Generator Hire in Melksham, Wiltshire
Generator hire in Melksham covers portable petrol sets through to large diesel generators. We supply power for a full farm or rural site development across Melksham, Chippenham and Devizes, sized to whatever load you are running.
Before booking a generator, list every item it needs to power at the same moment. Lights, tools and site cabins each draw their own share. This one figure decides the size you need.
Add Up Every Item Running at the Same Time
List everything that draws power from the generator at once, not across the whole day but at the single busiest moment. Add the figures together honestly, rather than rounding down to save a size. This total, in kVA or kW, is what decides the size you need. Guessing a figure that feels roughly right usually ends in a generator that trips out.
Remember that some equipment, mainly large pumps and welders, briefly draws far more power the instant it starts than it needs once running. Flag anything like this when you book, well ahead of delivery. A little extra care at this stage saves a lot of hassle later, once everything is switched on together and the true load becomes clear.
Compare Diesel and Petrol on Our Collection Page
See our other Air Compressor Supplier services on the Melksham Air Compressor Supplier page, and compare diesel and petrol generators side by side on the Generators collection. Diesel suits a job running for days or weeks, such as a farm build, since it burns less fuel for the same output over that time and copes well with steady running. Petrol suits a shorter job or a one-off event, since the unit is lighter and easier to move by hand.
Phone 01380 828988 and tell the team how long your job runs. They will steer you towards whichever fuel type suits the length of the work you have planned. The depot can also advise on hiring two smaller units rather than one large one, which sometimes suits a spread-out farm site better.
Plan Fuel Storage Before the Generator Arrives
Work out how long your job will run before booking, then check how often the tank will need refilling across that time once work is under way. A larger tank means fewer trips to top it up, which matters most on a rural site with no one spare to check on it through the working day.
Store any spare fuel well away from the generator itself, in an approved container. Only refill once the engine has stopped and had time to cool down before handling it again. On a job running overnight, agree in advance who checks the fuel level through the night. A little planning here also avoids an awkward call partway through a job asking for an urgent top-up delivery.
Describe the Site, Not Just the Load
Beyond the power figure itself, tell the depot what kind of site the generator will be used on. A farm build, a rural event in a field and a site next to housing each need a different approach to where the unit sits and how the cable is run through the site safely. Phone 01380 828988 with these details, and the team will suggest both the right size and the best position once the unit is running.
A generator running close to occupied housing needs real care over noise, so mention this early, rather than once it is already delivered and running. This small amount of extra planning on the phone makes a real difference to how smoothly the first day on site goes.
Delivery Across Melksham, Chippenham and Devizes
Coppard delivers generators straight to site across Melksham, Chippenham and Devizes. Or you can collect from the depot yourself if that suits your plans better. Every generator is checked, fuelled and run-tested before it leaves us for delivery.
Call 01380 828988 to book a delivery slot. Flag any tight access down a farm track or narrow rural lane. A larger generator needs much more room to move into position than a small portable set would, mainly around tight gateways. This small amount of planning before delivery day saves real time once the generator is due on site. The team will also talk you through refuelling and shutdown steps before you start work on your own, so nothing is left unclear once they have gone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size generator do I need for a farm or site job?
Add up the power drawn by everything running at the same busiest moment, including lights, tools and site cabins together, and give that total in kVA or kW when you call. Remember that some equipment briefly draws extra power the instant it starts, so mention this separately. Phone 01380 828988 with your list and the team will recommend a size with spare capacity built in. A quick written list, rather than a figure from memory, is always worth having ready before you call.
Should I hire a diesel or a petrol generator?
Diesel suits a job running for days or weeks, such as a farm build or a rural fit-out, since it burns less fuel for the same output and is built for longer running hours. Petrol suits a shorter job or a single event, since the unit is lighter and easier for one person to move around. Tell the depot how long your job runs and they will advise accordingly.
How often will the fuel tank need refilling?
This depends on the generator’s size and how much power you are drawing from it at any given time through the shift. A unit running close to its full output burns fuel faster than one running well under it. Ask the depot for a realistic running time on the exact model you are booking, based on the load you have described. Planning the tank size around your real refuelling routine, rather than the biggest option available, usually works out best.
Can a generator run safely near a house or farm building?
It can, provided you plan around the noise beforehand. Do this rather than as an afterthought once it is already delivered and running. A silenced unit runs noticeably quieter than a standard generator. Positioning it away from windows and entrances helps further still. Tell the depot if your site sits close to occupied housing and they will advise on a suitable spot. This matters most once a site sits close to several neighbours at once, where noise travels further than it might on an isolated plot.
What UK guidance covers generator safety on site?
Employers’ general safety duties cover the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning from petrol and diesel generators. This is a real and serious danger once exhaust builds up in an enclosed space without airflow. A generator must always run outside in the open air. Never run one inside a cabin, tent or any closed structure, whatever the weather is doing. Read the duty on legislation.gov.uk: Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
Looking for Generator Hire near me?
Call Coppard at 01380 828988 to discuss what you need to power and to arrange hire from the Melksham depot.
