In short. A 30 kVA generator delivers 24 kW at 0.8 power factor and 41.7 A per phase at 415 V three-phase. In Hyderabad it is a common choice for bank branches, office floors of 60 to 80 seats and mid-size apartment blocks of about 24 to 40 flats with one lift and their pumps. Reddy Generators supplies new 30 kVA sets through supply tie-ups with all major makes, all CPCB IV+ compliant in acoustic canopies, rents sets including on long-term hire, sells used and refurbished 30 kVA sets, and services every make; the price is given on request because it depends on the specification. This page explains what 41.7 A per phase means for your loads, how much diesel and space the set needs, and when renting for years makes more sense than buying.
Who this page is for: Branch and facility managers of banks and offices, apartment association committees and building owners in Hyderabad and Secunderabad who are pricing a 30 kVA set, need to know what it carries per phase and how much space it takes, or are weighing a purchase against a long-term rental.
Key facts
- Output: 30 kVA = 24 kW at 0.8 power factor.
- Full-load current, three-phase 415 V: 30 × 1.391 = 41.7 A per phase, which is about 10 kVA or 8 kW on each of R, Y and B.
- Single-phase: a single-phase 30 kVA set would give 130.4 A at 230 V (30 × 4.348). It is rarely built; at this size the choice is three-phase.
- Diesel use (approximate): about 3.6–4.0 L/h at 50 % load (12 kW) and 5.2–5.8 L/h at 75 % load (18 kW), on a basis of roughly 0.29–0.33 L per kWh. The make’s data sheet decides.
- Size: canopy roughly 7.5–8.5 ft long and 3–3.5 ft wide; about 0.9–1.3 tonnes with base tank (approximate; the make decides).
- Noise: CPCB IV+ acoustic canopy, limited to 75 dB(A) at 1 m.
- Protection and cable (typical): 50 A four-pole breaker with a 63 A four-pole changeover; 16 sq mm copper or 25 sq mm aluminium four-core armoured cable for runs of a few tens of metres. Confirm with the breaker, changeover and cable size chart.
- Typical uses: bank branches, offices, apartment blocks with one lift, clinics with diagnostics, schools, showrooms.
Get price
Generator prices change every day, so we do not print them on the website. Tell us whether you want to buy new, buy used or rent a 30 kVA set, single or three phase, and where the site is. We will send the price.
- New set: the price excludes GST, transport and installation.
- Rental: the rate covers the generator only. Transport is charged at actuals and is in the customer’s scope. Cable and an operator are extra charges if you need them.
- Used or refurbished: priced set by set on make, running hours and condition. Every set is load-bank tested before sale; refurbished sets carry a six-month warranty (rubber and plastic parts, consumables, fuel damage and overload excluded); used sets sold as-is come with an inspection report.
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What a 30 kVA generator can run
A 30 kVA set covers most single-floor commercial premises in full, air-conditioning included, and a mid-size apartment block’s essential loads. Its working limit, with about 20 % in hand, is 19–20 kW.
| Premises and load set (illustrative) | Running load, approx. | Hardest start and allowance | Fits 30 kVA? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank branch: lighting, core-banking UPS, ATM, CCTV and alarm, server-room AC, five to seven hall ACs | 16–20 kW | ACs restarting after changeover | Yes; the usual branch size |
| Apartment block, 24–40 flats: one 8-passenger lift with drive, 5 HP borewell, 3 HP sump pump, common lighting, security | 17–19 kW | Borewell on DOL, about 35 kVA | Yes, with start sequencing (worked example below) |
| Office floor, 60–80 seats: lighting, 15 kVA UPS, six inverter ACs, pantry, server rack | 18–20 kW | Low | Yes |
| Clinic with diagnostics: consulting rooms, small lab analysers, pharmacy refrigerator, four ACs | 12–16 kW | Refrigeration compressor | Yes; imaging equipment needs its maker’s supply check |
| School block: classroom lights and fans, computer lab, staff-room ACs, 3 HP pump | 12–15 kW | Pump on DOL, about 21 kVA | Yes |
| Restaurant with central kitchen exhaust, two cold rooms and eight ACs | 22–26 kW | Two compressors together | Too tight; plan for a larger set or leave some ACs off |
| Apartment block with two lifts and two borewells | 25 kW and above | Two lifts and a pump together | No; consider 40–62.5 kVA |
Bank branches are a well-proven use for this size: a private bank has rented four 30 kVA sets from us for its Hyderabad branches at Dilsukhnagar, Vanasthalipuram, Hitech City and Secunderabad Cantonment since 2017. Read the 4 × 30 kVA bank branch generators project and our notes on generators for bank and insurance branches.
How many ACs can a 30 kVA generator run?
Each phase of a 30 kVA set carries about 8 kW. Leaving about 2 kW per phase for lighting, computers and the UPS leaves roughly 6 kW per phase for air-conditioning. With fixed-speed 1.5-ton splits drawing 1.6–1.9 kW in summer that is three per phase, about 9 in total; with inverter units at about 1.2–1.5 kW, four per phase, about 11 to 12. Fixed-speed units must restart in a staggered sequence after changeover; inverter units ramp up gently. A 2-ton unit counts as about 1.3 times a 1.5-ton.
The largest motor a 30 kVA set can start
As a screening rule, a set dips about 10 % on a motor start equal to its rating and about 20–30 % at two to three times its rating. A 5 HP direct-on-line motor starts at roughly 35 kVA, 1.2 times 30 kVA: a dip of around 12–15 %, acceptable with other load running. A 7.5 HP DOL motor starts at about 49 kVA, 1.6 times the rating, workable if it starts while the set is lightly loaded. Above that, use a star-delta or soft starter; with star-delta a 10 to 12.5 HP motor is within reach. Lifts with a variable-frequency drive start at only about 1.5 times their running load and are kind to a 30 kVA set.
Single phase or three phase, and amps per phase
A three-phase 30 kVA set gives 41.7 A on each of R, Y and B. That is a per-phase ceiling, not a pool: one phase cannot borrow from the others. Most branch, office and apartment loads are single-phase, so the job is to divide them so each phase carries about a third.
- Three-phase suits nearly every 30 kVA site: the service is already three-phase, lifts and larger pumps need it, and the set is only fully usable when its phases share the load.
- Single-phase 30 kVA sets are rarely made; a single-phase premises needing this much power should usually move to a three-phase service.
- Imbalance limit: keep the most and least loaded phases within about 10–20 % of the average, as the make specifies. Imbalance overheats the loaded winding and raises voltage on the light phases.
- Single-phase loads on a three-phase set: if one phase reads 50 A on the controller while the others read 20 A, that phase is overloaded even though the total looks modest.
Read the per-phase currents during a real outage after commissioning and after any new AC or pump is added. The full-load current chart covers other ratings.
Diesel consumption per hour
Sets of this size use roughly 0.28–0.33 litres per kWh between half and full load and more at light load. Applied to a 30 kVA set (approximate; the make’s data sheet decides):
| Load | Output | Basis, L per kWh (approx.) | Diesel use, L/h (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 % | 6 kW | 0.36–0.42 | 2.2–2.5 |
| 50 % | 12 kW | 0.30–0.33 | 3.6–4.0 |
| 75 % | 18 kW | 0.29–0.32 | 5.2–5.8 |
| 100 % | 24 kW | 0.28–0.31 | 6.7–7.4 |
Runtime per fill. Base tanks differ by make; take 100 litres as an illustration. With 10 litres kept in reserve, 90 usable litres last about 16 hours at 75 % load (5.5 L/h) and about 24 hours at 50 % (3.8 L/h). A branch that is shut at night rarely needs more; a long-term rental with daily outages needs a refuelling routine and a log. See fuel theft and refuelling control.
Monthly fuel worksheet
| Line | Example (apartment) | Your site |
|---|---|---|
| A. Generator hours per day | 2 h | |
| B. Days per month | 30 | |
| C. Hours per month (A × B) | 60 h | |
| D. Expected average load, kW | 12 kW (50 %) | |
| E. Litres per hour from the table | 3.7 L/h | |
| F. Litres per month (C × E) | about 222 L | |
| G. Weekly test runs (about 1 L each) | 4 L | |
| H. Monthly diesel, litres (F + G) × current rate | about 226 L × rate |
How the price of a 30 kVA set is worked out
The general drivers are set out in the diesel generator price guide. For a 30 kVA set, these are the ones that change the figure:
- Phase. Three-phase is the standard build at 30 kVA. A single-phase build, where available at all, is a special order.
- Make and engine type. Cylinder count, aspiration and governing differ; electronic governing holds frequency more tightly, which suits UPS units in banks and offices.
- Acoustic canopy. Standard under CPCB IV+; sheet thickness, corrosion protection and summer air flow differ.
- Manual or auto-start. Banks, offices and apartments usually need auto-start with an AMF panel and an interlocked four-pole changeover of about 63 A; manual start costs less but needs someone at every outage.
- Battery and controller. Battery capacity, a charger, and controller features such as event logs, per-phase current display and remote alarms.
- Fuel tank. A larger base tank, or an external tank for long outages, adds cost and changes the footprint.
- Warranty. Period and running-hour limits differ between makes and should be compared line by line.
- New, used or rent. Used and refurbished sets are priced on make, hours and condition; rental mainly on duration.
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Buy new, buy used or rent a 30 kVA set
| Your situation | Running hours per month | Duration of need | Usually the best route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owned apartment block or building, long-term standby | 20–60 hours | Ten years or more | New set with AMF panel |
| Owned office with good mains supply, insurance standby | Under 20 hours | Years | Refurbished set with warranty, or new |
| Bank branch or office in leased premises | Any | 3 years and longer, lease may move | Long-term rental; no capital tied up and the set moves with the branch |
| Association replacing an old set, funds being collected | As per outages | Months | Rental now, then a new or refurbished set |
| Site office, fit-out or event | Many hours a day | Days to months | Rental |
| Existing set down for overhaul | As per outages | Weeks | Rental; see apartments during DG overhaul |
What changes when you rent a 30 kVA set for years
A long-term rental is closer to an installation than a hire: a permanent plinth, cabled into the changeover, starting unattended at every outage for years. Settle these points in writing:
- Rate and scope. The rental rate covers the generator; transport is at actuals and in your scope, and cable or an operator are extra charges if you need them.
- Servicing and running hours. Who does routine servicing during the hire, at what running-hour intervals, and how hours are reported each month, as set out in the rental agreement. Ask about it when you request the price.
- Fuel. Who fills, who keeps the log, and how the tank is secured against pilferage.
- Site works. The plinth, earthing, cable route and AMF panel are usually the customer’s site works; agree who provides each item.
- Exit. Notice period and how the set is removed if the branch or office relocates.
Availability of a 30 kVA set for your dates is confirmed when you ask. See also choosing a rental supplier.
Size in feet, weight and installation in Hyderabad
| Item | Typical for 30 kVA (approximate; the make decides) |
|---|---|
| Canopy size | About 7.5–8.5 ft long, 3–3.5 ft wide, 4.5–5.5 ft high (about 2.3–2.6 m × 0.9–1.1 m × 1.4–1.7 m) |
| Weight with base tank | About 0.9–1.3 tonnes, plus fuel |
| Space including clearance | Set of about 2.5 m × 1.0 m plus 1 m on each long side, 1.5 m at the radiator end and 1 m at the other: about 5.0 × 3.0 m, or roughly 16 × 10 ft |
| Plinth | Level RCC plinth about 150 mm larger than the canopy all round; top above the worst monsoon water level |
| Breaker and cable | 50 A four-pole breaker, 63 A four-pole changeover; 16 sq mm Cu or 25 sq mm Al four-core armoured for runs of a few tens of metres; longer runs need a voltage-drop check |
- Apartments: a stilt-floor corner, setback strip or compound side. In stilt parking the radiator needs a clear path to open air and the exhaust must be piped out and up, never into parking, a stairwell or a neighbour’s windows.
- Branches on main roads: frontages rarely spare 16 × 10 ft; a rear lane or setback is usual, agreed with the landlord, exhaust away from the footpath.
- Earthing: two body earths and a neutral earth, tested; see DG set earthing installation.
- Summer heat: Hyderabad afternoons reach the low-to-mid 40s °C in April and May. Above the data sheet’s reference ambient the set is derated, so plan the working load at about 80 % (19–20 kW) and keep the canopy out of trapped, recirculating hot air.
- Monsoon: stilt floors and basements take water in heavy rain. Raise the plinth, seal cable entries and keep the AMF panel above the flood line.
Worked example (illustrative): a 32-flat apartment block
Illustrative case. A G+5 block of 32 flats wants its lift, water pumps and common areas on generator; flat loads stay on mains. The committee asks whether 25 kVA or 30 kVA is right.
| Load | Input kW | kVA | Starting |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8-passenger lift, 7.5 kW motor with drive (7.5 ÷ 0.88) | 8.5 | 9.0 | Drive: about 1.5 × = 13.5 kVA |
| Borewell submersible 5 HP, DOL (3.7 ÷ 0.80) | 4.6 | 5.8 | DOL: about 6 × = 35 kVA |
| Sump-to-overhead pump 3 HP, DOL (2.2 ÷ 0.82) | 2.7 | 3.3 | DOL: about 6.5 × = 21 kVA |
| Common lighting, split across phases | 2.0 | 2.1 | – |
| Security, intercom, CCTV, gate (R phase) | 0.6 | 0.65 | – |
| Total, all running | 18.4 | 20.85 |
On 30 kVA: 18.4 kW ÷ 24 kW = 77 %; 20.85 kVA ÷ 30 kVA = 70 %
Borewell start with everything else running: 35 kVA = 1.17 × 30 kVA → dip of roughly 12–15 %
Amps per phase. The three-phase loads total 9.0 + 5.8 + 3.3 = 18.1 kVA, or 6.03 kVA per phase. Lighting adds 0.7 kVA to each phase and security 0.65 kVA to R. So R carries 7.38 kVA and Y and B 6.73 kVA each. Dividing by the phase voltage of 239.6 V (415 ÷ 1.732): R 30.8 A, Y and B 28.1 A, against the 41.7 A limit. The spread is (30.8 − 28.1) ÷ 29.0 average = 9 %, inside the allowance.
Fuel. Pumps and the lift run intermittently, so the average is near 12 kW, about 3.7 L/h. Two hours of outage a day is 60 hours a month, about 222 litres, plus about 4 litres for weekly test runs.
Decision. 30 kVA, with the AMF panel releasing loads in sequence: lift first, sump pump after about 60 seconds, borewell after about 120 seconds. A second lift or borewell would move the block into the 40–62.5 kVA range; see the 62.5 kVA page.
Amps-per-phase balance worksheet for a 30 kVA set
List every load that will be on the generator, write its kVA under the phase it is wired to (a three-phase load goes one third under each), and total each column. Each total must stay under 10 kVA, which is 41.7 A, and the three totals should be within about 10–20 % of each other. Divide a column total in kVA by 0.2396 to get amps.
| Load | kVA | R phase, kVA | Y phase, kVA | B phase, kVA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Example: lift 9.0 kVA, three-phase | 9.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| Example: two 1.5-ton inverter ACs | 3.0 | – | 3.0 | – |
| Phase total, kVA (limit 10) | – | |||
| Phase current, A (total ÷ 0.2396; limit 41.7) | – |
If one column is over the limit while another has room, move single-phase circuits between phases at the board; the work must be done by a licensed electrician, with the changeover isolated.
Common mistakes
- Reading the total load against 30 kVA and ignoring the 41.7 A per-phase limit, so one phase overloads while the set looks half used.
- Wiring every AC to the same phase because that is how the old board was arranged, then blaming the generator when it trips.
- Letting the borewell and sump pump start in the same few seconds after changeover instead of sequencing them behind the lift.
- Signing a multi-year rental without agreeing in writing who services the set, how running hours are reported and who controls the fuel.
What to send us
To price a 30 kVA set, tell us whether you want to buy new, buy used, or rent short or long term; single or three phase; auto-start with an AMF panel or manual start; the site location, in Hyderabad or outside; your load list with lift, pump and AC details, or photographs of the distribution board; the space available in feet; the delivery date; and, for rental, the expected duration. Use the generator sales enquiry, or WhatsApp the details and photographs.
Questions buyers ask about 30 kVA generators
What is the price of a 30 kVA generator in Hyderabad?
There is no fixed figure: the price depends on the make and engine, manual or auto-start with an AMF panel, battery and controller, tank size, warranty and whether you buy new, buy used or rent, and generator prices change from day to day. A new-set quotation excludes GST, transport and installation. A rental rate covers the generator only; transport is at actuals and in your scope, and cable or an operator are extra if required. Send your load list, site location and whether you want auto-start on WhatsApp or call 98852 01608 and we will send the price.
How many amps per phase is a 30 kVA generator?
41.7 A per phase at 415 V three-phase (30 × 1.391), which is about 10 kVA or 8 kW on each phase. Each phase is a separate limit, so single-phase loads must be spread evenly across R, Y and B.
What is the size of a 30 kVA generator in feet?
A silent 30 kVA canopy is roughly 7.5–8.5 ft long, 3–3.5 ft wide and 4.5–5.5 ft high, depending on the make. With service and air-flow clearance, plan a space of about 16 × 10 ft.
How much does a 30 kVA generator weigh?
Approximately 0.9 to 1.3 tonnes with the base tank, before fuel. The make decides the exact figure; it is lifted by crane using the canopy lifting point.
How much diesel does a 30 kVA generator use per hour?
Approximately 3.6–4.0 litres per hour at half load (12 kW), 5.2–5.8 litres at 75 % load (18 kW) and 6.7–7.4 litres at full load (24 kW). The data sheet of the make you choose gives the exact figures.
How many ACs can a 30 kVA generator run?
About 9 fixed-speed 1.5-ton split ACs or about 11 to 12 inverter units, three or four per phase, with lighting and computers also running. Fixed-speed units must restart one after another after changeover.
Is a second-hand 30 kVA generator available?
Yes, 30 kVA falls within the 15 kVA to 2,000 kVA used and refurbished range, though what is available changes from month to month. For a branch or apartment that wants auto-start, ask whether the set will be supplied with a working controller and AMF panel. Every set is load-bank tested before sale. Refurbished sets carry a six-month warranty (rubber and plastic parts, consumables, fuel damage and overload excluded); used sets sold as-is come with an inspection report and no warranty.
Can I take a 30 kVA generator on long-term rent in Hyderabad?
Yes. Long-term rental suits bank branches, offices and leased premises; a private bank has rented four 30 kVA sets for its Hyderabad branches since 2017. The availability of a set for your dates is confirmed when you ask, and servicing and running-hour reporting are set out in the rental agreement.
Related pages
- Project: 4 × 30 kVA bank branch generators since 2017
- Generators for bank and insurance branches
- 25 kVA generator in Hyderabad
- 62.5 kVA generator in Hyderabad
- 15–50 kVA generators: sizing a small system
- Diesel generator price guide
- Generators for apartments and gated communities
- Generator rental rates in Hyderabad
Technical content reviewed by D. Srinivas Reddy, Managing Partner and service engineer. Last updated 5 November 2026.