Generator for Poultry Farm and Irrigation Pump: How to Size It

Poultry farm loads

• Fans and ventilation: 1-3 kW, and they must keep running because birds die quickly without airflow.
• Feeders, drinkers, lighting and a small pump: another 1-2 kW.
• Recommended size: 5-9 kW for a small house, 12-18 kW for a large shed.

Irrigation pump loads

• A 1.5 kW submersible pump can draw 4-5 times its rated current at start.
• Recommended size: single phase pump up to 1.5 kW needs a 5-6 kW set; a 3 kW three phase pump needs 9-12 kW.
• If the pump starts under load, add one more step up in size.

Long-hour operation tips

• Ventilation and irrigation usually run for many hours, so choose based on continuous duty, not peak duty.
• Keep the load below 80 percent of rated power and check oil every 8-10 hours.
• A 25 litre tank gives roughly 14 hours, which covers a full irrigation day.

Protect the pump and the birds

• Add a low oil alert and an overload breaker; both are standard on our sets.
• For automatic start when the grid fails, order the set with an ATS and remote start.