How many kVA does a villa need?
Start with the air-conditioning, because it is 60–80 % of a Saudi villa’s load. A split unit of 2 tons draws roughly 2.5–3 kW running and much more for a second when the compressor starts; a 5-ton ducted unit draws 6–7 kW. Add the essentials — lighting, refrigerators, water pump, kitchen, sockets — at 3–6 kW for a typical villa.
In practice: a villa running two or three AC units plus essentials needs about 20–30 kVA; a large villa with central or ducted AC on all floors needs 40–60 kVA; a compound of several villas or a majlis with heavy AC needs 80–150 kVA. Use the sizing calculator on our generators page with your actual AC list, and enter the largest compressor as the “largest motor” so the starting surge is covered.
Silent, and where to put it
For a residence, specify a silent canopy — a weather-proof, sound-attenuated enclosure with a residential silencer — rated around 70–75 dB(A) at 7 m, or a super-silent version below 65 dB(A) if the set sits near bedrooms or the neighbour’s wall. Kubota-powered sets from 10 to 50 kVA are the quietest and most economical in this range; Perkins 400-series sets are the widely serviced alternative.
Place it outdoors on a concrete pad with clear space around it for cooling air and exhaust, away from windows and the majlis, and with the exhaust pointing away from the house. Inside a closed room it needs proper ventilation and ducted exhaust, which is a job for the installer, not a corner of the garage.
Automatic start, fuel and running cost
Pair the set with an automatic transfer switch (ATS) so it starts within seconds of a power cut and hands back to the grid when it returns — without anyone going outside at 2 a.m. A 30 kVA set burns about 4 litres of diesel per hour at typical villa load, so a 200-litre base tank covers two days of outages; larger tanks are available.
Service is simple: an oil and filter change every 250–500 hours or once a year, a weekly 10-minute test run, and a load test every few months. We supply the set, the ATS, the tank and the installation as one package and commission it with you.
What it costs in 2026
Indicatively, ex-VAT: a 20–30 kVA silent Kubota or Perkins set runs about 28,000–45,000 SAR; 40–50 kVA about 40,000–60,000 SAR; 60–80 kVA about 55,000–80,000 SAR. Add the ATS, base tank, cabling and installation, and delivery to the villa. Send us your AC list and the city, and we reply with a priced offer within 24 hours.
One warning: a “cheap” set with an unbranded engine and no datasheet will cost more in fuel, noise and repairs than it saves. Buy a new set with a named engine, an alternator brand and manufacturer warranty honoured in the Kingdom.