To achieve the promise of a totally autonomous environment for computer equipment, power must be fed to the building in the event of a failure from the electrical supplier.  UPS systems alone cannot provide a sustained level of protection, and will only provide short term support until their batteries are exhausted. 

The generator is a diesel powered system able to supply enough power to cover the entire site, all the heavy duty air conditioning, recharge the UPS batteries and have an additional 50% margin.  With a full tank of fuel, the generator can support the entire site for up to 24 hours when fully loaded and much longer when loaded less. In addition, the generator system can be refueled whilst running, giving the ability to run indefinitely without power from the electrical company.

The generator system is controlled by the AMF panel and will deliver 3 phase, full load electrical power within 30 seconds of a mains failure. Generator startup is automatic and involves no human intervention.  The generator itself is presented with a control panel that enables engineers to easily identify faults or problems, monitor generator status (such as oil pressure, engine temperature, fuel level, RPM, amps, etc.) and control the operation of the generator.  

A routine test procedure is run every 7-10 days on the generator system by running it up to maximum system load for 30-60 minutes.  This regime of testing ensures that the backup systems are in working order should they ever be called upon.  If a fault is detected during the testing period, our engineers can quickly revert back to mains power without any affect on the computing facility.

As the generator engine is specifically designed to operate in all conditions, certain modifications are made by the manufacturer.  In particular, the generator continually circulates warm water around the engine to prevent freezing and to also improve startup times.