How Old is Your Backup Generator?

Like all major equipment, backup generators and electrical infrastructure have a limited, reliable lifespan. From the moment these systems are installed on your site, the clock starts ticking. Following the proper maintenance procedures and schedules helps ensure that your generator performs for the longest possible time. Even still, how long is that lifespan? 

The best maintained commercial backup generators can generally be used reliably for 15-20 years. After that, reliability can become a concern.  

Twenty years is possible, but are you even certain that your generator has been maintained properly? Are you testing, as recommended? Who is responsible for ensuring your backup system starts in the event of an unexpected loss of power?  

If you wait for an outage to know the answers to those questions, it could be too late. Get to know the status of your generator system today.  

What factors influence commercial generator lifespan? 

While 20 years is generally the cap on reliable life, many backup generator systems tend to begin showing signs of diminishing performance around 15 years. There are a number of factors that affect how long your generator may service your facility. This begins with the build-quality and manufacturer of your system. A generator from a higher-end manufacturer generally will perform as expected for the maximum amount of time. In addition, operating the system at the correct load reduces unnecessary wear on a backup power system and improves lifespan.  

Environmental factors can also have a significant effect on the longevity of a backup generator. Lifespans can vary significantly depending on the exposure to weather conditions and external elements. While the climate and generator system location are considered upon installation, it’s important that generators are kept in a clean, temperature-controlled environment whenever possible to extend useful life. Harsh weather conditions and exposure to debris can produce adverse effects.  

Climate and external conditions also influence the most critical factor related to a generator system lifespan — maintenance.  

The quality and consistency of maintenance is the most important element in reaching the maximum reliable lifespan for your generator and electrical infrastructure. Maintenance tasks like load testing, oil and fluid changes, fuel system checks and more are crucial to maintaining generator system performance. How often each task is performed is dependent on factors like operating conditions, a business’ industry, environmental regulations and more. For example, battery replacements may be needed more frequently in a healthcare setting than in manufacturing. Fluid testing and flushing may be completed more often in one climate or another. 

Who performs routine maintenance also varies by generator system. Some businesses execute contracts with generator manufacturers or third-party vendors to keep up with routine maintenance and repairs. The frequency and thoroughness of the service provided varies based on the contract terms. For anyone without a service contract, however, this maintenance will need to be completed in-house and can feel daunting for anyone without extensive experience servicing these complex systems. 

Recommend Maintenance 

While there is a great deal of variance in the cadence of backup power system maintenance tasks, generally your recommended maintenance schedule should look something like this.  

Weekly 

• Perform visual inspection of generator system 
• Check your oil, coolant and fuel levels 
• Check heater operation  
• Check battery for proper charge level and any signs of corrosion 
• Run a brief test  

Monthly

• Check control panels 
• Inspect belts, hoses and connections 
• Exercise generator under load 

Quarterly 

• Test oil, coolant and other fluids for proper condition 
  • Flush and refill, if necessary after testing 
• Test automatic transfer switch (ATS) under load 

Annually

• Clean air filter
  • Replace, if necessary
• Change fuel filter 
• Check belts and hoses for signs of aging or abnormal wear 
  • Replace, if needed 
• Complete emissions check and regulatory compliance testing 
• Make any needed software and firmware updates 
• Run full load bank test 

Brief weekly and monthly checks ensure that your generator system is properly maintained, and any troubling signs are identified long before a system failure occurs. In addition, your system should go through three quarterly inspections and one extensive annual inspection.  

Ultimately, the most important maintenance action is exercising your generator with load. Testing the system with load allows you to identify any potential problems and address them proactively. If you follow the proper maintenance procedures and routinely test your backup power system with load, you help extend the life of your generator and help mitigate any risk that your system may not fire up in the event of unexpected power outage. 

How do I know it’s time to replace my generator and electrical infrastructure?

Even if your generator system has been maintained and serviced according to best practices, there will be signs that your energy infrastructure may be reaching the end of its reliable life. Especially as a generator reaches 15 years of service, breakdowns and repairs may be needed more frequently. Visible signs of wear like rusting, corrosion and fluid leaks are clear indications that your generator may be reaching its end. Even when it’s not visible, if you are constantly identifying major repairs needed during routine testing, it may be more cost-effective to replace your existing system with something new.  

Testing may also reveal inconsistent performance of your system. If your generator is slow or fails to start, voltage output fluctuates or trouble handling full load is demonstrated; it is likely in the best interest of your facility to replace it. In addition to performance inconsistencies, more fuel or oil burning than usual may indicate excessive engine wear, leaks or diminishing reliability. All these are reasons to begin investigating if replacing your backup power system should be a priority.  

Any problems meeting safety, compliance or emissions standards can also mean it’s time to look into replacing your backup generator. If your generator poses any safety threat due to leaks, failing parts or more, replacing that older system should be a priority. Compliance and emissions standards can be more complex. In some cases, older generators that do not meet current emissions or compliance standards may be grandfathered in. However, if the system needs major repairs, needs to be moved or poses a safety risk to your staff, that acceptable status for standards may no longer apply and a new system may become a requirement. 

Taking these signs of diminishing reliability seriously means you can avoid the most catastrophic sign your generator and electrical infrastructure need replacing — failure to start in an emergency. If your backup power system fails to start, error codes should indicate why that failure occurred. If that code indicates anything beyond routine issues like battery troubles or low fluid levels, it’s a definite indication that your system is nearing end of life. This further highlights the importance of routine testing.  

It’s time to replace my backup generator system. What do I do now? 

You may now realize your backup generator is showing signs of advanced age and declining performance, what do you do now? That’s where Duke Energy One Energy Services comes in.  

 Duke Energy One’s Energy Services team has been improving energy strategy for large commercial and industrial customers for over 25 years. Our expertise, contracting flexibility and variable risk sharing allow our clients to improve their mechanical and electrical infrastructure while delivering better business outcomes.    

Your aging backup generator and electrical infrastructure pose a risk to your operations, your staff and your clients. Allow us to design a custom energy solution that fits your specific organizational needs and takes the risks and costs of a new backup energy system out of your hands. Duke Energy One specializes in energy infrastructure as a service solutions. This means we design, install, own, operate and maintain your power solution, and our innovative approach to financing frees your capital while providing cost predictability. 

Ready to address the aging energy infrastructure on your site? There’s no better time than now. Contact us to ease your mind and ensure your operations can continue regardless of unplanned outages.