many two-group machines need 20A or more, which means the 32A outlet. Have a licensed electrician fit a 32A inlet to your van.
- ✓Your hot water. Gas keeps it off the generator. If yours is electric, ask us first.
- ✓Start-up. Fridges first, then cooking gear one item at a time. Motors like fridge compressors draw a short burst when they start.
Run it safely
Keep the generator outside, dry and out of reach of the public, at least 1 metre clear on every side, with the exhaust pointing away from your serving window and any doors, windows or vents. Exhaust contains carbon monoxide, so never run it inside the van or in an enclosed space, and only refuel when it's off and cool. Have a licensed electrician wire the van and fit its power inlet, with RCD (safety switch) protection on the van's switchboard that suits your generator. Use leads rated for the outlet they plug into, and get your leads and appliances tested and tagged.
Optional extra: power for the off-hours
Your generator handles the rush. For the hours either side, a power station keeps the lights on and the fridge cold with the engine switched off.
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Run-time maths
Method: take the fridge's energy rating (about 3kWh a day for a two-door underbench fridge, 126W on average). Usable battery is 1,152Wh x 0.8 for conversion losses, about 920Wh. Run time is 920 divided by 126, about 7 hours.
While it charges, the power station draws up to 550W. A fryer truck can charge while it trades, and so can a coffee cart running from the generator's 32A outlet. A two-group coffee van should charge once the machine's off: 6,830W plus 550W is 82 per cent.
Running a fryer? See how to power a deep fryer in a food truck. Pouring coffee? See how to start a coffee van business or how to power a coffee cart.
Send us your appliance list and we'll confirm the generator covers it. We deliver Australia-wide, and checkout shows the delivery options and price for your address.
Try the size calculator Ask us about your set-up