PLANNING YOUR STANDBY GENERATOR

Which Fuel?

This can be a difficult decision but we will do our best to help you through the decision making process.

UNLEADED PETROL	DIESEL	LPG
Advantages Capital Costs – Petrol generators require the lowest initial outlay per KVA	Advantages Power Range - an almost unlimited upper range of power options available. If you require greater than 12KVA, diesel will be your preferred and possibly, only, option. Red Diesel – if you have legitimate access to red diesel, this will be a much more cost-effective option.	Advantages Running Costs – it’s cheaper than both petrol and diesel Duration. With twin 19Kg cylinders (for e.g., it is possible to attain standby running times of 40 hours plus, depending upon load, before re-fuelling is required Convenience – can be delivered to your door. Cylinder swap can be performed easily with changeover valve Emissions - the cleanest of the three. .
Disadvantages Transfer Options – almost all petrol engines used are equipped with a manual choke making them unsuitable for automatic mains fail over (AMF). A manual transfer switch is the only practical option. User safety – Fuel handling and storage require the user to pay particular care. Petrol, perhaps, carries the highest risk of fire and injury.	Disadvantages Capital Costs - Prices rise steeply above 5 KVA Power Range – very little available in the mid-range (7.5 -10KVA) Weight	Disadvantages Capital Costs – conversion will add £200-£500 more to the cost of a petrol generator. Site/Location – strict regulations governing the location of cylinders, especially with regard to proximity of opening windows and drains. User Safety – you must ensure you make a gas tight seal between cylinder valve and regulator whenever you change a cylinder. This is simple enough with the correct tool and training Power Limitation – the largest generators practical for LPG conversion in the home standy by market are 12KVA (10KW). These will be adequate for most applications but, if you require more power, think diesel.

 

Manual or Automatic Transfer Switch?

MANUAL TRANSFER SWITCH (MTS)	AUTOMATIC TRANSFER SWITCH (ATS)
Advantages Capital Cost – typically one quarter to one third of the cost of an ATS Installation Cost – typically one half to two-thirds the cost of an ATS Lower Power Generator to achieve the same result – this is because the user can introduce circuits one by one at the consumer unit, particularly those requiring high start-up current (e.g. fridges/freezers).	Advantages Convenience & Ease of Use – ideal in situations where you have people that require backup power whithout the need for manual intervention – e.g. the elderley or disabled. 24x7x365 – Will cut in even if you are on holiday, ensuring your heating, fridge-freezers and alarm systems remain operational during all power cuts.
Disadvantages Takes longer to transfer to generator power Not suitable for elderly or disabled people User has to check the light on the switch to see if mains power has been restored. Won’t provide backup power for your house when you are not there (e.g. for fridge/freezers, heating pump/programmer & alarms)	Disadvantages Choice of Fuel - Not feasible with petrol generators. Your choice is limited to diesel or LPG. Power Required – we recommend a minimum of 12KVA when using an ATS Complexity – some people can be daunted by the controls and menu options, though strictly speaking, these should not need to be changed once set up correctly. Complexity – there is more to go wrong and it will cost more to put right (outside the warranty period) in the event that equipment faults develop. Encourages User complacency – users often forget the need to ensure their generator is fuelled and oiled up properly

 

Portable or Static Generator?

PORTABLE	STATIC
Advantages Low-cost – portable generators are generally less expensive to purchase More secure – when not in use they can be locked safely out of the way	Advantages Quicker to get running in event of power cut Higher power potential
Disadvantages Manual Transfer Switch only – generally speaking, portable generators cannot be fitted with remote start modules for use with an ATS.	Disadvantages Higher-cost of equipment and installation Size & weight

 

How Much Power?

This depends upon the number and consumption of the appliances you require in standby mode. We can help you calculate this during a site visit. As a guideline, there is a loose correlation between house size and standby power requirements as follows:

HOUSE TYPE & SIZE	POWER REQUIREMENTS
2-3 bedroom house or cottage < 1000 sq ft	4-5 KVA
4 bedroom detached house < 2000 sq ft	7.5 KVA
4-6 bedroom house < 3000 sq ft	8-18 KVA
Large house > 3000 sq ft	18-24 KVA

 

What about weather protection?

All generators require protection from the British weather. Some generators are equipped with weatherproof acoustic canopies. Most acoustic canopies, however, only offer limited protection against the elements. If you can find a relatively sheltered position for a static generator, it may be sufficient to construct a simple open-sided shed to protect it from rain. Otherwise, a full vented enclosure may be required. In order to offer a complete service, Fleet Generators can construct a suitable shelter to an agreed design.

Likewise, portable generators should never be left out unprotected in the rain. For example, leaving a generator under the overhang of an open garage door may afford reasonable protection, depending upon wind direction. Alternatively, Fleet Generators can supply a simple galvanised steel canopy that can be attached/de-tached quickly from the generator frame tubes.

What Makes of Generator do you Recommend?

Fleet Generators is not tied to any particular make or model of generator. We will endeavour to recommend the most suitable generator for the job, taking into account your requirements, preferences and budget. Fleet Generators maintains direct trading relationships with most of the major generator manufacturers and distributors in the UK, including those with online shops. We can normally match the best pricing available for the equipment part of any standby generator solution we sell. We specify and order each unit as required by our customers. Therefore, we never feel compelled to ‘push’ particular models in order to clear stocks. Having said that, we have identified a range of models that have proved successful in particular applications and we use this experience to the benefit of our customers. These include Pramac, F.G. Wilson, SDMO, Honda and Hyundia.

How quickly can you install a generator at my home?

This depends upon the complexity of the solution. For installation of our simplest solutions involving a manual transfer switch and portable generator, the lead time is approximately 3 weeks from customer order date. For more complex solutions, lead time tends to be 6 weeks from customer order. Pre-sales activities – site visit & survey, evaluation of options and the quotation process – can add a further 2-4 weeks to the front end of these timelines. In summary, the whole process, from initial enquiry through to completion, normally takes between 5-10 weeks. We can accommodate ‘emergency’ requests for installation, subject to our existing schedule.

Electrical Installation

Depending upon the length of cable runs and selection of equipment, electrical installation may take one or two days, including testing. Towards the end of the installation, you can expect to be without power for several hours as we re-route cables between the utility meter and the consumer unit to accommodate the transfer switch. All electrical work is carried out in accordance with both Building Regulations (Part-P) and British Standards for Electrical Installation (BS7671) using competent electricians. If, once underway, we find deficiencies in your existing wiring, we will bring these to your attention and provide advice and, if required, a quotation for resolving them. Electrical safety is of paramount importance. We will not cut corners on electrical safety in order to provide the lowest cost.

What are the Possible Complications?

Occasionally, we come across problems with the customer’s existing wiring that necessitate additional work over and above the normal installation cost. Examples include:

a) Missing earth bonding between the electrical supply and the incoming gas and water utility services. Earth bonding has to be in place before we begin installation work at your property. Unless hidden, we will aim to pick up any deficiencies in this area during our site survey and include this in our quotation.

b) Old style distribution boards with re-wireable or cartridge fuses. These will require replacement with an up-to-date consumer unit before we are able to install a standby generator. Again, we will include any work required in our quotation.

c) Residual Current Devices (RCDs). When running from a generator, all circuits require protection from an RCD. Our manual transfer switch has an integral RCD. For Automatic Transfer Switches, we will fit an in-line RCD. Nine times out of ten, this causes no problems. However, there are circumstances where the introduction of an RCD can lead to nuisance tripping. If you have RCD protection on all of your existing ring circuits, we are unlikely to hit a problem. If you have no or limited RCD protection, the introduction of an RCD can highlight wiring or appliance faults that you were previously unaware of. There are a number of reasons why an RCD will trip. The most common is due to leakage between the neutral and earth conductors, often caused by a breakdown in insulation. Fault finding in this situation can take several hours as it has to be done methodically. It normally involves carrying out an insulation resistance test on all household circuits, followed by a process of narrowing down the location of the fault for any circuit with a low reading.

What Else Do I Need to Consider?

Noise – All generators are intrusive to some extent. Most models for domestic use operate at a standard 3000 RPM. The decibel rating will depend upon fuel type, materials used in construction of the equipment, location and the quantity of sound insulation used.

If you are going to use your generator regularly as a primary power source, you should consider investing in a 1500 RPM unit. Likewise, if you have very close neighbours!

Location – for static generators, in particular, access is generally required on at least 3, possibly 4 sides for servicing.

Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR) – A very smooth supply is required for sensitive electronic (e.g. medical) equipment. Not all generators are equipped with AVR. It is not normally required for home computers which should always be plugged into mains smoothers as a matter of course.

Do You Supply Beyond Hampshire, Berkshire & Surrey?

As our name suggests, we are based in Fleet, Hampshire. A typical installation will require us to visit site on 3-6 occasions. Some companies entrust their installations to remote sub-contractors in order to provide greater geographic coverage. We prefer to limit our territory to those areas over which we can apply direct on-site project management control. We use the same team of electrical and generator engineers for all of our installations. We never leave a job half-finished and if we encounter problems, we resolve them. So, in summary, the answer is ‘no’ – we won’t install beyond our capability. However... If you live outside our area but you like our approach, we do offer a single visit consultancy service aimed at helping you identify the most appropriate solution for your needs. The cost of this service is a flat rate of £300 + travel costs + VAT. This might seem expensive but it will enable you to get the best possible value from the £2000 - £10,000 that you may be planning to spend on a standby generator. This will include up to 4 hours spent with you on site, defining options, the most appropriate sources of equipment and speaking with potential suppliers on your behalf. We will produce a summary report for you and any follow-up telephone advice and guidance on an ad-hoc basis is included.