Maintenance of engine-generators: here’s where to star

Author: Vincenzo Greco Manuli

An engine-generator, a machine that is made of a heat engine and an electric generator that produce power, constitutes a considerable investment of capital. Therefore, it is essential to check its functioning and efficiency constantly, particularly if it is used as a backup generator.

Maintenance of engine-generators

It is of paramount importance then to implement a comprehensive predictive, precautionary routine maintenance plan that includes load-testing the engine-generator, in order to first, ensure the operational success of your activity and second, avoid potentially dangerous situations and significant financial loss if the engine-generators were to malfunction.
What would happen if the backup engine-generator did not work in places such as a mall, a bank, a grocery shop or, even worse, a hospital?
To start with, a (resistive or inductive resistive) load-bank test is necessary in any engine-generator maintenance plan, to ensure that engine-generators in standby mode would step in in case of power drop.

Maintenance with a “dummy” load support

Maintenance with a “dummy” load support.

Attraverso l’utilizzo di load-bank siano essi fisso (sempre connessi) o a noleggio (per il suo periodo di test) la prova può essere programmata e svolta sempre in condizioni ottimali potendosi svincolare dalla disponibilità del carico a valle e delle simulazioni a carico reale sempre critiche.

Il costo relativamente basso di un load-bank da abbinare all’installazione del gruppo elettrogeno è dunque pienamente giustificato dal risparmio sui costi di manutenzione durante la vita del gruppo.

Get in touch with the author: vincenzo.grecomanuli@progettoenergiaefficiente.it