Generator for Pub Owners: Keep the Taps Flowing When the Power Goes
A generator for pub premises protects your stock, your takings and your customers’ night out. This guide explains how to choose the right size, why diesel standby generators suit bars best, and what to check before you buy in Ireland.
Why a generator for pub owners matters
Storms like Éowyn showed how quickly power can disappear across Ireland, sometimes for days. For a pub, a power cut on a busy evening means dark rooms, dead card machines, warm kegs and customers walking out the door.
A generator for pub use is a straightforward insurance policy. It keeps the essentials running so you can keep serving, protect chilled stock and keep staff and customers safe. You can follow live fault updates on the ESB Networks PowerCheck map and severe weather alerts on Met Éireann’s warnings page.
Protect stock
Keg coolers, cellar cooling and fridges stay cold.
Keep trading
Tills, card machines and Wi-Fi stay online.
Stay safe
Lighting, alarms and CCTV keep working.
What a pub generator needs to power
Start with a list. Walk through the bar, cellar, kitchen and back office and note every item you could not trade without. A typical list for a generator for pub standby looks like this:
- Cellar cooling, keg coolers and bottle fridges
- Glass washer and dishwasher
- Lighting in the bar, toilets and exits
- Tills, card terminals, router and phones
- CCTV, alarms and fire panel
- Kitchen fryers, ovens and extraction (if you serve food)
- Heating controls and hot water pumps
Check the rating plate on each item for its watts or amps. Equipment with motors or compressors, such as coolers and extraction fans, draws a much bigger surge for a moment when it starts, so leave headroom.
How to size a generator for pub use
Generators are sold in kVA. As a rough rule, add up the running load of everything that runs together, add a margin for starting surges, and choose a generator that will usually run between about half and three-quarters of its rated output. That keeps it efficient and avoids overload.
| Premises | Typical essentials | Where to start looking |
|---|---|---|
| Small village bar | Lights, tills, fridges, keg coolers | Smaller diesel sets |
| Pub with kitchen | Above plus fryers, ovens, extraction | Mid-size 3-phase diesel |
| Large bar or hotel | Whole building, rooms, lifts, laundry | Large standby diesel with ATS |
These are starting points, not quotes. Every building is different, so send us your list and we will help you size the right generator for pub trading at no cost. Our generator buying guide explains kVA in more detail.
Why diesel is the best generator for pub standby
Diesel is the workhorse of commercial backup power. A diesel generator for pub premises offers longer run times per tank, handles heavy starting loads well, and is built for long hours. Petrol generators are lighter and cheaper but suit small, occasional jobs rather than a busy licensed premises.
Most of our stock is diesel, from compact sets such as the 12.5 kVA diesel generator to larger units like the Perkins 38 kVA generator and the GF3-50 diesel generator. If the generator will sit near a beer garden, look at enclosed silent models such as the GF3-160 silent generator.
Standby generators with automatic switching
The smoothest setup is a standby generator with an automatic transfer switch. When the mains supply fails, it starts the generator and switches your circuits over within seconds, then switches back when power returns. No one has to go out to the yard in a storm.
Whatever you choose, connection to your wiring must be done by a registered electrician with a proper changeover or transfer switch. Read our generator installation guide before you plan the work.
7 proven tips for buying a generator for pub use
- List your essentials. Decide what must keep running, and what can wait.
- Size with headroom. Allow for compressor and motor starting surges.
- Check your supply. Find out if your premises is single-phase or 3-phase.
- Choose diesel. It is the reliable choice for long, heavy commercial use.
- Go quiet. A canopied or silent set keeps neighbours and customers happy.
- Plan the switch. Automatic transfer gives hands-free changeover.
- Service it. Test-run regularly and keep fuel fresh so it starts when needed.
Generator for pub FAQs
What size generator for a pub do I need?
Add up everything you must keep running at the same time: fridges and keg coolers, glass washer, lights, tills, card machines, Wi-Fi, CCTV, heating controls and any kitchen equipment. Then allow extra headroom for motors that draw a surge when they start. Many small and medium pubs land somewhere in the 15 to 60 kVA range, but the only reliable answer comes from your own list of equipment, so send it to us and we will size a generator for pub use with you for free.
Should a pub choose a diesel or petrol generator?
For a pub, diesel is usually the better choice. A diesel generator for pub standby use runs longer on a tank, handles heavy loads like cellar cooling and kitchen equipment better, and lasts longer under regular use. Petrol units suit very small, occasional jobs such as a single outdoor event.
Can a generator start automatically in a power cut?
Yes. A standby generator paired with an automatic transfer switch (ATS) detects the power cut, starts the generator and switches your supply over in seconds, then switches back when mains power returns. Staff do not need to do anything.
Does a generator for a pub need to be installed by an electrician?
Yes. Any generator connected to your building’s wiring must be connected by a registered electrician through a proper changeover or transfer switch, so power cannot flow back into the ESB Networks lines. Our installation guide explains the steps.
Do you sell 3-phase generators for pubs and hotels?
Many larger pubs, bars with kitchens and hotels run on 3-phase power. We stock diesel generators in a wide range of sizes, including 3-phase models. Tell us what supply your premises has and we will point you to suitable stock.
How noisy is a pub generator?
Choose a silent or canopied diesel generator if it will sit near a beer garden, smoking area or neighbours. Enclosed models are much quieter than open-frame sets. Placement also matters: keep it away from windows and doors, and never run it indoors.
Where are Generators Ireland based?
We are based in Gorey, Co. Wexford, on the M11. Contact us to talk through stock, sizing and delivery for your premises.
Find the right generator for your pub
Tell us what you need to keep running and we will match you with a suitable diesel generator from our stock. Based in Gorey, Co. Wexford.
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