What Happens on a GES Power Site Survey?

A lot of generator quotes are based on a phone conversation and a guess. That is how sites end up with the wrong kVA, a poorly placed ATS, or a machine that cannot be maintained properly.

At GES Power a site survey is the starting point for most installations. It is how we turn “we think we need a generator” into a proper specification, a realistic price and a system that will actually work on the day.

Here is what happens when we visit.

1. Understanding How the Site Really Uses Power

We do not just ask for a board rating and leave it at that.

We look at:

• What must stay on during a mains failure

• What can be shed

• Starting currents on motors, compressors and refrigeration

• How the load changes through the day

• Any planned expansion

This is the difference between a generator that looks big enough on paper and one that will carry the real load without struggling.

2. Load Assessment

Where possible we review existing electrical information, distribution boards and running loads. On some sites we will recommend or carry out more detailed load profiling.

The aim is simple: size the generator correctly. Too small and it will not cope. Too large and you pay more to buy, install and run it than you need to.

3. Cable Routes and Connection Points

A generator is only as good as the way it is connected.

We look at:

• Where the incoming mains arrives

• Where the generator will sit

• Practical cable routes between generator, ATS and load

• Cable sizes, containment and protection

• How the installation can be done with minimum disruption

This is often where cheaper “supply only” quotes fall down. The machine is priced, but the real installation work has not been thought through.

4. ATS Location and Panel Design

The automatic transfer switch is the heart of the system. Putting it in the wrong place, or specifying the wrong type, creates problems later.

On survey we consider:

• Space, access and working clearances

• Whether a contactor panel, motorised changeover or BS 8519 bypass ATS is appropriate

• How the panel will be maintained

• Segregation, shrouding and safe isolation

• Control wiring back to the generator

If the site needs to keep critical plant available during maintenance, that is identified at this stage – not after the panel has been built.

5. Noise, Access and Practical Constraints

Generators have to live in the real world.

We check:

• Access for delivery and offloading

• Ground conditions and plinth requirements

• Exhaust route and flue position

• Noise limits and neighbours

• Fuel storage and filling

• Service access around the set

• Flood risk, ventilation and weather protection

A perfect electrical design is useless if the unit cannot be delivered, serviced or run without upsetting the site.

6. What You Get Afterwards

After the survey you should not be left with a vague “from” price and a lot of assumptions.

You get:

• A clear recommendation on generator size and type

• Advice on the right ATS arrangement

• An understanding of installation scope

• A quotation based on the actual site, not a catalogue guess

• Options where they exist – for example different ratings, canopies or panel specifications

If we do not think a generator is the right answer, we will say so.

Why the Survey Matters

Most of the problems we are called to later – nuisance tripping, undersized sets, unsafe panels, machines that cannot be serviced – started with a poor or non-existent survey.

Doing this properly at the beginning costs a little time. Getting it wrong costs a lot more once the concrete is poured and the cables are in.

If you are considering a standby generator, an ATS upgrade or a review of an existing system, a site survey is the most useful first step.

Arrange a survey with GES PowerCall 01246 380525Email hello@generator-man.co.uk

GES Power Ltd – Specified properly, installed properly, supported properly.