Event Power Load Calculator: What Size DG Set to Book
How big a DG set (a diesel generator) does your event need? Add the LED wall, lights and sound, and see the load in kW, the DG set size in kVA to book, and whether the venue's own supply will do.
A worked example
A 20 × 10 ft LED wall, 8 moving head lights, 12 LED par lights, a medium sound system, 2 laptops and 2 control desks draw about 14.8 kW together. 70% of that is the LED wall: it is the biggest part of the load, because a bright white slide makes it draw the most. That adds up to a 25 kVA DG set.
DG set size by load
| Everything running draws | DG set to book |
|---|---|
| Up to 9.6 kW | 15 kVA, or the venue's own supply if it has the spare capacity |
| Up to 19.2 kW | 30 kVA |
| Up to 40 kW | 62.5 kVA |
| Up to 64 kW | 100 kVA |
| Up to 80 kW | 125 kVA |
| Up to 128 kW | 200 kVA |
| Up to 204.8 kW | 320 kVA |
| Up to 320 kW | 500 kVA |
ICE India's production team checks the power plan with the venue for conferences, corporate events and product launches.
Event power questions
What is a DG set, and what does kVA mean?
A DG set is a diesel generator. Its size is given in kVA. As a rule of thumb, 1 kVA is about 0.8 kW of real power, and every set keeps a fifth spare, so a 125 kVA set runs up to about 80 kW of equipment. We round up to the next size.
Do I need a DG set if the venue has its own power?
Not always. Ask the venue how much spare power its mains supply has on the stage side and whether it is three-phase. If it can carry the kVA shown here, you can plug in. If not, or if there is no stage-side supply, book the DG set.
Why is the LED wall the biggest part of the load?
A rental LED wall draws hundreds of watts for every square metre, far more than any light or speaker on the rig. A bright white slide draws the most, so the calculator counts the wall at its brightest unless you tell it the content is mostly video.
What if my equipment is not in the list?
Add it as your own item under More options, with the watts printed on its label and how many you have. Air-conditioning, catering equipment and anything else with a big motor can go in the same way.
Power figures: Absen (opens in a new tab), Martin (opens in a new tab), Chauvet DJ (opens in a new tab), QSC (opens in a new tab) and Epson (opens in a new tab) data sheets. DG sizes: Mumbai rental vendors such as Shree Sai (opens in a new tab) and Modern Hiring (opens in a new tab).