Guide
Compounds, tools, welfare and security running clean and quiet — and why the generator on most sites is doing far less work than its rating suggests.
Construction compounds are specified for their worst moment: every cabin, every tool and the largest motor starting at once. In practice the average draw across a working day is a fraction of that, and overnight it collapses to security, lighting and a fridge in the welfare unit.
A diesel set sized for that peak spends those hours running lightly, which is where it is least efficient and where wet stacking begins. You pay for fuel, deliveries, refuelling labour, servicing and whatever noise mitigation the planning condition requires.
Start with the overnight load, because that runs the longest. Security, external lighting and a welfare fridge might total 300–600 W continuously — over sixteen hours that is 5–10 kWh, well inside a 15 kWh pack.
Then add the working day: cabin heating or cooling, kettles and microwaves at break times, tool charging and task lighting. This is where compounds vary most, and where an equipment list with operating hours beats any rule of thumb.
Finally check the peak. If a single item draws more than the system's continuous rating, it does not matter how much energy you have stored. See how to size a BESS.
| Compound | Profile | Starting point |
|---|---|---|
| Single trade, small crew | Tools, lighting, one cabin | 15 kWh |
| Two to four cabins with security | Steady day load, low overnight | 30 kWh |
| Heavier draw or three-phase equipment | 8 kW continuous needed | 30 kWh at 8 kW |
| Multi-trailer village, long build | Whole compound, months | Containerised or multiple units |
The lowest-risk route is a hybrid. Leave the generator on site and put the battery in front of it. The battery carries the compound; the generator starts only to recharge and then shuts down. Nothing is lost if the load turns out larger than expected, and generator hours fall immediately.
Once the actual profile is known — usually within a few weeks — you can decide whether the generator can come off hire entirely, or be downsized to something that matches the recharge duty rather than the peak.
Questions answered
Yes. A 30 kWh system runs a typical construction site for approximately 4 to 8 hours depending on load, and much longer for lighter overnight loads such as security and welfare units.
Hand tools, lighting, site offices, charging stations and small three-phase machinery are well within range. Large plant with sustained high draw is normally run on a hybrid system rather than battery alone.
Stop the generator running at low load. A battery in front of the genset means it starts only to recharge, so it runs fewer hours and runs them efficiently.
Get in touch
Tell us the site, the load and the runtime you need. Our Austin engineering team comes back with a configuration, a runtime estimate and a price.
+1 512-316-7347
info@pulsar.industries
WhatsApp +1 512-585-8293
