What is a Commercial Generator?

Generators are power supply equipment that generate electrical power from other sources of power, usually gas or diesel. A commercial generator is simply a generator that is designed to fulfill the typical power supply needs of a commercial operation. From a retail store to a data center or a government building to a hospital, commercial generators usually fulfill the task of providing power when the main source of power fails.

When the city’s power grid does down, backup commercial generators step in to provide critical power, sometimes to save lives and other times to allow you to conduct business as usual.

Is a Commercial Generator the Same Thing as a Residential Generator?

Commercial and industrial generators are only similar to residential generators in that they produce power. Generators that are intended for commercial or industrial use are larger, and usually have a different design in order to accommodate that larger size.

For example, these generators produce more power than the generators intended for homes. Therefore, they produce more heat and need more sophisticated systems to safely dissipate that heat. They also have larger engines, higher quality metals, and other components to allow they to better meet commercial and industrial power needs.

In addition, while residential generators are likely to run on gas or propane and need maintenance perhaps twice per year, commercial and industrial generators may run on diesel or may have two fuel sources in order to provide redundancy if one fails. Larger generators need more maintenance. And generators that run on diesel typically need more maintenance than even gaseous generators that produce the same amount of electricity.

Choosing a Commercial Generator

What factors should be most important to you when you are choosing a commercial generator? Here are some things to consider:

• Fuel type: The cost and availability of fuel in your area will dictate which fuel source is most convenient for your backup generator to run on. However, there are other factors, including maintenance and run time.
• Run time: How long may you need to run the generator, and how will you get the fuel for that? It may be better to pick a natural gas generator which can be connected to your natural gas line.
• Noise: Especially in commercial environments, you don’t want to deal with a loud generator. In hospitals, loud noises can impact care levels. In retail environments, noise can dissuade customers. There can also be negative impacts on public buildings, schools, and more.
• Price: Of course, you need a commercial generator that is within your price range. However, sometimes spending a bit more on the right one will save you costs down the line.

Commercial Generator Sales and Service

Leddy Power Systems are power supply experts who offer commercial generator sales and service. We provide service for industrial, off-highway engines as well as for generator systems in commercial settings. That includes diesel generators and gaseous generators. Reach out to us to discuss your needs for your emergency backup system or any other service you need for your commercial generator.