A diesel generator inspection tells you whether your standby power will start, transfer and carry the load when the utility fails. We inspect the engine, generator, fuel system, transfer equipment and records, and give you a clear list of what needs attention.
Standby generators spend almost all their lives waiting. That is exactly why they fail: batteries weaken, fuel degrades, block heaters stop working, and weekly test runs at light load leave deposits in the engine. In many buildings the generator also feeds life safety loads such as emergency lighting, fire pumps and elevators, so a failure during an outage is more than an inconvenience.
When the utility fails, the transfer switch senses the loss of normal power and signals the generator to start. The engine has to crank on its batteries, reach speed and voltage, and then the transfer switch moves the life safety loads onto it. Every link in that chain has to work on the day, and the failures we see most often are in the parts that sit idle between tests: batteries, block heaters and stored fuel.
What we look at
- Engine: fluid levels and leaks, belts and hoses, cooling system and radiator, block heater, air intake and exhaust, including signs of wet stacking.
- Starting system: batteries, charger, cables and connections.
- Generator and controls: alternator condition, control panel alarms and settings, and the event history the controller has logged.
- Fuel system: day tank and main tank, fuel condition, water and sediment, venting, containment, leak detection and fuel polishing arrangements.
- Automatic transfer switches: condition, settings, exercise schedule and test records.
- Installation: enclosure or room, ventilation, clearances, vibration isolation and exhaust routing.
- Records: weekly and monthly test logs, load bank test reports, service history and fuel analysis results.
Emergency power requirements. Generators that serve life safety loads are subject to building and fire code requirements, typically referencing CSA C282, for installation, testing and record keeping. Fuel tanks may also be regulated under provincial fire codes and environmental rules. Our inspection does not replace mandated testing or authority inspections. We assess condition independently, review your test records against those requirements and help you close any gaps.
How it works
- We start with why. A failed test, an insurance question, a building purchase, a new critical load or simply no confidence in the unit all lead to different priorities.
- Record review. We review test logs, service reports, load bank results and fuel records.
- Site inspection. We inspect the generator, fuel system and transfer equipment, and observe a test run with your service contractor where it can be arranged.
- Findings and priorities. We rank issues by how likely they are to stop the generator from starting or carrying load.
- Report and follow-up. You get a written report and a walkthrough, and we can coordinate repairs, load bank testing or fuel work.
What to have ready
- Generator and transfer switch nameplate data, or access to read them.
- Weekly and monthly run logs for at least the last year, and the most recent annual and load test reports.
- The service contract and the last few service reports, including battery and coolant checks.
- Fuel delivery records and any fuel analysis or polishing reports.
- A list of what the generator is meant to carry, and any loads added since it was installed.
- Contact details for your generator service contractor if a test run is to be observed.
What you get
A written report on the generator system's condition, with photos and a ranked list of deficiencies. It notes whether your testing and record keeping appear to match what the codes expect for your type of installation, and what to change if not. It also flags fuel quality concerns and whether a fuel test or polishing should be scheduled.
Where repairs are needed, the report describes them clearly enough for your generator service contractor to price, and we can review those quotes against the findings.
A typical case
A residential tower's generator has passed its weekly run for years. During a short utility outage it starts, but the emergency lighting flickers and the fire pump controller alarms, and the unit shuts down on a fault after a few minutes.
An inspection after an event like this looks at the whole chain, not just the engine. The controller's event log shows what the generator saw before it stopped. The run logs often show that every weekly test was a short, unloaded run, so the engine has never been asked to carry the building. Exhaust staining and oily residue can point to wet stacking from years of light-load running. The fuel may be years old with water at the bottom of the tank, and the transfer switch may never have been tested under real transfer conditions.
The report would rank these by their effect on the next outage: fuel condition and the cause of the shutdown first, then a load test to prove the unit can carry its loads, then changes to the test program so that future runs show more than whether the engine starts.
Who it's for
- Facility managers responsible for emergency and standby power.
- Owners of high-rise residential, healthcare, seniors' housing and commercial buildings with life safety loads.
- Data centre and telecom operators whose uptime depends on backup power.
- Buyers doing due diligence on a building with a standby generator.
Our guides on standby generator maintenance, load bank testing, diesel fuel quality and storage and automatic transfer switches explain the details.
Common questions
Our generator runs every week. Is that enough?
Weekly runs confirm that the engine starts, but running at light load for short periods does not prove it can carry the building. Periodic testing under load, either with the building or a load bank, is usually part of a proper program.
How do we know if our diesel fuel is still good?
Fuel condition is checked by sampling and analysis. Water, microbial growth and sediment are common in tanks that are rarely turned over. We review your fuel records and recommend testing where it is due.
Do you service generators?
No. We inspect independently and work alongside your generator service contractor, which keeps our findings separate from any interest in selling service.
Can you watch our annual test or load bank test?
Yes. Observing a scheduled test with your service contractor is often the most efficient way to see the system working, and we can review the results against the findings of the inspection.