Property Management

September 9, 2024 Published by Toronto and Area Chapter - By Jeff Rae

CSA Code 282 Backup Power Checklist

From the Summer 2024 issue of CCI Toronto Condovoice Magazine.

Generators are costly investments and following a proper maintenance schedule is essential to ensuring they will perform when needed

Property Management Professionals must be prepared for power outages as frequency of these outages are increasingly due to climate change. The facilities you manage need to maintain operations and prevent potential losses that can result from these power outages.

You must not assume that your generator will start up as required, making it imperative that you identify and remedy any concerns through the maintenance schedule provided in the CSA 282 code. This code provides a guideline for scheduled maintenance to avoid failure of your generator system. The benefits are: 1) it will keep your generator running as per manufacturer specifications, 2) assist in mitigating costly future breakdowns and 3) extend the life span of your unit.

The CSA 282 Code states that guidelines must be followed to ensure, to a reasonable degree, that your generator is capable of supplying service within the time specified. A routine maintenance and operational testing program shall be initiated immediately after the generator has been commissioned or after completion of repairs that impact the reliability of the system.

The C282 contains requirements for design, testing and performing maintenance on Emergency Power Supply Systems. Planned maintenance is a critical part of any backup power system. Regular verification that an installed system is functional is necessary to protect people and ensure that standby power will be available when called upon at a loss of primary power.

The code requires that the manufacturer’s maintenance recommendations be followed, along with the instruction manuals, combined with scheduled inspections and testing which are the basis for maintaining the dependability of your generator. The continued reliability of the generator is dependent on an established program of routine maintenance and operational testing.

The important generator components requiring maintenance are:

• Fuel System- leaks and blockages can cause a fire hazard. 
• Engine- the engine utilizes fuel in a combustive manner to create the mechanical energy required in the conversion to electricity. 
• Battery- this key component needs to have a full charge to start the unit up when required. •
• Alternator- likely the most vital component as it transforms mechanical energy to electrical energy.
• Regulator- this component manages the proper output of the generator.
• Cooling System- proper ventilation and exhaust is required to prevent an overheating concern.
• Lubrication- various lubricants are required to ensure continued running of the unit.
• Transfer switch – Critical component in the emergency power system that also requires inspection and maintenance.

The CSA Code 282 maintenance schedule for your generator is strategically important in the prevention of failure during power outages and emergency situations. The weekly and monthly maintenance maybe performed by a property manager while the semi-annual inspection as well as the annual inspection and load bank test must be performed by a qualified technician. All scheduled inspections and work must be recorded in a logbook that should be kept in a safe and accessible place near the unit.

Weekly Inspection:

• Consumables: Inspect fuel level and pressure / inspect oil level / Inspect engine coolant / Look for leaks / look for fuel contamination.
• Starter System: Inspect terminal security / Inspect air tank pressure / look for leakage / Bleed off condensation.
• Batteries: Inspect connections / inspect cleanliness of battery
• Engine: Test lubricant / Inspect governor / Inspect oil sump / Inspect fan belt
• Control Panel: ensure panel secure / test annunciator lamps / Review settings / test remote trouble signals.
• Various: inspect louvres / test emergency lighting / confirm room temperature is above 10C & cleanliness of room / Correct and record any defects.

Monthly Inspection:

• Complete all aspects of weekly inspection.
• Simulate failure of normal electrical supply / Verify battery charge output / Operate the system at 40% for 60 mins / Operate transfer switches under load / Look for brush operation sparking / Inspect for correct operation of all auxiliary equipment / drain exhaust system condensate trap.
• Inspect block heater hoses and wires.
• Inspect battery cells fill level and correct electrolyte -specific gravity.
• Correct all defects and record tests and corrective actions.

Semi-Annual Maintenance:

• Complete all items in weekly and monthly tests.
• Inspect and clean engine crank case and breathers / inspect and clean all engine linkages / Lube the governor and ventilations systems / test protective devices for proper operation.
• Before startup, perform 2 cranking cycles and measure the lowest battery voltage level.
• Inspect vent belts.
• Correct all defects and record inspections and tests.

Annual Maintenance:

• Complete all weekly / Monthly and semi testing.
• Control Panel: inspect all connections / test breakers / clean insulators / test voltage regulator / operate all moving parts / clean and dress contacts / check gauge calibration.
• Engine: change oil and filters / test coolant / change fuel filters / clean and lube linkages / Inspect air filters, mechanical & electrical connections / Inspect heat exchanger / Inspect belts and hoses / test ignition system / inspect coolant.
• Fuel tanks: drain and refill with fresh fuel. 
• Generator: test for surge / grease bearings / clean commutator / clean rotor and stator / inspect coupling bolts / Inspect conduits / inspect windings and connections.
• Overcurrent Protection: isolate protective devices / remove dust / test operation.
• Transfer switches: Isolate covers and inspect connections / operate all moving parts / clean and dress / clean and lube linkages.
• Infrared Thermal Imaging: perform thermal testing under normal power supply / at the end of load test perform thermal imaging of all components / correct components that displayed unacceptable high temps.
• Lube door locks / conduct 2-hour load test / correct all defects record all tests and corrective actions.

This work must be logged to maintain the history of your generator’s maintenance. Some suppliers can provide you with a service and maintenance log book to properly maintain records and history of your generator maintenance. Your logbook records will also assist you with any warranty issues that may occur.

With and through proper maintenance of your generator you can expect a prolonged lifespan, often exceeding component availability. Generators are a costly investment making proper maintenance key to managing your facilities’ operational budgets. As with your personal vehicle, not following a maintenance schedule will result in expensive repairs or even catastrophic failure. It is imperative that you have a working partnership with a certified maintenance company thus ensuring you are both CSA 282 Code complaint as well as extending the life of your unit.

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Jeff Rae
Service, Sales Manager Genrep