Importance of Standby Generators
Apr 3, 2013 Generators
Posted by
Generator World
As our reliance on electricity gets larger, so does the affect of a power outage. Homes, health care facilities, industry, and business all depend on electrical power not just for comfort, but to manage safety systems and safeguard property.
The capability to be aware that there is no power and initiate automatically is what is key to a standby generators system . Also in conjunction with an automatic transfer switch, these units are permanently installed to your home and can sense a power outage and then supply power until regular power is restored . The generator will also automatically shut down once utility power is restored.
Critical Environments
Critical environments are those that cannot tolerate a power interruption. These include hospital operating rooms and intensive care units, computer installations, and other critical systems. To prevent going without power for even a few seconds, these systems utilize uninterrupted power as their main preventative action.
Electrical power is stored in batteries. An inverter switches the battery power to the same power supplied by the utility, which then powers the equipment connected to it. If power is interrupted, the batteries continue to supply power until the standby generator comes online and takes over keeping the batteries charged until the utility restores power .
In hospitals, other systems may not require uninterrupted power, but they cannot be out of service for any length of time. Standby generators keep those systems running during an outage.
Commercial Facilities
Large commercial buildings have safety systems that rely on electrical power. Until the electric company turns the power back on standby generators will fill in and power everything from emergency lighting to fire safety systems and ventilation when the gas is out. During long-term outages, the batteries in emergency lights may have only a few hours of useful life . Without a standby generator to take over when the power goes out, emergency lights will fade and building occupants won’t be able to find their way.
Industry
Standby generators can serve double duty in large factories. Usually, manufacturers have agreements with electric utilities that allow the utility to interrupt power on brief notice when demand goes beyond the available supply. During an unexpected power outage a factory may run standby generators as an alternate supply of power. Having an alternative supply of power enables the facility to go on working during the outage.
In addition, standby generators can power vital safety systems with power during an outage. Such safety systems are usually mandated by building codes and the installation of a commercial standby generator is not optional, but required.
Retail
Commercial standby generators maintain freezer and refrigeration units running and prevent large-scale loss of food products. Of course, when there is no power, freezers and refrigerators are unable to cool and consequently temperatures begin to rise. Fresh meats and dairy products must be maintained at 33 to 40 degrees F. or they cannot be sold. To prevent spoiling over, frozen foods require temperatures at or below 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
Without standby power, a power outage could trigger restaurants and grocery stores to lose their inventory and undergo large financial losses. Even small grocery stores have cold food inventories valued at tens of thousands of dollars, and that number will increase to more than a million dollars in large stores.
Power from a standby generator can also keep an establishment’s doors open and the business operating while other businesses are closed.
Homes
Most people spend at least a third of their lives inside or around their homes. A home can very rapidly become unpleasant or even unlikeable when a storm happens or when the power has been knocked out.
In cold winter months, loss of power also causes loss of heat. Without heat, pipes can freeze and break, and when they thaw again the home can flood. On the opposite, the summer time can bring insufferable warmth which can be unsafe for some. Refrigerated food will spoil after a day or so without power, and frozen food won’t last much longer.
Electrical Power also keeps a home dry and mold-free by alleviating water from the foundation. A standby generator for home use keeps the power on, even if the homeowner is not present.
For more info go to: www.BackupHomePower.com