In a UAE villa the generator is sized by one thing above all: air-conditioning. Lighting, sockets and the fridge are small. Ten split units starting on a 46 °C afternoon are not. Here is how to size it properly.
First decide: whole house or essential loads?
- Essential loads only — a few AC units (bedrooms), lighting, fridge, water pump, internet and CCTV. Smaller, cheaper and quieter.
- Whole house — everything runs as normal during an outage, including all AC and the kitchen. Larger set, bigger fuel tank.
Most families choose essential loads plus the master bedroom and living room AC.
Step 1: Count the air-conditioning
A 2-ton split unit draws roughly 2.4 kW while running. Count your units and their tonnage:
- 1.5-ton unit ≈ 1.8 kW
- 2-ton unit ≈ 2.4 kW
- 3-ton unit ≈ 3.6 kW
Inverter units start gently; older fixed-speed units draw a short surge when the compressor starts, so leave headroom.
Step 2: Add the other loads
- water pumps and pressure sets: 1–2 kW
- lighting and sockets: 3–5 kW
- kitchen (oven, cooktop, microwave — not all at once): 4–6 kW
- water heaters: 2–3 kW each if left on
- pool pump, lift or EV charger if you have them
Step 3: Convert to kVA and add margin
kVA = kW ÷ 0.8, then add about 25% for motor starting and Gulf heat.
Worked example: a 5-bedroom villa, whole house
| Load | kW |
|---|---|
| 8 split units × 2 tons | 19.2 |
| water pump | 1.5 |
| lighting and sockets | 4 |
| kitchen | 5 |
| water heaters | 3 |
| Total | 32.7 |
32.7 kW ÷ 0.8 = 41 kVA, plus 25% ≈ 51 kVA → a 60 kVA generator.
The same villa on essential loads only (4 AC units, pump, lighting, fridge) lands around a 30 kVA set.
Typical ranges we supply
- essential loads, apartment or small villa: 15–30 kVA
- full villa with 6–10 split units: 40–80 kVA
- large villa or palace with ducted AC, pool and lift: 100–200 kVA
Three things villa owners often forget
- Noise. Choose a silent canopy and check the dB(A) rating; your neighbours and community will thank you. Compact Kubota and Lister Petter sets are built for this.
- Automatic changeover. Without an ATS panel someone has to start the set and switch over by hand — usually at 3 am.
- Single or three phase. Most UAE villas have a three-phase 400/230 V supply; the generator must match.
Get it right first time
Run your own numbers in the kVA calculator, or send us a photo of your DB board and a list of AC units on WhatsApp. We will recommend the size, canopy and ATS — and deliver across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the northern emirates.
