One in four businesses experiences a monthly power outage. These outages cost businesses $150 billion each year, according to the Department of Energy. A single outage can cost a large enterprise millions of dollars.
Every day, power disruptions become more common. Threats to the power grid, such as heatwaves hurricanes and wildfires can add up to big losses for your business.
To learn more about the 1000 kW generator and how it can protect your business, continue reading this generator buying guide.
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Power Outages Cost Businesses Money – a Lot of It!
In California, the state deploys public safety power shutoffs to reduce the danger posed by wildfires. On the East Coast, heatwaves and storms cause blackouts that stretch across New York and New Jersey. Resultantly, many business owners rely on industrial generators to keep the lights on.
When the power goes out, the event can lead to the failure of mission-critical technology. Electricity is increasingly important as more enterprises rely on technology as a part of doing business.
A growing number of businesses rely on information for operations and a competitive advantage. Nevertheless, many enterprises fail to plan for power outages.
A data center outage can result in nearly $9,000 in lost revenue per minute. If an outage goes on for a full day, losses can exceed $12 million.
If you operate a manufacturing plant, even a momentary outage can result in substantial losses. During a power outage, manufacturers are particularly susceptible to equipment damage.
Even when power gets restored, electrical surges can damage equipment. This kind of damage is difficult and expensive to repair.
If you operate a high-volume manufacturing facility, a power outage can disrupt your entire supply chain. It can grind logistics to a halt and cause a cascading series of delays.
Figuring Out Your Power Needs
Before you choose a generator, you need to figure out how much power you’ll need in the event of an outage. To begin, you’ll need to record the voltage and wattage of all equipment in your facility.
Voltage is the maximum amount of potential energy used for each circuit that you need to protect. A circuit is either 120 V, 240 V, or a 120/240 V system.
You must also figure out the total wattage that you need during an outage. For each piece of equipment, check the manufacturer’s data plate, owner manual, or specification sheet to give you this information.
Add the wattage of all your equipment to find out your facility’s peak usage. Now that you know your peak usage, you can start your search for a generator.
Manufacturers classify generators by how many watts they produce. Also, different fuel types affect how much wattage a generator can put out.
As a rule of thumb, diesel generators produce twice as many kilowatts as natural gas generators. Accordingly, you’ll want a diesel-powered generator if your facility draws a great deal of electricity.
Finally, you don’t want to choose a generator that an outage will push to its limit. If, for instance, you calculate that your peak energy usage is approximately 800 kW, you want to go with a generator that produces 10% to 20% more power. So, you should look for a 1000 kW diesel generator.
Choosing the Best Industrial Generator for Your Facility
Different industries have varying power needs. Most commercial facilities, however, need a diesel generator.
Diesel generators can run commercial equipment such as office computers, HVAC systems, commercial freezers, and security systems. These units typically cost between $25,000 and $100,000. A gas-powered generator that can run a full warehouse may cost up to $125,000.
A commercial generator is a considerable investment. However, it’s an insurance policy. If necessary, however, you can save money by purchasing a used generator from a reputable seller.
Commercial generators support infrastructure power and entire facilities. When an outage occurs, they prevent damage to goods and equipment. They also help you to prevent losses due to interruptions to your business.
The best commercial generators come with a sound attenuated enclosure that will minimise noise produced by the machine when it’s up and running.
If you want the best generator for your facility, most companies trust brands such as Caterpillar and Cummings. Also, you may want to check out generator reviews. Generator ratings from other buyers can help you get an idea of how a particular generator performs.
Sizing up a 1000 KW Generator for Your Business
If you’re shopping for a commercial generator, there are several features that you should consider. For example, some commercial generators have digital displays, status bars, and menus.
A generator display will notify you of critical maintenance issues, such as a low fuel oil level. This feature also makes it easy to use at night. Some generators also have remote monitoring capabilities so that you can track the unit’s performance.
You may also want to look for a generator with an automatic shut off switch. This feature will prevent the generator from blowing out circuits when it activates. You may also want to look for an automatic transfer switch that will monitor the voltage across the circuit and activate the generator before shutting the path down.
You may also want to consider a mounting pad. A mounting pad will protect your generator from grass, mud, and precipitation.
Also, consider purchasing a generator with an enclosure. An enclosure will also protect your generator from the elements.
Final Points to Consider
Depending on where you’ll install the generator, you’ll also want to think about conditions when it’s operating. Accordingly, you may want to find a diesel generator with a quality muffler. If the generator will run near employees, you should purchase a low noise or silent generator.
You must also consider the fuel efficiency of a generator. Some generators can adjust engine speed based on circuit load.
This feature increases the fuel efficiency of the unit. Fuel and tank size directly impact the runtime of industrial generators.
Circuit breakers are an excellent feature for any commercial generator. Circuit breakers will detect problems with your power and break the connection between the problem and the generator before your whole system goes down. You can reconnect everything from the control panel once the issue has been fixed. Circuit breakers will keep your operation running smoothly.
You may also want to consider purchasing multiple generators for your business power needs. Having multiple generators onsite will give you all of the support that you need in times of power outage.
Partner With the Right Supplier: Your Business Is Riding on It
Swift Equipment buys and sells premium industrial generators. We can deliver the equipment that you need at a moment’s notice.
We have built our reputation on sourcing and delivering industrial equipment to fulfill client’s needs quickly. Partner with Swift for access to industrial equipment that will exceed your expectations.
Feel free to browse our inventory to find the right 1000 kW Generator, in the right condition and at the right price.
Many of our friendly staff speak multiple languages so, we’re on hand to help anyone who may have any queries. Our data centers are open every day of the working week so feel free to contact us at anytime. We can help you to find the perfect generator and have it installed.
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