Generator Section
Where can I purchase original spare parts for my generator?
All consumables and original spare parts for Ability Power Limited supplied generators are available from Ability Power Limited service department, please contact: service@abilitypower.co.uk.
When and how should I maintain and check my generator?
Please respect the schedules given in the maintenance manual and user's manual delivered with your generator. Please remember that a number of factors can shorten the intervals described in the schedules, such as: Startup frequency, operational time, load level, quality of lubricants and fuel used, ambient temperature, environmental conditions, etc. Responsibility for correct maintenance including replacement of the consumables (lubricant, filters, V-belts, antifreeze, injectors, etc.) remains with the user.
It is recommended that general checks, adjustment and testing are carried out every 2 or 3 months.
General maintenance, when lubricants and filters are replaced must be carried out once every 12 months, even if the operational hours are less than the hours indicated in the maintenance schedule.
The generator should be run under load for 10 to 15 minutes once a week, to ensure the generator will function correctly when required.
For more information concerning maintenance services available please contact: service@abilitypower.co.uk
What if I run my diesel generator under low load?
Running a diesel generator on low load levels can result in the same engine service life reduction that may occur when running the generator at levels above the capacity rating indicated on the rating plate. Large capacity generators are affected more than smaller capacity generators.
The recommended minimum load level for a standby generator set is 30% of its total rating.
The following problems may occur if a generator runs without load or under low load:
- The exhaust and air suction system may suffer lubricant and/or fluid leaks
- Carbon deposits can accumulate on its cylinder liners or exhaust manifold
- Parts of the engine may be damaged due to excessive wear
- The engine lubricant may get thinned therefore decreasing the lubrication quality
- White smoke may be emitted from the exhaust
What is the standard generator warranty?
All Ability Power Limted products are warrantied against part and manufacturing failures. Please review the documents delivered with your product or contact sales@abilitypower.co.uk for additional warranty information.
What is RPM (Revolutions per Minute)?
RPM refers to the number of revolutions of the generator/alternator. The normal RPM rates are 1,500 or 3,000 for engines and alternators at 50Hz, and 1,800 or 3,600 RPM for 60Hz.
What will happen if I overload my generator?
Generators are rated as standby, prime or continuous. The type is indicated on the generator set's rating plate. If a generator is used above its rating plate the following problems might happen:
- The engine may overheat and shutdown on over temperature
- Excessive wearing of the engine will increase
- Alternator windings may overheat and cause premature failures
- The engine's lubricant will thin and the oil pressure may decrease
- The service life of the engine may shorten
Will my generator emit a noise?
The engine, alternator and all other moving parts emit a noise, the silencer reduces the noise level to 65dbA @ 1M. Open sets installed on baseframes have no noise reduction apart from the silencer. Generator sets installed in weatherproof acoustic canopies reduce the noise emission of the generator set to meet European noise levels.
How can I calculate the generator capacity I need?
Calculation of the generator capacity required is determined by a number of factors such as the operational requirement, the load types and operational ambient conditions.
For sizing assistance please contact sales@abilitypower.co.uk
What main components are used in the manufacture of a generator?
Generators are maunfactured using the following components.
- Diesel or Gas Engine
- Alternator
- Radiator
- Chassis – base frame with day fuel tank
- Battery
- Control panel
- Transfer panel (for Automatic operation)
How do I select the correct site to install a generator?
Selection of a site for your generator installation can influence the service life of the generator. Ability Power Limited can assist in this process, please contact sales@abilitypower.co.uk
- Selection of a site: If the generator is to be installed in a building it is important to ensure correct ventilation and exhaust pipes are installed to take the exhaust fumes away from work areas. If the generator is to be located outdoors, a weatherproof canopy will be requires.
- Floor base: The base whether indoors or outdoors must be level and smooth to ensure the generator runs true and to prevent accumulation of water.
- Ventilation: Heat emitted by the alternator, engine and radiator of a generator is removed from the generator by a fan installed between the engine and the radiator, therefore the generator must be installed in a well-ventilated room or area. Such room or area must get fresh air.
- Fuel system: The generator fuel tank needs to be accessible for filling and topping up.
- Exhaust system: Noise and emissions by the exhaust system of the engine must be reduced and released to atmosphere away from working areasin a safe way.
- Electrical system: All electrical connections must be made in accordance with the drawings delivered with the generator set and the general applicable rules.
What do the terms standby, prime and continuous refer to?
These terms define the category in which a generator will run. The terms are defined by the ISO 8528 standard. All engine and alternator manufacturers comply with this standard.
- Standby power: Power generation for a limited period under variable load. It can work 200 hours a year under 70% load on average. It is used as standby power supply in case of power failure. It must not be overloaded.
- Prime power: Continuous power generation under variable load. Its average load must be 70%. It can be overloaded by 10% for 1 hour every 12 hours.
- Continuous power: Continuous power generation under fixed load. Load can be 100% on average. It must not be overloaded.
What if a generator is used for a purpose other than the standby/prime/continuous categories?
Depending on load levels the generator could be overloaded or underloaded; because of this the expected service life will be shortened, the operational efficiency could decrease and in the worst of cases the engine/alternator could be damaged.
You should ensure your generator is used within the category indicated on the rating plate. Operational misuse could affect any warranty claim.
How long will my generator run on a full fuel tank?
Fuel consumption of a generator depends on the load level. The standard Ability Power Limited supplied diesel generator fuel tanks allow the generator to run for at least 8 hours under full load. The lower the load, the longer the operation time.
What should I do if I do not need to use the generator for a long time?
Storage is very important for the service life of generators and should be performed by authorised engineers. After storage for a long time, the generator must be prepared for operation by an authorised engineer. This is especially important if the generator is within the warranty period.
For more information or assistance, please contact service@abilitypower.co.uk
UPS Section
What is a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)?
A UPS is a piece of electrical equipment which is installed between the mains power supply and the critical load. The UPS will supply the load with AC power free of disturbances and within strict amplitude and frequency tolerances. The main components of a UPS are a rectifier/charger and an inverter plus an internal or external battery for backup power in the event of a mains failure.
What UPS topologies are available?
There are three major UPS topologies which give differing levels of power protection for computers and other sensitive electronic equipment, these are Off-Line UPS, Line-Interactive UPS and True On-Line UPS.
Users who do not require the highest possible power availability to the critical load have the option of off-line or line-interactive UPS devices.
What are the differences in UPS topologies?
Off-line UPS (standby)
This type of UPS does not supply the load through the battery and/or inverter until the utility supply fails. When the utility supply fails the load is transferred via a switch to an inverter, the inverter then starts and runs the load. The action of the transfer will cause a transfer time delay after the command to switch which is usually less than a half cycle or eight milliseconds @ 60Hz and 10 milliseconds @50 Hz. The time from utility supply failure to end of the transfer time is usually acceptable for most electrical loads. Off-line, also called standby, is a cost-effective choice for small, non-critical stand-alone applications, for example, isolated PCs and peripherals.
Line-Interactive UPS
Line-interactive UPS use a bi-directional inverter to run the load and charge the battery. The inverter "interacts" with the utility supply to maintain nominal output voltage to the load. This interaction with the utility supply improves the overall UPS performance over that of the off-line products. Line-interactive UPS devices offer protection against wide input voltage swings, sustained brownout and single-phase conditions. For many users the line-interactive UPS is a very good level of protection.
True on-line UPS
True on-line UPS inverters supply the load with regulated voltage and frequency at all times and the battery is continuously connected to the inverter, therefore eliminating any breaks in supply to the load. The performance of this type of UPS has a number of benefits which are advantageous for mission-critical applications. These benefits include:
- Improved battery life when compared to off-line or line-interactive
- Supply/load isolation, resulting in stable output voltage
- Increased reliability with simpler controls
- Continuous load supply
- No switching required for battery operation
- Wide input voltage range which optimizes battery life and potentially reduces battery costs by up to 75%
The decision on which UPS topology – off-line, line-interactive, on-line and hybrids – to use is a question of which is appropriate for a given application. A true on-line UPS would be used for truly mission-critical loads, or applications which require continuity. When high reliability of electric service is required, switching between alternate energy sources is not acceptable.
What is Backup Time (Autonomy)?
This is the time that the internal or external battery of the UPS can sustain the critical load during a utility supply failure. The back up time is dependant on the battery size and efficiency of the UPS.
What back up times are available?
The typical back up times are normally between 5 minutes and 30 minutes, although depending on the UPS selected these times can be extended to several hours.
What are Harmonics (current and voltage)?
All alternating current which is not absolutely sinusoidal is made up of a fundamental and a certain number of current harmonics which are the cause of its deformation (distortion) when compared to the theoretical sine-wave.
What is MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures)?
Calculation of the duration of normal operation of a repairable device between failures. The product, expressed in hours, is an indication on the reliability of the device.
What is MTTF (Mean Time To Failure)?
Calculation of the duration of normal operation of a non-reparable device, i.e. for which a MTBF is not possible. The product, expressed in hours, is an indication on the reliability of the device.
What is MTTR (Mean Time To Repair)?
Calculation of the time required to repair a device.
What is Eco-Mode?
The Eco-Mode is a cost-effective operation of a UPS system, when selected the load is supplied by the utility supply. If the utility supply fails, the inverter takes over and provides supply continuity to the load.
What are the advantages of IGBT rectifier UPS?
DSP controlled power factor corrected IGBT rectifiers provide higher input power factor, lower input current total harmonic distortion, wide input voltage and frequency tolerance. An Ability Power UPS using this system provides ≥0.99 input power factor PFi, and ≤ 5% input current total harmonic distortion THDi.
High power factor reduces reactive power and therefore reduces electrical consumption and reduces cable sizes, associated switchgear, transformer and generator sizing requirements.
Low input current THDi eliminates disturbances to other loads connected upstream the power distribution bus and interference reflected back into the utility supply.
What are the advantages of Intelligent Battery Charging?
The battery of a UPS is a very important component of the UPS system. Ability Power UPS use technology to maximize the battery life. Intelligent battery charging provides:
- Charging voltage control according to temperature
- Protection against deep discharge
- Protection against over current
- Very low residual, ripple voltage
- Battery test with indication of battery condition
