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Hello,

The best generator is one that doesn’t function. And you tend to do better with 2 ‘small’ ones and manage your load (requires discipline) so you always have one ‘spare’.

I think your first step is to go through the list and see where you can cut back (do you need 30 lamps?) . I’ve worked in Sudan myself so I know it can get very hot, but do you really need air coolers (= nice to have but critical for the operation? – get up early, sleep during the hottest part of the day & get lots of shading/ put grass on your roof?). There are several billion people surviving and working without airco or only a fan. There are several evaporation techniques that allow you to have cold drinking water/ food storage.

If you live remote: the logistics of transporting fuel is in general no easy task.

For the clinic: go solar/ kerosene. Running fridges of generators is asking for troubles. You’re much better off on a solar/kerosene one. Burning fuel to generate electricity to generate heat isn’t very efficient. Go to your ‘local’ WHO office (or other medical NGO) to get maybe one or 2 kerosene fridges ‘for free’.

As for the lights in the clinic: solar lights will do perfectly. You either have mobile ones that you take back to the compound if they are not needed or you have batteries/lights at the clinic and take the solar panel back and forward (avoid theft). You then connect the solar panel(s) on a stand on the floor (don’t forget to lock them to the frame!) and in the evening, you take it back to the compound (without the frame).

Provide a few head torches with re-chargeable batteries (solar charger) for emergencies and wind-up torches for the guards. You can always complement with some kerosene lights.

Small generators also have the advantage that they are mobile: if your batteries at the clinic need a topup if there isn’t enough sun: you can take a generator to charge them. Office gest house: go to a 12V system. Often it is cheaper and a better long term option than a generator. If your battery runs low if solar is not sufficient, you can top-up with a smaller generator. That is also the time you can switch on your satellite receiver (are you sure about the 2kW – seems very powerful & most satellite systems work 12V/24V). The Radio set can often be ‘adapted’ to 12V and you can easily find travel adapters for most mobiles.

The 12 V systems avoids also multiple inverters (you probably will always need one). Your 2 computers are ideally replaced by laptops: they have a built in UPS (=the battery) and often you can find 12V travel adapters for those too.

But despite the sales pitch for solar: keep a few 220V lights in case of an emergency/ when you get it wrong.

When working with generators, you may want to think about peak protection: just if your generator plays up, you don’t want it to damage your equipment.

Hope this helps. Kristof

Hello,

The best generator is one that doesn’t function. run. And you tend to do better with 2 ‘small’ ones and manage your load (requires discipline) so you always have one ‘spare’.

I think your first step is to go through the list and see where you can cut back (do you need 30 lamps?) . I’ve worked in Sudan myself so I know it can get very hot, but do you really need air coolers (= nice to have but critical for the operation? – get up early, sleep during the hottest part of the day & get lots of shading/ put grass on your roof?). There are several billion people surviving and working without airco or only a fan. There are several evaporation techniques that allow you to have cold drinking water/ food storage.

If you live remote: the logistics of transporting fuel is in general no easy task.

For the clinic: go solar/ kerosene. Running fridges of generators is asking for troubles. You’re much better off on a solar/kerosene one. Burning fuel to generate electricity to generate heat isn’t very efficient. Go to your ‘local’ WHO office (or other medical NGO) to get maybe one or 2 kerosene fridges ‘for free’.

As for the lights in the clinic: solar lights will do perfectly. You either have mobile ones that you take back to the compound if they are not needed or you have batteries/lights at the clinic and take the solar panel back and forward (avoid theft). You then connect the solar panel(s) on a stand on the floor (don’t forget to lock them to the frame!) and in the evening, you take it back to the compound (without the frame).

Provide a few head torches with re-chargeable batteries (solar charger) for emergencies and wind-up torches for the guards. You can always complement with some kerosene lights.

Small generators also have the advantage that they are mobile: if your batteries at the clinic need a topup if there isn’t enough sun: you can take a generator to charge them. Office gest house: go to a 12V system. Often it is cheaper and a better long term option than a generator. If your battery runs low if solar is not sufficient, you can top-up with a smaller generator. That is also the time you can switch on your satellite receiver (are you sure about the 2kW – seems very powerful & most satellite systems work 12V/24V). The Radio set can often be ‘adapted’ to 12V and you can easily find travel adapters for most mobiles.

The 12 V systems avoids also multiple inverters (you probably will always need one). Your 2 computers are ideally replaced by laptops: they have a built in UPS (=the battery) and often you can find 12V travel adapters for those too.

But despite the sales pitch for solar: keep a few 220V lights in case of an emergency/ when you get it wrong.

When working with generators, you may want to think about peak protection: just if your generator plays up, you don’t want it to damage your equipment.

Hope this helps. Kristof