Here’s our comprehensive overview oriented around remote annunciation and generator system alarm indication
Generator systems are incredibly useful throughout a whole variety of different industries and applications, and this is simply because countless homes and businesses need standby backup power in the case of an emergency or prolonged outage.
There are also many scenarios in which a standby generator system will be remotely located and unattended, and a common example of this would be the backup power source for a cell phone tower. Other important generator systems provide backup power to all-important industries like healthcare facilities, and these important generators will routinely go through a planned maintenance program to better ensure that the system is being properly maintained.
Below we’ll be going over everything you need to know concerning remote annunciation associated with generator systems, and why generator system alarm indicators are so important!
What Exactly Is Remote Annunciation?
A remote annunciator panel is a form of system alarm indication found within many standby generators that helps people better understand when something is awry within an engine or generator system. The panel itself will be in the form of LED lights that provide information based upon the condition of certain aspects of a generator.
Some of the typical nodes that a remote annunciator panel will monitor include the following:
- Overcrank shutdown
- High engine temperature warning
- Low oil pressure warning
- Overspeed shutdown
- Emergency stop
- Low coolant temperature
- Low fuel
- And much more…
What’s great about a remote annunciator panel is that a user can access this vital information when they’re away from the actual piece of equipment. This provides an added convenience so that you won’t require an on-site presence to check up on the current condition of your generator.
Advantages Associated With Remote Annunciation
A remote annunciator panel is particularly useful for commercial and residential properties because you’ll be capable of monitoring the operational status of your generator system from a remote location away from your generator’s actual location.
This versatility is possible by either hard-wiring the panel to a control room, or the more common option of utilizing an Ethernet connection that digitally transmits the data to a remote computer or mobile device.
Some of the other advantages associated with remote annunciation include:
- Convenient Generator Location: Most properties can put their standby generator in a location that’s close to a control room or utility input, but when you utilize an annunciator panel it doesn’t necessarily matter as much where your generator is located in terms of efficiently monitoring it.
- Reliability And Efficient Maintenance: If your generator undergoes regular maintenance checkups, then a remote annunciator will be able to provide all of the most important data about your generator’s key components to your network service provider. This then allows a service technician to arrive at your property more prepared because they’ve been effectively forewarned about the issues you’re experiencing.
- Remote Start: Remote start features are particularly convenient when you or a service provider needs to check up on the generator’s operational status, because they’ll be able to receive this vital information digitally.
- Safety And Cost-Effectiveness: It’s always much safer when you can properly identify developing issues within your generator system before they get out of hand, and this also provides more affordable maintenance needs.
- Abiding By NFPA 110: The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 110 code stipulates that generator systems must comply with effective monitoring capabilities. Some of the monitoring functions for NFPA compliance include things like high battery voltage warning, low coolant temperature warning, high engine temperature warning, low oil pressure shutdown and much more.
Operating Options For A Remote Annunciator System
Although the annunciator system itself will be hard wired into the input and output devices of the generator, it will also be connected into either of the following configurations:
- Direct Wire Connection: This will entail the annunciator system being fed into the Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS), as well as the generator set controller. Many times an ATS and generator control room would be inside a facility while the actual generator is outside, and hard wiring is typically only recommended if the distance between your generator annunciator and controller/ATS is under 4,000 feet.
- Ethernet Remote Communication: A more modern approach for remote annunciator systems is to utilize a software program that allows users/technicians to read a generator’s outputs via a computer or mobile device. So this would mean that the annunciator feeds data to the ATS and generator set controller, and the controller then sends this information to the Web through an Ethernet connection.
Reach Out To Garber Electric To Learn More About How A Remote Annunciation System Can Benefit Your Property’s Generator System
Garber Electric has helped countless residential and commercial properties with their standby generator needs, and we’ll be there for you through every step of the process as we implement a state-of-the-art annunciation system that makes keeping track of your generator’s status a lot easier.
Reach out to us online or call us at 937-771-5202 (Dayton office) or 614-212-7900 (Columbus office) to get in touch with our generator specialists and let us know how we can support your property with a remote annunciation system!
