To power your electronics, you rely on a generator. A generator is a versatile tool, and it has many benefits. It can power your tools at the Jobsite and can recharge your electronics at the camping site. The generators which are suitable to power your home are different from the one which you use to recharge your electronics. They differ from each other in many things.
There are a variety of generators in the market, so it becomes important that you make the right decision. The one thing by which you can distinguish generators is the type of engine they encompass inside the casing. A generator can have a 2-stroke engine or a 4-stroke engine.
In this article, we have discussed all related terms to the generator engines and their advantages and disadvantages. So, keep reading to get a better insight.
Table of Contents
What is Stroke and Combustion Cycle?
In order to understand the benefits and downsides of a 2-stroke and 4-stroke engine, it is essential that you know the basics first. Before we dive into the definitions, let me tell you how an engine works.
An engine will have a piston inside its cylinders, this piston will compress the mixture of air and fuel entering from the inlet valve on the top, which will then be ignited, and the power is produced. This is the useful power that is utilized to run the alternator of a generator. The exhaust will be let out, and the new mixture will enter, and the cycle will repeat.
This whole process, which encompasses the intake of gas and air mixture, compression, ignition, and exhaust, is referred to as a combustion cycle. The 2-stroke and 4-stroke terms for the engine mean that the whole combustion cycle will be completed in 2 strokes for a 2-stroke engine and in 4 strokes for a 4-stroke engine.
The piston inside the cylinder moves up and down; the topmost position, near the valves, is known as a Top Dead Center (TDC), while the bottom-most position is known as the Bottom Dead Center (BDC). When the piston changes its position from TDC to BDC or BDC to TDC, it is defined as one stroke. In short, the motion of the piston from top to bottom or vice versa is a stroke.
2-stroke Generator
As mentioned, a 2-stroke engine will complete all the stages of the combustion cycle in two strokes. The ignition and compression take place in one stroke, and intake and exhaust will take place in another stroke. When the piston goes up, the mixture of gas and air with the oil is compressed; yes, the oil is also required in the mixture. Then the spark plug will ignite the compressed mixture. The piston will go down, releasing the exhaust and intaking a new mixture, and the cycle will repeat.
These are small engines, and so they are lightweight. Moreover, they are able to provide more power output than the 4-stroke engine as every alternate stroke will be a power stroke. But their power range is limited, and they are not suitable to power the demanding appliances. A 2-stroke generator has a power range of 500 watts to a maximum of 1200 watts.
That power is enough for the small appliances, and this makes them a good choice for RV, camping or tailgating power needs as they can easily charge your electronics. On top of that, their small size and lightweight make them very easy to carry and move around. This increases the convenience during the camping as they will be very easy to maneuver.
The 2 stroke engines have a very simple design, and it can be easily understood. It brings down the repairing cost to the minimum. Also, as with every other mechanical moving part, these generators will also need to be maintained, and the maintenance cost will be less compared to the 4 stroke engines, but it will need to be done frequently. You should clean the spark plugs and filters and also replace them if not in good condition.
Same as the maintenance, the refilling of the tank will also be frequent if it needs to supply the power for an extended time because they have a smaller tank. For 2-stroke generators, there are no separate lubrication needs. The oils are mixed with the fuel and that too in a small quantity.
However, if you have already mixed fuel and the oil and you no longer need the generator to power the appliances and don’t know when you will start it, then the mixture will go bad. Also, the frequent addition of the oil will increase the operating cost, as the tanks need to be refilled much often for longer use.
This mixture of fuel and oil doesn’t burn clean at all, and they release many harmful toxins in the environment. It might be a problem to use them in a state where strict environmental policies are practiced. These generators will generate much more noise than the 4-stroke engine, so proper measures need to be taken.
4-stroke Generator
A 4-stroke engine is quite different from a 2-stroke engine. As opposed to a 2-stroke engine, a 4-stroke engine produces less power because the combustion cycle takes place over the span of 4 strokes. The intake and exhaust are in separate strokes and ignition and compression in different strokes.
So the power stroke will come at every 4th stroke, while it was at every alternate stroke for a 2-stroke engine, the power generated by a 4-stroke engine will be less than the 2-stroke engine. This will result in less wear than the 2-stroke engine. Also, the heat generated will be less. That is the reason why a 4-stroke engine is more durable than a 2-stroke engine.
The longer time between power strokes ensures the fuel economy, and it will consume less fuel than the 2-stroke engine. 4-stroke engines are not compact, and rather they are a bit bigger and heavy in size. This limits their portability and makes the whole unit heavy. The structure of the 4-stroke engine is more complex, not easy to understand. They are expensive, and also the operating cost will be more.
The engine works on clean fuel, no need to mix the oil to it. This makes the generator more environmentally acceptable. During the combustion, only fuel gets burned and not the oil, so the emission is much more cleaner. However, it needs fuel, but it will be stored in a separate tank, and it needs to be replaced at suitable intervals, generally after the working of 500 hours.
They are used for where high wattage is required, and they are available in a power range from 2000 wattage and more.
Conclusion
We just have laid out all the pluses and minuses of both fuels. They both have their advantages and some disadvantages. So, which one is better? and which one should you choose?
According to us, a 4-stroke engine is better than a 2-stroke engine. The reasons are simple; they are available for a large power range so you can power many appliances. Also, they burn clean and make very little noise. And as compared to 2-stroke engines, they will last longer, and you won’t have to go through the hassle of mixing fuel and oil every time you refill it.
But, the answer to the question which one should you choose? is concerned, it comes down to your needs. If you are buying a generator solely for camping and move much frequently while your power demands are not much, then a 2-stroke engine generator will be a much suitable option. If those are not your needs, then 4-stroke generators will be a good option.
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