Power is an absolute necessity for production.
Without a plan in place, manufacturing facilities are at the mercy of any event that disrupts power.
It’s not a matter of “if”, but rather, “when”: one in four companies will experience a power outage at least once a month. When power is disrupted, operations halt, and tremendous revenues are lost.
Learn more about the benefits of having an industrial generator on hand below.
Why you need an industrial generator
Common Causes of Power Outages
Most power outages are out of your control. Additionally, the average length of time it takes to restore power is related to the root cause of the outage.
The most common causes of power outages include:
- Storms: Inclement weather including heavy winds, high heat, hail, and snow is the most common source of power outages.
- Fallen Trees: Fallen tree limbs frequently cause power outages. High winds and untrained professional tree cutters can cause interruptions to service when branches or trunks sever a power line.
- Vehicles: Car accidents that damage poles or powerlines can cause power outages.
- Short circuits: A short circuit happens when an electric current travels along an unintended path in an electric circuit. As a result, it produces an excessive electric current which can damage the circuit or cause a fire or explosion. Short circuits occur in the presence of conducting material (water, for example) or when wire insulation degrades.
- Lightning: Outages frequently occur as a result of lightning strikes that hit electrical equipment, transmission towers, or wires.
- Earthquakes and natural disasters: Power lines are susceptible to natural forces such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, tsunamis, and tropical storms. Sometimes, damage to infrastructure can be widespread and cut off power for weeks.
- High Power Demand: Instances of high power demand, such as heatwaves, may overburden infrastructure and cause equipment failures.
The severity and length of power outages are highly dependent on the root cause. While a blown transformer fuse may require a few minutes to repair, it often takes weeks to restore power after natural disasters.
Length of time is also impacted by service region. Utility providers usually prioritize more densely populated areas. If your facility is in a highly-populated area, it will likely be repaired much faster than a rural neighborhood.
Though many power outages are resolved quickly, most causes of power failure are unavoidable. Therefore, it’s important to plan for outages to avoid negative business impacts.
Industrial Power Generators
Power generators are an essential resource when the power goes out. Industrial generators offer reliable, long-term service. They’re able to stay active constantly, despite system failures. Many manufacturing facilities rely on generators to conduct business.
There’s little variability in generator functionality. A generator facilitates electrical charges by using mechanical energy to force electrical charge through wiring. The electrical charge can then travel through the wiring and supply its end machinery with power.
There are five fundamental parts in an industrial generator including:
- Engine: The engine is a piece of machinery that provides mechanical output. Engines can be powered by a variety of fuel sources, mainly propane, natural gas, and diesel.
- Alternator: The alternator facilitates the electrical energy provided by the mechanical output from the engine. Electricity is harnessed by the interaction between the magnetic field and the electrical field within the alternator.
- Fuel system: The fuel system converts fuel into energy to power the generator.
- Voltage regulator: The voltage regulator ensures that the appropriate voltage is maintained. It’s important to maintain the appropriate current because irrational regulation can lead to equipment malfunction and even fire hazards.
- Cooling and exhaust: Heat is a byproduct of fuel combustion. Therefore, cooling systems are important to ventilate heat. The ventilation system clears heat from the engine and discards it in the surrounding environment. Therefore, it’s important to maintain at least five feet of clearance in all directions.
Benefits of Industrial Generators
Investing in industrial generators can pay dividends for many business owners. There are numerous benefits of industrial generators including:
- Reduce downtime: Industrial generators allow the business to continue to operate during power outages, reducing lost productivity and revenues.
- Lighting and Security System Power: Though some businesses may choose to halt operations during power outages, generators can help maintain building security and lighting systems
- Save Data: While it may seem like an obscure problem, the prevalence of electronic data is extremely high. Many companies rely heavily on data processing. In the event of an outage, computer storage, data generated by equipment, and even networks may be damaged or lost.
- Avoid inventory spoilage: The loss of refrigeration for any period of time could be detrimental to a business. Regulated industries, such as food and drug manufacturing, require a specific temperature range. Industrial generators can give business owners peace of mind.
Buyers should also consider whether they need new or used generators. Used and rebuilt generators can often offer the same reliability and power at a fraction of the cost.
Used generators are also typically available sooner than brand new generators. New generators are frequently limited by manufacturing distributors and have long waiting periods.
Buying used industrial generators can be a safe, cost-effective, and timely decision: just
make sure to purchase used generators from reputable dealers with good sales history.
Types of Industrial Generators
There are a variety of generators on the market. However, the main difference between generators is their engines.
The most common industrial generators include:
- Diesel Generators: Diesel generators are known for their lifespan, durability, and efficiency. Many diesel engines are rated to run from 10,000 to 30,000 hours before major maintenance. Diesel also releases less heat, which reduces wear on the engine.
- Natural Gas Generators: Propane and liquefied petroleum gas are easy to store and burn clean, reducing emissions. Though the initial investment and operating costs of natural gas generators are typically more expensive, they are more durable.
- Petroleum: Although gasoline-powered generators are typically the least expensive and can operate for long periods of time, maintenance is more extensive and expensive. Storage is also made difficult by the high potential for fire or explosion. Gasoline also deteriorates relatively quickly, requiring frequent replacement.
- Portable Industrial Generators: Portable industrial generators may be mounted on trailers, which is ideal for construction sites and emergency responders.
When considering a generator, you’ll need to choose the right size based on your total power requirements in kilowatts. A good rule of thumb is to determine your max needs and add an additional safety margin of 20 percent.
Buy and sell with HGR
HGR has over 20 years of experience serving local and international customers looking to buy industrial tools, robots, parts, and equipment. Our 500,000 square foot facility in Euclid, Ohio carries thousands of items with truckloads of equipment coming in every day.
Plus, we purchase used surplus from warehouses across the United States so our vendors can clear out their facilities while recouping part of their initial investment.
Visit HGRinc.com to view the latest additions to our marketplace, save big on used industrial parts and equipment, and sell your surplus to us.
Disclaimer: Product availability is subject to change.