Power Up: Your Guide to Choosing the Right Commercial Generators for Your Business

If you’re looking for commercial generators for your business then we’re here to help. We take a look at how to choose the best generator for your needs.

In May 2018, 370,000 people in the US Northeast experienced power outages because of a storm. For business owners, an unexpected power outage like this can be enough to shut down your company for good.

You may feel as though there’s nothing you can do to protect your business from such an event. But with the help of a commercial power generator, you can shield your company from potential power outages.

Here’s a brief guide on what you need to consider when investing in commercial generators. 

Using this advice and or a Generator Advisor, you should be able to find a way to keep the lights on, no matter what’s affecting the rest of the power grid.

Let’s begin!

Why Should You Invest in a Commercial Generator?

At first thought, you might not feel as though your business needs to invest in a generator. This is entirely normal, but you need to consider what’ll happen to your business if it’s ever affected by an extended power cut.

Does your business keep perishable items in a fridge or freezer? If so, a power cut could lead to these items being ruined and thus could amount to a massive loss for your business.

Additionally, is your business reliant on specialist machinery? What would happen to your profits if these machines came to a standstill because of a power cut?

Odds are you wouldn’t be able to maintain average production levels, and this would result in you losing out on vital revenue. You may even lose some clients, as they may lose confidence in your ability to meet production quotas.

Even if you just run a simple office, a power cut could lead to your computers shutting down unexpectedly. Without power, you may be unable to work on projects that have tight deadlines. 

A power outage could even result in you losing vital data.

Ultimately, you need to consider what would happen specifically to your business if there’s ever an extended power cut. If you don’t like the answer, you should think about investing in a generator.

Should You Buy or Rent? 

If you’re short on cash, you may want to choose the option of renting a power generator. In doing so, your business can make use of a generator quickly, because you don’t have to wait until you’ve saved up a large chunk of cash.

That said, it’s worth remembering that a generator is going to be a long-term investment for your business. Thus, if you’re going to rent a generator, you’ll be renting it for a long time.

This can be an issue, as the extended rental period can result in you spending more money on the generator, than if you’d have just bought it outright.

Following this, if your cash flow can take the hit, question whether it’s better to buy a generator for your business instead. If you want to keep your costs low, you may want to take a look at some second-hand generators. There are plenty of companies that are no longer in business, of which want to get rid of their generators.

How Much Power Will You Need?

The only accurate way you can judge your power requirements is by working out the energy requirements of everything you need to power. 

To do this, add up the individual wattage requirements of everything that needs to stay ‘online’ in the event of a power cut. This figure will represent the minimum amount of energy the generator will need to produce. If you’re struggling to work out how much power an item requires, contact the manufacturer.

If you want to keep mistakes to a minimum, call an electrician and get them to help you. They’ll know how to work out the power requirements of your equipment and can then confidently tell you how much power you need from a generator. 

The Different Ways to Power Your Generator

There are three kinds of power sources that you can use for a generator, and it’s important to note that no one option is perfect. 

Here’s what you can choose from – 

• Liquid Propane Gas (LPG)
• Diesel
• Petrol

LPG is a popular fuel source because it makes use of underground gas lines. This makes it convenient because you don’t need to handle the fuel sources yourself. You also don’t need to worry about the fuel sources ‘running out,’ in that there’s no tank that you need to continually top up.

During a power cut, gas stations might also experience a lack of power. This can be a problem because you can’t use them to collect diesel or petrol. If you’re using an LPG powered generator, though, you’re not affected by this issue.

One of the problems with an LPG generator is that they’re complicated bits of machinery, making them more likely to break down. This is why people might select a diesel, or a petrol generator instead.

People like diesel generators because they’re able to achieve good levels of fuel economy. This makes it cheaper to operate the generator over extended periods of time. Diesel generators are also capable of producing a lot of power, and this makes them ideal for operating power-hungry machines. But if you are looking for some tips on how to save on petrol costs, click here.

One of the main issues with diesel generators is that they produce a lot of toxic fumes. But you’ll find that some of the newer models are a bit ‘cleaner.’ This is worth keeping in mind when looking at some of the diesel generators for sale.

That said, some people really want to avoid the toxic fumes produced by diesel generators, and so they’ll select a petrol model instead. Petrol generators also tend to be quieter than diesel generators, making them ideal if you’re based in a populated location.

Do You Need Someone to Help You Install the Generator?

If you want your generator to work properly, it’s important you ask a professional to install it for you. A professional will ensure the wiring is done in a manner that won’t lead to fires or electrical injuries.

The amount you pay for installation is going to depend on what kind of generator you have. It’s important you don’t try to cut costs, as this could lead to an improper installation, which can result in injury.

Ideally, it would be best if you work out how much it’ll cost to install a generator, before making a purchase. In doing so, you’ll also find it easier to judge how much money you need to ask for if you’re using a business loan to fund this purchase. 

Before you hand over your money to an electrician, check their paperwork.

You need to be sure that they’re registered and officially recognized by the state. You may also want to check they have the correct insurance, in the event that something goes wrong during the installation process.

If you want to take things even further, you may ask them to provide you with some references. 

In doing these background checks, you’ll ensure the generator installation is up to code, thereby keeping everyone safe.

What About Maintenance?

A good maintenance routine will allow you to catch small issues that might lead to big problems down the line.

For instance, issues with the wiring may create an electrical hazard. If the enclosure isn’t robust, it may mean that the internal parts of the generator are affected by water damage. If you don’t fix these issues early on, the issues may become so problematic, that you’ll need to replace the entire generator.

Some companies provide specialist maintenance plan for commercial generators.

With such cover, you can fix the issues affecting your generator, without having to go through the hassle of finding a local contractor. You will also find that the monthly coverage plan works out to be quite cheap when compared to how much a contractor might charge you.

A variety of companies will provide this kind of coverage, so spend some time shopping around. 

When agreeing to such cover, make sure you read the contract carefully, so that you know about the kinds of scenarios that aren’t covered. 

Do You Know How to Find the Best Commercial Generators?

An unexpected power cut can be so detrimental to your business, that you might need to close up shop after the event. But with the help of a commercial generator, you should be able to protect your business if a power outage ever happens.

This post has provided you with some tips on how you can find the best commercial generators for your business. You need to think about whether you want to rent or buy a commercial generator. It would help if you also considered which fuel source best suits your needs.

It’s critical that you spend money on maintaining your generator. If you don’t do this, you may falsely assume that your generator will work when you turn it on. However, when a power outage does strike, you may find yourself with a generator that is unable to keep everything working.

Do you find yourself working too hard on your business? Here are some tips that’ll help you achieve a better work-life balance.