Many event organisers and wedding clients ask the same question, do I need a backup generator and how much will a backup generator cost ?
Our picture above shows main hire generator 100Kva DCA-125USEI with a back up 100Kva DCA-125ESEI. Our client was a Blue Chip international hotelier hosting an event in Hampshire for worldwide GMs flown in from world locations. Naturally the standby backup wasn’t needed.
The answer to the question is not as simple as a straight yes or no. I will explain our view and you can make your decision based on my experience of 18 years in the generator hire business without a single failure during all the events we have attended across the UK.
Most of our competitors would like to be in our position of zero failures. The information herein are Trade Secrets which has put our generator hire Company number one for reliability.
Trade Secret No. 1. The majority of generator hire clients make the mistake of looking for the cheapest price. The cheapest generator hire price is going to be the most risky in terms of failure.
Trade Secret No. 2. The trade jargon Silent Generator, Super Silent Generator, Ultra Silent Generator, Whisper Quiet Generator are mostly misleading. A silent generator is a noisy generator, more so designed for running cement mixers on building sites, belching out smoke and fumes from dirty fuel and worn out engines and contaminated fuel systems. Super Silent generators are silent generators that have been fitted inside acoustic canopies, normally an old technology diesel engine, puffs smoke and drinks fuel. Ultra-Silent generators are high tech diesel engines with control panels running software options that reduce fuel consumption, noise and exhaust emissions. Whisper Quiet generators are upgraded Ultra Silent units running on high grade fuel with additives to reduce emissions and noise.
Trade Secret No. 3. Most people and many generator hire companies have never heard of Diesel Bug, those that have probably heard after their generator failed on an event.
Trade Secret No. 4. Events that run on temporary event power by guessing the generator size do so with a high risk of failure or air pollution throughout the event. There are calculations that have to be made based on information passed on by the event organiser to the event power company. Only when that information has been disclosed can the event power provider size the correct generator and plan the distribution cables and boxes.
Trade Secret No. 5. Backup generators are useless if a catering appliance or electrical device malfunctions and trips out the main generator earth leakage relay. Likewise if a cable junction becomes submerged in a puddle causing a trip situation, a standby generator won’t help you. The main reason temporary power companies promote standby generator is to mitigate a mechanical failure from a badly maintained or old generator….and you’re paying extra for that privilege.
Trade Secret No. 6. The cheapest generator quote is unlikely to have an engineer on-call that can attend to an enquiry or breakdown within a few seconds or minutes. We take all events very seriously we have had an engineer on instant call out 7 days a week for 18 years, that’s peace of mind.
Trade Secret No. 7. The majority of tripping faults within a temporary power solution is either badly maintained or damaged catering appliances or extension leads supplied by event providers. Internet or DIY extension leads are of a low quality not designed to provide high current demands, they melt if used still wound on their reel or the thermal trip cuts the power supply if fitted.
As you can see a reliable event power supply isn’t always about being the cheapest. If you had the choice of flying long haul with Dan Airways who have had several crash landings in the past two years or British Airways which one would you book with ?