Tools & equipment on hire
Power & Lighting
Site, workshop and facility equipment. Hire period and rate basis are confirmed in the written quotation.
Overview
What this equipment does
Applications
Typical jobs
- Powering tools where no supply exists
- Lighting a site for evening or enclosed work
- Distributing power safely across a site
- Cover during supply interruptions
- Powering equipment on remote or early-stage sites
Comparison
How the options differ
| Undersized generator | Correctly sized | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting a motor | Stalls or trips | Starts cleanly |
| Running several tools | Struggles | Handles the load |
| Fuel use | Runs hard, uses more | More efficient |
| Effect on tools | Voltage dips can damage them | Stable supply |
| What to send | Send ratings, phase, quantities and starting data |
Power & site
Power and site considerations
This is the category that supplies power rather than needing it. What we need from you is the list of what runs simultaneously.
Generators run outdoors and ventilated, never in an enclosed space. Distribution and cable matter as much as the generator — undersized cable causes voltage drop that stops machines starting.
With the machine
Accessories and consumables
Normally required
- Distribution boards
- Industrial extension cables of adequate rating
- RCD protection
- Fuel container
- Lighting stands
Consumables
- Fuel
- Engine oil on longer hires
Safety
Operator and site safety
- Never run a generator in an enclosed space. Exhaust fumes are lethal, and this is the most serious risk in the hire range
- RCD protection on all site power
- Keep cables out of standing water
- Do not refuel a hot running engine
Add it
Add to your hire list
Add this to your hire list
Category level is fine. A suitable machine is confirmed against your job and current availability.
Availability is confirmed at booking, not at enquiry.
Hire period
What affects hire duration
You set the dates. We do not estimate how long a job should take — that depends on the material, the machine, the operator, access, site conditions and how many hours a day the site actually works.
Availability
What affects availability
- What is already out on hire on your dates
- Hire duration requested
- Quantity of the same item
- Delivery distance and vehicle availability
- Whether operator support is required, and whether it can be arranged
- Accessory availability
- Site access constraints
Price
What affects hire price
- Equipment type and class
- Hire duration
- Quantity
- Delivery and collection
- Operator support, where required and available
- Accessories
- Consumables
- Fuel basis
- Deposit and terms
- Site and logistics requirements
Quotation
What to send with an enquiry
- The equipment being powered, and its nameplate or input rating
- Quantity of each item, and whether it is single or three phase
- Any starting or surge data you have
- Whether the items run at the same time
- Whether you need distribution and cable as well
- Where the generator will stand
- Planned dates and roughly how many hours a day it runs
Avoid
Common mistakes
- Giving only running figures, without starting or surge information
- Running a generator in an enclosed space
- Using undersized extension cable
- Forgetting distribution and RCD protection
Questions
Frequently asked
How do I know what size generator to hire?
Send the equipment being powered, its nameplate or input rating, the quantity, whether it is single or three phase, any starting or surge data you have, and whether the items run at the same time.
Selection accounts for running load, starting requirements, power factor and transient capability, and is checked against verified manufacturer information. We do not apply a rule of thumb or publish a sizing figure.
What should I check before hiring electrical equipment?
That the available supply matches the machine, that RCD protection is in place, and that extension leads are adequately rated for the run length.