Can Healthcare Facilities Use Both Gas and Battery Generators?

Can You Use a Battery-Powered Generator if You Already Have a Fuel-Powered Generator?

Fuel-powered and battery-powered generators are often used to cover each other's weaknesses. Each type has strengths and potential drawbacks, making their combined use a strong strategy for ensuring reliable backup power.

Fuel-powered generators are known for their ability to produce a large amount of power and have been used worldwide for many years. They are effective for many facilities, including hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and smaller health clinics. However, as discussed in our learning center, fuel generators can have some significant trade-offs, such as delays in deployment. They typically take around five to ten minutes to start up, and older systems can take up to fifteen minutes. In a healthcare setting, these delays can be critical.

For example, in 2011, a power outage during a winter storm in North Texas caused about 20 hospitals to lose power. The situation was worsened by the cold snap, leading to significant issues. Steve Love, CEO of the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council, described the incident as “millions of dollars’ worth of equipment damaged,” including a blown HVAC system that led to a hospital fire. Most alarmingly, power was cut off in the middle of open-heart surgeries. Although no fatalities or severe injuries occurred, the delay in switching to backup power had potentially life-threatening consequences.

In contrast, battery-powered generators can immediately provide backup power due to their instant transfer switches. They can supply power in milliseconds, eliminating the risk of dangerous delays and ensuring critical equipment stays operational during outages.

Can I use a Battery Generator Power as a “Bridge” to a Gas Generator?

Battery-powered generators are often used to support fuel generators by acting as a "bridge" power source. This means they provide immediate power while waiting for the fuel generator to start up. This crucial period is known as the "time interval."

For this very reason, battery backup power is widely used in hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and office-based outpatient surgery practices. While there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution for backup power, these facilities frequently use battery-powered systems to meet accreditation requirements.

Different accrediting bodies have their standards and minimum requirements. For example, NFPA 99, a widely followed standard, allows for a maximum ten-second time interval between a power outage and switching to an alternate power source. However, many modern appliances require power to be restored in less than a second, much faster than the ten seconds or more it may take for a fuel-powered generator to start.

A battery-powered generator can:

• Integrate seamlessly into your facility's electrical system.
• Activate in fractions of a second, providing immediate power.
• Power your most vital equipment for as long as needed, whether it's seconds or minutes.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards.

This setup helps keep critical equipment running smoothly and meets the required standards for uninterrupted power.

What Battery Backup System is Best for Bridge Power?

Flexibility is key when deciding on a transitional power source. Medi-Products' entire lineup can supply instant and reliable power anywhere. But depending on where you think you will need it most, one may be better suited to your needs.

Standalone: Standalone systems are an ideal solution for backing up an entire equipment room. They are designed for easy setup and do not require an electrician for installation. Instead, you simply plug your appliances directly into the outlets on the cabinet, and the UPS plugs into a standard wall outlet. When a power outage occurs, the battery backup system instantly takes over, ensuring continuous power for your equipment. Suppose you move to a new facility or rearrange your setup. In that case, you can easily re-mount the standalone system in a new location, making it a flexible and convenient choice for reliable backup power.

Hardwired: Our hardwired system is the perfect solution when you need to power multiple appliances in different areas of your facility. It integrates seamlessly with your facility's existing electrical panel, supplying power directly to the outlets where it's needed. However, installation requires an electrician to wire the system into your building’s electrical panel to ensure proper and safe integration.

Type 1 EES: For ASCs and facilities who need a Medicare qualifying Type 1 EES. This system is an upgraded version of our hardwired system. Its added features include failsafe relays for the critical and life safety circuit panels. This is to achieve system redundancy.

Mobile: Mobile systems supply on-the-go power anywhere in your facility and offer ultimate flexibility. Easily carted around, these systems ensure that power can be delivered directly to wherever it's needed, whenever it's needed, without the need for assembly or an electrician.