If you’ve made the decision to protect your business with backup power in the form of permanently installed industrial generators, the next step is to figure out where to place the genset. Industrial diesel generators are large,  machines. They need to be easily accessible to the fuel source and to maintenance personnel and they need to be wired to the facility’s electrical system. These are just a few of the factors that will influence where you install your new generator.

Permanently installed industrial  generators are complete gensets housed inside an enclosure that is located outside of your facility. They require more site planning and prep work than portable generators, which are smaller and not intended to remain in one spot for an extended period of time.

To help you work through the site planning process, we've assembled a few tips that can make the job easier and the end result more effective for your business.

1. What are the manufacturer guidelines? Start your site planning by taking a look at the manufacturer’s recommended installation guidelines. You should always follow these guidelines to avoid negating any warranty that may still exist on used industrial generators and to ensure proper operation. 
2. What are the government guidelines? Check the local, state, and federal guidelines regarding generator installation. If you don’t know what the guidelines are, contact an electrician or the city building department for guidance.
3. Sizing considerations. Create a rough estimate of your space needs by calculating the physical size of the generator, the weight of generator with full fuel tanks, and your backup fuel supply tank size.
4.  Take into account clearance needs. Once you have the general size needs figured out, expand it even further to ensure you have enough clearance for maintenance, fueling, etc. 
5. Fencing considerations. Permanent outside generators can benefit from security fencing to keep unauthorized personnel away from the unit. 
6. Fuel and electrical considerations. You will need to decide if you will have buried or above ground fuel tanks and electrical connections.
7. Concrete pads. You will have to lay down a concrete pad for your generator and you’ll have to anchor the generator to the pad. This keeps the unit level and secures it to minimize vibration. 
8. At this point you are ready to coordinate your install with your electrician.