All industrial generator installations, either for backup or primary purposes, require precise planning before you can use them to power your property. Reactive Generators will take the time and effort to fully understand your power supply needs and the circumstances that make your installation unique.

There’s much more to take into account after this point before installation can even begin but let’s break down everything involved in the process of setting up your industrial generator…

Things that can affect your generator installation process

Your chosen generator servicing company will have to consider the size of the building, the size of the load, regulatory restrictions, and electrical code requirements before commencing with the installation. You may have to do some research on your end, as the property manager or owner, to figure out what size generator you will need. To do all this, we need to take a couple of steps in preparation. These are some general procedures we’d follow for generator installation:

1. On-site evaluation and inspection

A licensed generator technician will then arrange a time, at your earliest convenience, to visit your commercial or industrial property. During this visit, they will get familiar with and compile a report about the geography of your property and the current electrical system. Now that the technician knows the lay of the land, you will then engage in a consultation about the best equipment for you. After checking in with you about your power requirements, the technician will then add everything up and conclude the best way forward. Following this, the technician will survey the property with you and settle on the most optimal location for the installation site of your generator.

Your approval of all the decisions in this process is all that is required after this, and then the technician will draw up a detailed installation plan. This site plan is essential for you, the technician, and permit approvals from authority bodies. After this is done, it’s time to settle on the quote, means of payment and work scope needed to accomplish this installation for you. You may even map out a plan for regular generator servicing in Brisbane during this process.

2. Permits required for industrial generator installation

Your generator installation may require permitting, and this needs to be secured well before starting any work on the property. Some city councils and electrical regulatory boards in Australia may require that you apply for generator installation depending on the size and structural elements of the job. Commercial and industrial property owners usually require heavy-duty generators. These may have to follow strict noise or environmental considerations if installed in busier parts of the country. We will need to contact the local inspector or city hall to be aware of all the state and local electrical safety codes that could impact the installation. Some local councils now require detailed drawings that show the exact position of the generator, specifications of the unit and its transfer switch. If permit approvals are required, it may take a couple of days to receive them, but it’s all systems go as soon as we’ve got them.

Step-by-step process of generator installation

• Ordering Your Generator

There are several generator brands to choose from, and many of our customers are known to inquire about the differences between Cummins and Generac because they are the most popular. Regardless of the type of generator you want, it can take several days or even several weeks for the unit to arrive from the manufacturer. We should ensure that all the authority’s requirements have been met for the installation process before ordering your generator.

• Concrete or composite pads are installed

After the permits or regulatory requirements are secured, and the generator order arrives, the technicians will need to build a base for the generator on your property. Industrial generators are giant machines, and for them to work correctly and up to code, they’ll need to be positioned up and away from mud and dirt. We’ve always successfully done this by planning and installing a concrete pad. The concrete pad works as a reinforced foundation for your generator, and it will be built specifically for the shape, size, footprint and weight of your generator. We will then set the generator on its base and begin the wiring process. A transfer switch will then be installed, and all the existing electrical systems will be modified to accept the generator as a second (or primary) source of power.

• Fuel line installation

The fuel tank and its line to the generator are separate units to the system, so they will need to be installed after the unit is installed. Normally we connect the generator’s fuel line to any existing fuel lines on the property, which may be standard features on industrial properties in Australia. If you don’t have a direct fuel source on the property, we will coordinate the installation of a new, independent fuel tank for your generator.

• Final tests and inspections

At this point, everything has already been safely installed and integrated into your property electrical system. The generator technician will then perform a final inspection and operational tests. When your generator passes all the checks, provided that you used a licensed expert to ensure professional installation, your generator can be used for service. We will then submit all warranty registration to the generator manufacturer to make sure that you are protected in cases of fault. The technician will also give you a quick crash course on everything you need to know about the operation of your new generator.

Protect your installation investment with regular maintenance

Reactive Generators has been in the business of installing and maintaining industrial generators in the Queensland area for many decades now. We know that the best thing for your generator is routine and thorough servicing. Call us on (07) 3710 8212, and we’ll not only install your generator but we’ll also set a servicing schedule to keep it running smoothly. Our team is available to customers in Brisbane, Toowoomba, the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Ipswich.