b u generator

[puckman]

a resturant has lost power a few times this year. this last time they were down 3 days. needless to say they lost a lot of meats with there freezers being out. they also need to run 2 sump pumps at all times because of ground water situation. now they have decided to get a backup generator to run 3 walk in freezers a 3phase dishwasher, 3phase x fan, 2 frigs , lights, recepts.
has anyone been involved with this type of job? i 'm tryin to find out if there is anything to be awhere of on work like this. the elect. service is 3 phase 240volt 400 amp. there is no 1 main cb. 4 cb to shut down power. the circuits are in atleast 3 seperate panels. will this be a problem?

 

[brian john]

We have several customers in this position.

With the installation of a manual transfer switch, and a contract with a local rental company they (you) can negotiate a rental contract with guaranteed (sort of IMO)response time. BUT when power fails call ASAP, area wide power outages can affect the delivery times.

 

[hillbilly1]

1. If you go the automatic route there are several ways to go about it, You can put in a 400 amp transfer switch, and load shed the larger loads you don't need ( you do not have to size the genset for 400 amps only for the loads that you actually need and are not on the loadshed). You will need to change to a single main service or a transfer switch that is service rated, you will need to move the grounding electrodes to the new service and seperate the grounds and neutrals in the exsisting service, as it will no longer be the service disconnecting means. 2. Or install a dedicated panel just for those loads and feed it thru the transfer switch.
3. Make one of the exsisting panels generator feed, and move the other loads to it.

 

[ptonsparky]

we recently went through the same thing after a tornado. The managers drug their feet until the beer started to get hot, then found a rental unit. Suprised that these major chains don't have some plans for emergency power.

 

[quogueelectric]

a resturant has lost power a few times this year. this last time they were down 3 days. needless to say they lost a lot of meats with there freezers being out. they also need to run 2 sump pumps at all times because of ground water situation. now they have decided to get a backup generator to run 3 walk in freezers a 3phase dishwasher, 3phase x fan, 2 frigs , lights, recepts.
has anyone been involved with this type of job? i 'm tryin to find out if there is anything to be awhere of on work like this. the elect. service is 3 phase 240volt 400 amp. there is no 1 main cb. 4 cb to shut down power. the circuits are in atleast 3 seperate panels. will this be a problem?

They are going to need lighting too it sounds to me the only thing missing is the air conditioning units. At this point it seems like you need a 400a 3 phase genset you could either set it up for a rental genset or put in your own genset which would involve an architect for approval and location .

 

[jrannis]

Calcuate the demand you will have for the equipment you want to provide power for. Install a seperate equipment panel for these loads along with a transferswitch.