LBS vs. GDS: Save Money by Testing Your Electrical Load

Business productivity is a key factor for efficient day to day growth and profits. An unplanned power outage can diminish the output your business has been working towards. Therefore, it’s crucial to invest in portable power products that can keep the power on and boost productivity during these unplanned downtimes.

An unannounced power outage can bring your businesses’ profits to a halt if you are not prepared. Without the proper equipment to keep your business running during a power outage, profits are lost in revenue, labor costs, damaged equipment, lost data, and more. These costs are just a few reasons why it’s so important to have a plan for when the power goes out.

A power outage is an interruption that no business is looking forward to, no matter the industry. The good news is that ATI Electrical Supply has dependable portable power solutions to provide our customers while electrical utilities are being repaired, or when construction is taking place. The question you must ask yourself is, “which power solution is best for you?” 

What is a Load Bank Station (LBS)?

Load bank stations are portable power enclosures that are designed to work with load banking equipment to test generator output to allow for quarterly or yearly maintenance checks. Load banks are the best way to verify the exact power output your generator can produce at the suggested kW rating.

Incorporating a load bank station into your business plan is essential for businesses in dire need of emergency power such as hospitals, healthcare facilities, and places of large assembly like hotels, sports arenas, and airports to ensure the loss of power is minimized and the safety of guests is maximized.

Load banks allow the consumer to have the peace of mind to know that their generator can power their desired building successfully when a power outage rises. If a generator is not properly tested and fails to perform when a power outage happens, the costs in the destruction of assets and loss of productivity can be crippling. In some cases, such as nursing homes and hospitals, the loss of power can be fatal.  Most building owners and inspectors want to know that the output of the generator meets the expected voltage and amperage rating that can only be achieved through testing. 

What is a Generator Docking Station (GDS)?

Generator Docking Stations, which are also known as generator connection boxes, are carbon steel enclosures designed to safely connect a generator to a load output such as a building or trailer. A GDS once properly installed, can be connected through simple camlock connections. These portable power enclosures are essential means of power distribution that allow the consumer to safely connect their generator when a power outage occurs. The design allows building owners and maintenance people with little to no electrical experience connect portable power cables from the generator to the GDS through color-coded connections that mark the hot legs, neutral, and ground.

Both the GDS and LBS are wall-mounted enclosure made from carbon steel and are NEMA 4/12 rated and lockable to prevent damages and theft. These two products can work in conjunction with one another to test the load capacity of a generator while distributing power throughout the desired area. This allows for power distribution for when a power outage occurs, while simultaneously testing your generator production to minimize power failures.

ATI Electrical Supply offers both load bank docking stations and generator connection boxes in multiple sizes, variations, voltages, and amperages to fit your needs. Visit our online store to view our selection of portable power products to keep your business prepared in the event of a power outage.

ATI Electrical Supply has written a blog dedicated to informing customers about generator connection boxes, their safety information, and which variation is right for your application. Click here to view more information about generator connection boxes.

If you have any questions or concerns about specific products, please contact us at (800) 597-9311 or e-mail our portable power group at ppg@atielectrical.com for help!