Additional Generator

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Dr.Sparks

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I have a good customer that doesnt have any faith in an emergency generator that was just purchased 2 years ago. I guess there was an anomally during an exercise last week and now he wants to add a back-up to the back-up. He asked me to give him a price on the additonal gear, conduit and conductor installation. He is planning on sizing the second generator to carry the entire building load just like the first. I started to sketch out his current system and the additional generator circuit and I quickly realized that this could turn into a nightmare. I cant seem to provide a solution at moderate cost and design something that would alleviate the possibility of backfeeding the current generator or public utility. Here's another variable that is causing a headache: It's a Data Center for the local Government and shutdown is limited to a four hour window that can be carried by a UPS that he doesnt trust either....Has anyone ever done anything this ridiculous? How can I accomplish this without the possibility of backfeeding? :confused:
 
Provide a temp generator until you cut in a second permanent generator and a permanent gen to gen transfer switch.
I'd also suggest hiring an EE with experience in critical equipment.
 
Ron has it right.
You need a utility to generator ATS feeding a generator to generator ATS.
You may want to consider instead of an ATS using an MTS with a portable backup genset and a inlet receptacle to use just in case.
Would be much cheaper,but not automatic.
 
I would set up a MTS also.
Instead of a second generator I would put in a box with cam-lok plugs for a roll up generator.
You didn't what size but it shouldn't matter.

Like qcroanoke said, It's not automatic but it could save your customer a lot of money if he can live with the time it would take to get a rental and have it connected.
They could always add the generator later.
 
tkb said:
I would set up a MTS also.
Instead of a second generator I would put in a box with cam-lok plugs for a roll up generator.
You didn't what size but it shouldn't matter.

Like qcroanoke said, It's not automatic but it could save your customer a lot of money if he can live with the time it would take to get a rental and have it connected.
They could always add the generator later.
Click to expand...

From the OP the customer wants assured reliability not a wait during an outage for a rental to show up. In my expierence rentals show up 10 seconds after power is restored.

As noted use an ATS for generator to generator transfer switch, primary secondary set up.
the load of this ATS feeds the emergency connections in the existing ATS.

Proper maintenance, load test using site loads and load banks, regular battery replacement and a close eye on fuel supply.
 
brian john said:
From the OP the customer wants assured reliability not a wait during an outage for a rental to show up. In my expierence rentals show up 10 seconds after power is restored.

As noted use an ATS for generator to generator transfer switch, primary secondary set up.
the load of this ATS feeds the emergency connections in the existing ATS.

Proper maintenance, load test using site loads and load banks, regular battery replacement and a close eye on fuel supply.
Click to expand...

I went back and read the OP. I guess I didn't read the whole post.
I agree an ATS and a second generator for rendundency.

Has anyone ever done anything this ridiculous?
Click to expand...

I have seen it done a few times.
The down time just once could well exceed the installation cost for the customer.
 
tkb said:
I went back and read the OP. I guess I didn't read the whole post.
I agree an ATS and a second generator for rendundency.



I have seen it done a few times.
The down time just once could well exceed the installation cost for the customer.
Click to expand...


Quite common for data centers.

See example attached.
 
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