• Proper Installation of Standby Generators
• Available Options for Standby Generators
• Controller Requirements
• Proper Grounding & Bonding
• System Design
• Sound Level Considerations
• Proper Mounting
• Fuel Options

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Craig Hartman

Craig is the Vice President of Engineering at Energy Management Corporation. He is a Professional Engineer (PE) and carries over 30 years of experience in the world of electrical automation. Besides amassing an impressive amount of knowledge in his magnificent brain, he is also a Master Scuba Diver (MSD), a performing magician, and a professional DJ. Truly a man of many talents.

• Compliance with NFPA 110
• UL Standards and Codes
• EPA Standards and Codes
• Installation Standards and Codes
• Miscellaneous Code Requirements

Webinar Documents

Craig Hartman

Craig is the Vice President of Engineering at Energy Management Corporation. He is a Professional Engineer (PE) and carries over 30 years of experience in the world of electrical automation. Besides amassing an impressive amount of knowledge in his magnificent brain, he is also a Master Scuba Diver (MSD), a performing magician, and a professional DJ. Truly a man of many talents.

• Top 17 generator NEC rules
• Emergency, legally required, and optional standby generators
• Proper grounding of generator systems
• Local code exceptions to NEC

Webinar Documents

Craig Hartman

Craig is the Vice President of Engineering at Energy Management Corporation. He is a Professional Engineer (PE) and carries over 30 years of experience in the world of electrical automation. Besides amassing an impressive amount of knowledge in his magnificent brain, he is also a Master Scuba Diver (MSD), a performing magician, and a professional DJ. Truly a man of many talents.

Webinar Documents

Craig Hartman

Craig is the Vice President of Engineering at Energy Management Corporation. He is a Professional Engineer (PE) and carries over 30 years of experience in the world of electrical automation. Besides amassing an impressive amount of knowledge in his magnificent brain, he is also a Master Scuba Diver (MSD), a performing magician, and a professional DJ. Truly a man of many talents.

• Introduction to transfer switches
• Time delay vs. in phase
• Closed vs. open
• Service entrance rating
• Separately derived vs. non-separately derived
• Short circuit considerations

Webinar Documents

Craig Hartman

Craig is the Vice President of Engineering at Energy Management Corporation. He is a Professional Engineer (PE) and carries over 30 years of experience in the world of electrical automation. Besides amassing an impressive amount of knowledge in his magnificent brain, he is also a Master Scuba Diver (MSD), a performing magician, and a professional DJ. Truly a man of many talents.

Regular oil changes are a necessity for any engine, but they are especially important for the engines you rely on in the case of an emergency. If you are not performing regular oil changes on your generator, you are asking for it not to start the next time you need it. In this article, we will address why oil is so important to your engine, what causes oil contamination, and how often you should be changing your oil for the best results.

Why is Clean Oil Important?

Your engine uses oil for a myriad of different reasons. Oil is used to seal piston rings to reduce leakage and prevent any external contaminants from entering. It is also anti-rust and anti-corrosion. It increases lubrication, reduces wear; and it keeps things clean by bringing back carbides, sludge, and wear particles from the working surfaces back to the oil tank. It helps cool the engine by bringing heat back to the oil tank and dissipating it into the air and it is also a great buffer and shock absorber.

Clean oil also improves horsepower performance, reduces friction and impurities in your engine; and prevents overheating, engine part failure, grinding parts, fusing of parts or jamming.

What Can Cause Oil Contamination?

• Oil can become contaminated for a myriad of reasons. The most common contaminants are combustion by-products; such as exhaust gases that contain carbon, water, acids, partially burned fuel, varnish, and lacquers.
• Acid, varnish, and sludge can be produced by oil coming into contact with very hot engine components and immediately oxidizing and decomposing creating these contaminants.
• Fuel is only found in oil if there is an engine malfunction.
• Water can enter the oil as a byproduct of combustion. Generators that run at low or no load don’t allow the oil to get hot enough to boil off the excess water quickly enough.
• Coolant could be present in oil due to cooling system corrosion, head gasket seal rupture, or improper coolant line fittings.
• Soot in your oil can come from retarded injection timing and burning fuel mixed with oil on the cylinder liners.

When Should I Change my Oil?

The best way to go about this is to look at your generator manufacturers recommendations. Most warranties are voided if you do not perform the regular maintenance recommended by your manufacturer.

There are also fairly inexpensive oil status indicator tools available on the market today. There are versions that are more expensive and require more technical knowledge to use, but they are not readily available to laypeople. Most oil analysis tools only use a couple drops of your engines oil to perform their analysis and will give you an almost immediate recommendation as to whether you should change your oil at that time, or if you have some leeway.

You can also do a few quick at home tests that don’t require any special equipment to give you a general idea if your oil is too contaminated.

1. Oil Flow Observation: Put a good amount of oil from your generator into a cup. Pour that oil into another cup and observe. Clean oil should pour slender, uniform and continuous. If you notice non-uniformity in color, thickness, or width of pour, you should probably replace your oil.
2. Illumination: Get a few droplets of oil onto a hard surface. Illuminate these drops from the back and observe the droplets for wear debris. This will show up as small black flecks suspended in the oil or a slight darkening of the overall color of the oil.
3. Oil Drop Trace: Put a drop or two of oil onto a white paper towel; leave the oil to absorb for a few moments. Once all oil is absorbed, observe the paper towel. There should be no black marks or powder left on the towel. It should look clean, dry, and a little yellow.
4. Hand Twist: Dip your finger into the oil, then rub the oil repeatedly between your thumb and pointer finger. You should not be able to feel any grittiness or see any black specks in the oil.

Quick Tips

To keep your engine oil in tip top shape between changes:

• The first oil change after initial installation comes quicker than the rest. It could be as early as 8 running hours after initial install. Refer to your owner’s manual for specific guidelines.
• Check oil levels weekly. Top off as needed.
• Top off the oil reservoir if necessary whenever you refuel.
• Follow manufacturer guidelines when it comes to type of oil you should use for your equipment.
• Consider the ambient temperature of your equipment when creating an oil change schedule and deciding which type of oil to use in your generator.
• Also take into account the area your generator is installed in, if it is dirty, you will need oil changes more frequently.
• Change out the oil filter whenever you change the oil.

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Craig Hartman

Craig is the Vice President of Engineering at Energy Management Corporation. He is a Professional Engineer (PE) and carries over 30 years of experience in the world of electrical automation. Besides amassing an impressive amount of knowledge in his magnificent brain, he is also a Master Scuba Diver (MSD), a performing magician, and a professional DJ. Truly a man of many talents.

The makeup of diesel fuel has changed drastically over the last thirteen years. In 2007 the EPA mandated that all diesel fuel must have ultra-low sulfur content. Sulfur content is now limited to 15 ppm as opposed to the limit of 500 ppm pre 2007. The higher levels of sulfur that used to be in diesel fuel helped to lubricate the seals in fuel injectors and pumps and acted as a biocide to help prevent microbial growth such as fungus, mold, and bacteria. Nowadays, diesel fuel must be carefully monitored, tested, and maintained in order for it to stay stable for long periods of time in storage.

Solids

Asphaltenes from diesel fuel can build up on the bottom of your fuel storage tank over time, causing sludge. This sludge represents energy value that cannot be contributed when the fuel is burned by your equipment. Unaddressed, this leads to fuel instability, filter plugging, and a reduction of energy availability. Regular fuel polishing and cleaning of your fuel tank can help mitigate the issues caused by sludge buildup.

pH

The normal pH for diesel fuel should be between 5.5 and 8.0. The lower the pH, the higher the potential for corrosive damage to metal components. The overgrowth of microbes is the main contributor to diesel fuel acidity. To remedy the acidity, lower the microbial content in your fuel using EPA approved biocides. The pH could also be affected by trace amounts of ethanol mixing with your diesel fuel. When ethanol vapors cross over the vent pipes into the diesel tanks, they combine with any of the water found at the bottom of the fuel tank. Certain bacteria feed off of the ethanol particles and convert them to acidic acid. The acidity produced by these bacteria is extremely destructive to storage tanks and fuel distribution systems.

Water

The number one rule to follow when it comes to storing diesel fuel is: Keep all water out of your fuel tank. If any water is found in your fuel tank, it needs be removed immediately. Finding a company that will perform this service may be difficult, because it requires special licensing to handle, transport, and dispose of petroleum-contaminated water (PCW). So your best bet is to keep water out of your fuel from the beginning.

Chemicals are available that can be used to bind trace amounts of water to suspend it in the fuel. It can then be burned harmlessly by your engine. This can only be done with very small amounts of water.

You can combat water accumulation by keeping your fuel tank full to prevent room for condensation accumulation, testing fuel for water every 30 days using a water finding paste, investing in an underground storage tank, and checking the tank for any pooled water after rain.

Biodiesel

Most diesel fuel contains 2-5% biodiesel no matter what company it is produced by. The biodiesel content provides the lubrication that is now lacking from regular low sulfur diesel, but microbes thrive in it. Biodiesel is a lot less stable than regular, low-sulfur diesel, and can make cold water gelling problems an issue when there is biodiesel content of 20% or greater in the fuel.

Microbial Contamination

To help prevent microbe growth, you should be checking your fuel tanks for water at regular intervals. In addition to this, you should be paying attention to your filter lifespans (for shortening) and any other operational signs that could indicate that a microbial issue may be present.

Temperature

Diesel fuel should be stored between 20-70 degrees Fahrenheit. If the fuel cannot be stored at temperatures below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, 12 months is the longest amount of time it should be stored, even with proper maintenance and the correct fuel additives.

Mechanical Processing

Mechanical fuel processing and polishing uses filters and water separators to mechanically remove particulates and water from stored fuel. Fuel polishing can remove water and sludge, but will not remove microbes.

Testing

There are many different tests you can perform on your stored diesel fuel to determine what additives your fuel may need to remain stable, or to determine if your fuel is past the point of no return and needs to be replaced. See our article about the different types of diesel fuel testing available, here. Diesel fuel is crucial to many business applications and their backup generators, and the fluctuations in pricing make it advantageous to stock up on fuel when the price is low. But maintaining that fuel can be an expensive process in and of itself. Weighing the pros and cons of storing fuel vs buying fuel at the fluctuating price will help you make the best decision for your home or business.

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Craig Hartman

Craig is the Vice President of Engineering at Energy Management Corporation. He is a Professional Engineer (PE) and carries over 30 years of experience in the world of electrical automation. Besides amassing an impressive amount of knowledge in his magnificent brain, he is also a Master Scuba Diver (MSD), a performing magician, and a professional DJ. Truly a man of many talents.

What is Power Factor?

Power factor is a measure of how effectively your facility is using electricity. This can be figured out by comparing your facilities working power and reactive power. Working power is the power used in almost all commonplace electrical appliances and is measured in kilowatts (kW). Reactive power is used to operate an inductive load like a motor or compressor. Reactive power is considered “non-working” power. This is measured in KiloVolt-amperes-reactive (kVAR).

All homes and business use a mixture of these two types of power mentioned above. This mix of power types is referred to as apparent power. To calculate apparent power, you can use the formula KVA2 = kV * A. To calculate your power factor, you take the ratio of working power to apparent power. PF = kW/kVA. A high power factor benefits both you and your electrical utility, while a low PF does nothing but cause problems and waste money. The closer your power factor is to 1, the better your facility is at utilizing its electricity.

Why Should You Care About Power Factor?

An unsatisfactory amount of power factor control at your facility can cause you and your utility a myriad of issues. Utilities will penalize you with fines for having to deal with your poor power utilization, your transformers or cables could overheat, and a poor leading power factor will cause generator instability.

If you are able to correct your power factor to a satisfactory level you can free up system capacity, improve voltage regulation, improve power systems efficiency, increase power system component longevity, run cooler and more efficient motors, lower your utility bill, and free up standby generator capacity.

What Causes Poor Power Factor?

Poor power factor can be caused by induction motors running less than full loads, using severely oversized motors, transformers with little to no load, induction or arc furnaces, thermal treatment machines, welding machines; or voltage levels above your equipment’s rating, resulting in a higher reactive power consumption.

How Can You Improve Poor Power Factor?

There are many ways to improve power factor. Their effectiveness depends on your facilities specific needs. Capacitors are the main way most facilities correct their low power factor. The effects of capacitors cancel out the reactive power caused by inductance. Usually these capacitors are installed on the load side of the motor so it only affects the motor in question. Motors under 20HP are not equipped with a capacitor, unless this is the largest size of motor in the facility.

Switched capacitors are also an option if your facility utilizes large, intermittent inductive loads. These capacitors are only working when the motor load is turned on. Switching capability is only required if the capacitors used are so large that they cause leading power factor during the times when the motors are off.

In addition to capacitors, some facilities will utilize active harmonic filters, static VAR generators, or BUS-type active filters to help improve poor power factor caused by harmonics.

A few things you can do to improve power factor that don’t involve purchasing and installing capacitors are: minimizing the operation of idling or lightly loaded equipment, replacing old motors with energy efficient ones, operating motors near their rated capacity, and avoid operating equipment above its rated voltage.

For a more in-depth lesson on Power Factor Control, watch our webinar

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Craig Hartman

Craig is the Vice President of Engineering at Energy Management Corporation. He is a Professional Engineer (PE) and carries over 30 years of experience in the world of electrical automation. Besides amassing an impressive amount of knowledge in his magnificent brain, he is also a Master Scuba Diver (MSD), a performing magician, and a professional DJ. Truly a man of many talents.

Any kind of rotating or oscillating equipment can be subject to issues that will manifest themselves early on through changes in the vibration patterns of your equipment. In order to catch these issues before they become a much larger issue, vibration monitoring should become a part of your predictive maintenance schedule. There are many different methods of interpreting data collected from vibration analysis, and in this article we will go over a few of the most common ones.

Overall Level

The overall level vibration check gives you a very limited analysis of the vibration patterns of your machine at any given time. Most technicians have strayed away from this method for more detailed methods of analysis. This method is used for getting a quick check of vibration levels, with the same amount of information generated as monitoring your equipment by feeling it with your hand. This method is best for a quick initial check on rotary machines, especially those running at high speeds.

Spectral Analysis

This method of vibration measurement transforms the signal from the time domain to the frequency domain using the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithm. The signal is then analyzed by a qualified technician to determine if there are any spikes in vibration frequency coming from any certain part of the machine and what issues this frequency would indicate. The peaks in these frequencies will give your technician clues as to where in your machinery the harmful vibration may be coming from. This method is usually used when the rotational speed of a shaft, or how often tooth meshing occurs, comes into question.

To perform spectral analysis, you need to conduct baseline testing on your application when it is first installed so you have information to refer back to at periodic testing intervals. You will also need to collect some additional information at the time of measurement. This includes: identifying all components of your machine that could be causing the vibration, identifying the machines running speed, as well as the running speeds of any adjacent machines (in case they are influencing the vibration patterns of the machine in question), finding out how the motor is mounted, and if it is overhung, or if it is connected to anything that is overhung. Then you will need to obtain any historical machinery data you have on hand and compare it to the recently acquired data and analyze the vibration patterns for any harmful trends.

Signal Averaging

This method determines the level of the signal at each individual frequency. It is most important for low frequency measurements, because of the extended amount of averaging time needed to get accurate data. This method is used in the monitoring of a single gear in relation to its rotational speed. Signal averaging can show you the cyclical action of each tooth in the gear being monitored. If one of the teeth has a large crack, it would easily be detected due to its increased flexibility and the change in vibration frequency that would occur.

Shock Pulse Monitoring

This method of vibration monitoring is a great addition to your predictive maintenance schedule. This method entails using a hand held device that gives off a natural frequency, that when applied to your equipment, is excited by shocks generated by damaged roller bearings. This method shows you when two pieces of metal touch each other while in motion. This contacting of metals will create shock waves that will develop from the impact, travel through the metal of the bearings and machine, and be picked up by the hand held instrument. These shock waves will then be analyzed by a qualified technician to look for any degradation in your roller bearings or their lubricant that could be causing unwanted vibration.

Kurtosis Measurement

Kurtosis measurement gives us an idea of the “spikedness” of a random signal. Signals that have a higher kurtosis value will have many peaks that are greater than three times the signal’s root-mean-square (RMS) value. This method has proven very effective at monitoring for bearing faults, but is not yet commonplace, although it is slowly headed in that direction.

Discrete Frequency Monitoring

This method monitors the vibration levels at a particular frequency against the levels we would expect that particular component to generate. (These frequencies are held in databases put together by vibration monitoring companies and have become extremely accurate over time.) As an example, if you wanted to look into a certain shaft in a machine, you would tune the monitoring system to that machine’s rotational speed and compare your readings to the frequencies in the aforementioned database. Discrete frequency is also calculated using the FFT algorithm.

Cepstrum Analysis

This method was originally used to measure seismic echoes produced by earthquakes or explosions. Cepstrum is used to look at repeated patterns in a spectrum. Repeated patterns in a spectrum are sensed as one or two components in the cepstrum with multiple sets of sidebands, like the way the spectrum separates repetitive time patterns in the waveform. This method of analysis is used to look at interactions between the rotational frequency of bladed rotors and the blade passing frequency. You can also use it to examine gear tooth meshing frequency and gear rotational speeds.

Each method of vibration analysis has its pros and cons. Getting in touch with a vibration analysis expert can help you decide which form of analysis is right for you and your application.

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Craig Hartman

Craig is the Vice President of Engineering at Energy Management Corporation. He is a Professional Engineer (PE) and carries over 30 years of experience in the world of electrical automation. Besides amassing an impressive amount of knowledge in his magnificent brain, he is also a Master Scuba Diver (MSD), a performing magician, and a professional DJ. Truly a man of many talents.

This generator system classification was added in 2008 in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks and hurricane Katrina. This designation is reserved for facilities that, if destroyed or incapacitated, would disrupt national security, the economy, or public health and safety. Your Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) can designate any facility – such as police stations, fire stations, emergency call centers, telecommunications carriers, data centers and other critical infrastructure as a “designated critical operations areas” to comply with NEC article 708.

Risk Assessment

A risk assessment must be completed to identify hazards (and the likelihood of their occurrence) and the vulnerability of the electrical system to said hazards. This includes both naturally occurring and human-caused events. After the risk assessment is completed, strategies must be developed to mitigate any identified hazards.

Security

Physical security must be provided based on the outcome of your risk assessment. This includes restricted access to any electrical circuits and equipment for critical operations power systems to qualified persons only.

Testing and Maintenance

Conduct/witness testing must be completed upon installation by your AHJ. All systems must be tested periodically (this schedule is decided by your AHJ), preventive maintenance must be performed, and a means for testing under load must be provided. Periodic testing and maintenance information can be found in NFPA 110-2019. Component and system tests, base line testing, and functional performance tests must be done at installation. A commissioning plan must also be developed and documented. See NFPA 70B-2019 for guidance on writing this plan. A written (or electronic) record must be kept of all testing and maintenance done to COPS gensets. The NEC does not specify how long you must keep these records.

Commissioning

You must have a commissioning plan developed and documented for your system. At installation, your equipment must undergo both component and systems testing. These baseline test results must be documented so they can be referred back to during periodic maintenance. A functional performance testing schedule must be established, documented, and executed upon completion of installation (NEC Article 708.8).

Wiring

All boxes and enclosures for COPS wiring must be separate from the general wiring of the building. These boxes, enclosures, and receptacles supplied by these systems must also be identified by signage stating they are part of a COPS system. Receptacles in these systems must have indicator lights showing that the receptacles are receiving power. Wiring for these systems must have protection from all kinds of physical damage. Methods for protection are spelled out in NEC article 708.10.  

Fuel Supply

COPS that generally run on utility gas for their fuel supply must have a backup fuel system in place. Means for automatic transfer from one fuel source to another must be provided. For internal combustion engines, an on-site fuel supply must be provided. The fuel shall be secured and protected in accordance with the results of the risk assessment discussed above.

Capacity

Critical Operations Power Systems must have the capacity to carry all necessary loads for an unlimited number of hours. A portable, temporary, or redundant alternate power source shall also be available for use whenever the COPS power source is out of service for maintenance or repair, this source must have the capacity to run all critical loads for at least 72 hours. (NEC Article 708.22) COPS must be able to shed all non-critical loads in the event of an emergency; if the load exceeds the available capacity.

Transfer Equipment

Transfer equipment for Critical Operations Power Systems must be automatic and identified for emergency use. Automatic transfer switches must be listed for emergency use and shall be electrically operated and mechanically held. The transfer equipment must only supply COPS loads.

Ground Fault Protection

Ground fault protection is required for COPS. These systems must be tested at installation to make sure that all equipment is operational.

Emergency Operations Plan

All facilities with COPS equipment must have a documented emergency operation plan. This plan needs to cover emergency operations and response, recovery, and continuity of operations.

One Last Consideration

Outdoor gensets do not need an additional disconnect if the main disconnect is easily accessible and within 50 feet of the building.

This article is not a comprehensive list of regulations for Critical Operations Power Systems. For the full list of COPS rules and regulations, see NEC 2020 Article 708.

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Craig Hartman

Craig is the Vice President of Engineering at Energy Management Corporation. He is a Professional Engineer (PE) and carries over 30 years of experience in the world of electrical automation. Besides amassing an impressive amount of knowledge in his magnificent brain, he is also a Master Scuba Diver (MSD), a performing magician, and a professional DJ. Truly a man of many talents.