A power outage is an inconvenience for most households. For a cold-storage facility, a medical clinic, a data centre, or a large strata building with lifts and basement lighting, it is a serious operational and safety event. The answer is not just buying a generator — it is having the right generator, connected correctly, with an automatic changeover switch that transfers the load before occupants even realise the mains has dropped.
MetroPulse Electric handles the full scope: load assessment, generator sizing, fuel system selection, automatic transfer switch (ATS) or manual changeover installation, wiring to AS/NZS 3010, and full-load commissioning testing. We work across petrol, diesel, LPG, and natural gas sets, from a 5 kVA residential unit to multi-hundred kVA industrial paralleled sets.
Sizing the generator correctly for your critical loads
Undersized generators are one of the most common problems we see. An installer selects a unit based on peak nameplate demand and forgets to account for motor starting surge, harmonic loads from variable-speed drives, or the fact that the building's air conditioning and lifts will all try to restart simultaneously when the mains drops. We carry out a proper load analysis before recommending any set.
For strata buildings and commercial premises we distinguish between essential loads — emergency lighting, exit signs, lifts, fire panel, security — and convenience loads that can be shed. This lets us specify a smaller, more cost-effective generator for the essential bus while still providing a path to full-building supply if the scope requires it.
- Residential standby sets from 5-20 kVA with auto-start and changeover
- Commercial and strata generator rooms with ventilation and noise attenuation
- Industrial paralleled sets for N+1 redundancy on critical plant
- Cold storage and food production facilities with continuous power requirements
- Medical and dental clinics requiring uninterruptible power for equipment
- UPS integration for bridge power covering the generator start delay
Automatic changeover switches and transfer panels
A generator sitting idle in a plant room is useless without a properly designed changeover arrangement. MetroPulse installs automatic transfer switches that monitor mains voltage and frequency, start the generator on loss of supply, confirm it is producing stable power, then transfer the load — all within seconds. On restoration of mains power the sequence runs in reverse, retransferring cleanly to avoid disturbance to sensitive equipment.
For smaller residential and commercial applications we also install manual changeover switches (MCCs) with clear labelling and operational procedures for staff. Every changeover installation we carry out is interlocked to prevent any possibility of back-feed onto the DNSP network, protecting both our clients and the linesmen who may be working on the street cable during an outage.
Commissioning, testing, and ongoing maintenance
Generator installation is only complete when it has been tested under real load conditions. MetroPulse carries out commissioning tests that simulate a mains outage, verify changeover timing, confirm generator output voltage and frequency are within tolerance, and test protection relay settings. We document all results and provide a commissioning report suitable for your insurer, strata manager, or building owner.
We also offer periodic load-bank testing services for facilities where the generator rarely runs in anger — essential to confirm the set will actually perform when it matters. A diesel generator that only runs on weekly auto-start cycles for two minutes is not the same as one that has been proven at full rated load.
Frequently asked
It depends entirely on which loads you want to support during an outage. A basic residential standby covering lights, fridge, and a few power points typically needs 5-8 kVA. Add air conditioning and you are looking at 15-20 kVA minimum. For commercial premises with three-phase equipment, the range is much wider. We conduct a load assessment at no extra cost as part of the quoting process so you get an honest recommendation rather than an upsell.
In most Australian states, installing a generator as part of a building's electrical installation requires a Certificate of Compliance from the licensed electrician, and the connection arrangement must comply with your DNSP's requirements to prevent back-feed. Larger or permanently installed sets in commercial or strata buildings may also require a development application depending on council planning rules for noise and siting. We flag any approvals needed at the quoting stage.
Industry best practice and most insurance policies require a minimum of monthly auto-start tests and an annual full-load test. For critical facilities such as hospitals, data centres, and strata buildings with emergency services, AS 2205 and relevant building codes may mandate more frequent testing and formal commissioning records. MetroPulse can set up a maintenance schedule and provide documented test reports for your records.