Whether your operation depends on commercial industrial generators or marine diesel generators, you’re constantly gauging whether or not your current equipment can meet your growing needs. At any time during your evaluation process, generator set manufacturers are quick to tell you why you need to upgrade your equipment today, not tomorrow.
Before you make the big decision to purchase a brand-new generator set, consider these three truths that generator set manufacturers aren’t always forthcoming in delivering to customers:
1. You May Only Need New Parts
Like any heavy-duty industrial equipment, generator sets are built to withstand age, occasional misuse, the elements and more. And while generator manufacturers are constantly promoting the need to upgrade to new generators if you’re experiencing high growth or have simply outgrown your old equipment, take pause before committing to that big-ticket purchase. Often times, commercial generators can be remedied by replacing critical parts, from switches to batteries and belts. Depending on your budget, the age of your unit and other factors, you may consider new parts purchased direct from a manufacturer or aftermarket parts. Of course, you could also consider a pre-used or rebuilt generator as opposed to rebuilding your unit piecemeal.
2. Age Doesn’t Matter as Much as You May Think
Diesel generator set manufacturers are always heavily marketing their new bells and whistles. But new equipment features need to have a business case constructed so that such a purchase can be objectively vetted against other investment opportunities. One lesson that manufacturers won’t offer unsolicited is that an older generator may just be fine. This is especially true if you’ve been on the mark with all of your routine maintenance and testing, and if your generator is purely for back-up use as opposed to being responsible for primary power generation.
3. Generator Set Manufacturers Are Not Too Different
Names, designs and marketing run the gamut among the top generator set manufacturers, from Caterpillar to Cummins. But once you dig past the marketing speak and the subtle design nuances, you’ll see that many diesel-powered generator sets from different manufacturers are more similar than they appear on the surface. If you’re drawn to a particular manufacturer due to fuel efficiency claims or engine reliability, be sure to look for quantifiable research and numbers to support these claims.
Making major equipment purchases is a huge decision that can cause a chain of impacts across the business. Before you sign the dotted line, make sure you’re considering all the options on the table, and not just the ones that generator set manufacturers are sharing with you.
