Most generator failures begin at the design stage. Not because the equipment is poor, but because the load calculation was wrong. Here is what doing it properly actually involves.
Theoretical load calculations are based on nameplate data and standard assumptions. Real sites do not behave like theoretical models. Motors start under varying conditions. Loads switch on and off in unpredictable sequences. Harmonic-generating equipment distorts the supply in ways that standard calculations do not capture.
The gap between a theoretical calculation and a real-world load profile is where undersized generators live.
EA Power Systems conducts physical load surveys using power quality analysers that measure actual current, voltage, power factor, and harmonic content at your distribution boards. This gives us a real picture of your site's demand profile, not a theoretical one.
We measure peak demand, average demand, and the transient spikes that occur during motor starting and load switching. We identify harmonic-generating equipment and calculate its effect on generator capacity. We model load sequencing to understand how demand builds during a power transfer event.
A generator specified on a proper load survey will start reliably, run efficiently, and last the full design life of the equipment. One specified on a rough estimate may start reliably for years and then fail at the worst possible moment, when a new piece of equipment tips the load over the generator's actual capacity.
