nanog mailing list archives

Re: Emergency power generators


From: Joe Greco <jgreco () ns sol net>
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:17:56 -0600 (CST)

On Thu, 21 Jan 2010, Mike wrote:

site owners a solution to test and verify generator operation. Does anyone 
have any pointers to possible solutions or vendor white papers I could look 
at? We probably want to verify start, read voltage to verify output, and 
maybe even gauge fuel in the tanks if thats possible.

Start with the generator owner's manual.  You'd be amazed at what helpful 
maintenance suggestions can be found there.  Sometimes they're even 
online... :)

Seriously, "talk to your vendor."  You can frequently get gear with 
remote reporting, some of it will do dry contact or even talk RS232.
If you can not, a lot of it can be measured anyways.

If your gear doesn't "support" it, talk to generator service guys who 
are well-thought-of in your area.  I'd place good odds that they'll be
happy to outfit you with a computer-readable fuel level indicator, 
oil pressure, remote test, etc., etc., though they may be smiling their
way to the bank and thanking you for all the custom work.

... JG
-- 
Joe Greco - sol.net Network Services - Milwaukee, WI - http://www.sol.net
"We call it the 'one bite at the apple' rule. Give me one chance [and] then I
won't contact you again." - Direct Marketing Ass'n position on e-mail spam(CNN)
With 24 million small businesses in the US alone, that's way too many apples.


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