Since generators can last up to several decades, a company's operations and power requirements often grow over the years without considering if the current backup generator can support the necessary operations in the case of a power outage. If this is the case you are in, you may run the risk of overloading your generator in an outage and facing unplanned downtime and damage to your operations and facility scale generator. So, how can you tell is your current generator can support your current operations?
Here are a few ways of ensuring that your backup generator can support your current operations.
- Load Study: This is simply taking an audit of the critical systems and equipment you want to run in the case of an outage, identifying their kW requirements, and comparing them against the capacity and availability of your current generator. This includes identifying how long you need the generator to run. Your answer will impact the size generator and fuel tank required to meet your support duration.
- Load Bank Testing: This tests the UPS and generator under load conditions to ensure that they are working optimally. Not only does this allow you to understand if your facility scale generator has the availability needed to power your systems, it also helps avoid future damage and breakdowns. A load bank test will indicate the following:
- The performance of the whole load bank system
- The ability of your facility scale generator to provide the required power
- Oil and fuel pressure
- The stable frequency
- The efficiency of control systems under different conditions
- The capability of the alternator to provide the required voltage stability
- Load Shedding: This is shutting down power to a specific line or piece of equipment in the case of a shutdown in order to direct power more effectively to other pieces of equipment. In short, this means directing power only to the pieces of equipment that are critical.
- Power Quality Study: Power systems are prone to fluctuations such as dips, swells, and outages, that when left unchecked can result in equipment damage and failure. A power quality study monitors these changes and provides you with actionable next steps you can take to mitigate potential issues.
Learn more about servicing and maintaining your industrial, commercial, or facility scale generators here.
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