Portable Generator Rental Agreements: The Basics

Portable generator rentals can be robust solutions for temporary backup power solutions for both short-term and long-term durations. While portable generator rentals are commonly used for events like unexpected power outages or construction sites that are located off-grid, they can also be used in many different industries such as events and festivals. Portable generator rentals can also be setup and used in interim periods when facilities may be upgrading or replacing their existing standby generators. These generators are extremely flexible, versatile, can be affordable solutions for those looking into a backup power solution for specific periods of time, but there are some items to consider before heading out and renting one.

Availability

Portable generator rentals may not always be readily available. While many generator dealers have rental fleets large enough to accommodate many concurrent rentals at once, there are peak times where generator rentals may be largely unavailable or already rented out. Peak times such as hurricane season, Winter, and other periods of extreme natural disasters are common times where there is a huge influx of people renting generators. Due to this reason, it’s often recommended that you establish a generator rental contract with a reputable generator dealer. For a nominal fee, you can reserve a generator rental and place it on hold and the generator will be available when you need it. This eliminates the need for you to pay a term rental fee and also worry about storage of the unit.

Service

For those not in the industry, there is often the worry about routine service or maintenance of a generator rental. When working with a generator dealer, routine preventative maintenance (PM) and service are usually built into the rental agreement. This means that you don’t need to scramble to find a generator technician that can come out to service the rental, but often times a generator dealer will send out one of their own technicians to perform all necessary service & maintenance. If there is nothing noted about these services built into your rental agreement, be sure to speak with the generator dealer to see if the option is available.

Fuel

Generally when renting a portable generator, you as the customer are responsible for the refueling and fuel supply for the unit. Be sure to speak with a generator dealer on fuel storage solutions, as many generator dealers may also have portable fuel cubes available for rent alongside the generator to provide a proper fuel storage option. Keep in mind that in times of emergency or natural disasters, it may be difficult to secure fuel, so this is a big reason why additional fuel storage on-site is recommended for those anticipating potential challenges.

Cost

Portable generator rentals can be costly, but it really depends on the type of unit you’re renting, how you’re using it, and for how long. While portable generator rentals are considered a cost-effective alternative to having a temporary backup power solution, be sure to keep an eye on overall expenses when it comes to your generator rental. Depending on how long and how much you rent a generator, there may come a point where total costs overtime may exceed the cost of installing a standby generator on-site at your facility.

Usage

One important item to note is that if you’re using a portable generator rental to provide backup power to your facility, it cannot simply be dropped off to your facility, hooked up, and expected to work. Facilities often need to be properly configured and a master electrician needs to build out an electrical circuit that enables the facility to accept generator power. Another option is to speak with your generator dealer who may be able to provide labor and send one of their technicians to help with the process.

There is a good amount to consider when renting out a portable generator, such as power calculations to figure out how much power you need, as well as other preparations that need to be made on-site or at your facility before having a portable generator rental delivered to you.

We strive to make the rental process as seamless and easy as possible, but if you’re looking for consultation, have questions, or would like to know more about portable generator rentals and what you need to prepare, feel free to reach out to us at RentPower.com

We have portable generator rental specialists that can help you calculate your power requirements and walk you through the steps for renting a portable generator.

Give us a call at 610-658-3242, send us an email at sales@woodstockpower.com or fill out our Generator Rental Form and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!

Portable Generator Rental Contingency Plans

Often times during events like natural disasters such as hurricane season or Winter storms, there’s always the risk of power loss due to unexpected outages. In situations like these, many businesses have a guideline of what needs to be done in response to certain situations like a power outage. This is known as a contingency plan. In addition to having a contingency plan, many businesses have taken precautionary measures to install a backup generator in order to better face power outages that are caused by inclement weather, natural disasters, or unexpected outages such as downed utility lines. If you’re currently in the stage of building out a contingency plan to provide backup power to your facility, but cannot accommodate a permanently installed stationary backup generator on-site or need a viable option until a generator can be permanently installed at your facility - a portable generator rental may be a great solution.

What Is a Portable Generator Rental?

A portable generator rental is similar to a standby generator (or also called a stationary generator), except that it is mounted to a towable trailer that enables it to be transported from site to site and location to location. Like standby generators, these generators have a weatherproof enclosure that helps protect the internal components from the elements and more often than not, they also have sound-attenuation which helps reduce the sound pollution produced by these units. Portable generator rentals differ in that they have external connections that can connect to a facility to provide backup power or can be used on construction sites to power equipment if needed when power to the grid is unavailable. Portable generator rentals almost all the same benefits as a standby generator, but the easy to transport form factor of these generator types allow for flexible rental scheduling for both short-term and long-term needs.

Contingency Planning with Backup Generators

As stated earlier, a contingency plan is a a guideline that lays out what actions need to be taken in situations such as natural disasters, power outages, fires, etc. These guidelines could entail evacuation, best routes to take, any rally points to meet up, or for facility management protocols during these events.

A contingency plan may implement a backup generator in their plans due to either past experience or in anticipation if the building were to ever lose power. The contingency plan may instruct facilities management on general operation or monitoring of the backup generator in these situations. If the facility does not have a backup generator installed on site, the contingency plan may include contact information, contract details, and instructions for any established generator rental contracts made with a generator dealer.

One thing to keep in mind is that during times like natural disasters such as hurricane season or Winter storms, it’s typically difficult to secure a backup generator rental. This is usually because there are many businesses looking to rent a generator to help keep operations running even during a power outage. A good step to take may be to work with a generator dealer before any seasonal natural disasters occur and establish a generator rental contract with them. A generator rental contract helps you reserve a generator in advance which can be deployed to your site when needed.

Portable Generators Are Not Plug & Play

Portable generator rentals make great short-term and long-term solutions to provide backup power in the event of a power outage, but it is not simply plug & play. In order for your facility to accept generator power, there are some prerequisite steps that need t o be taken. These steps are usually conducted by a master electrician, but some generator dealers may be able to send out a technician to assist with this process.

Be Mindful of Rental Durations

Portable generator rentals may be a great solution for both short-term and long-term backup power needs, but it’s important to review the duration and frequency of generator rentals. Be sure to review the average spend annually on a portable generator rental and include any related costs. There may eventually come a time where the overall cost of renting a generator may equal or even exceed the cost of purchasing and installing a standby generator for your facility.

Fuel Dilemmas

Fuel needs to be considered when using a portable generator rental. A majority of portable generator rentals available on the market are diesel generator, which require a steady supply of diesel fuel to run. This also applies to permanent standby generators installed at a facility. This can become a challenge, as diesel fuel supply and delivery needs to be included in the contingency plan, especially because it may be difficult to secure diesel fuel supply deliveries during times of natural disasters. Personnel must also be available to operate, monitor, and refuel the generator as needed to ensure safety.

There are a lot of items to consider, including preparations that need to be taken before securing a portable generator rental and installing it on-site. If you have questions or looking for consultation on portable generator rentals or looking to secure a rental contract, feel free to reach out to us at RentPower.com!

We have portable generator rental specialists that can help you calculate your power requirements and walk you through the steps for renting a portable generator.

Give us a call at 610-658-3242, send us an email at sales@woodstockpower.com or fill out our Generator Rental Form and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!

The Basics: The Rental Advantage

When it comes to backup power solutions, standby generators are most commonly the go-to solution for many businesses and facilities. Standby generators (also known as backup generators) are installed on-site at the location of a business or facility and set up to kick in during events like a power outage to help provide backup power until power from the main utility grid is restored.

While installing a standby generator for your business or facility can be a great safeguard against inclement weather, natural disasters, and planned power outages, what if your business of facility cannot afford to purchase and install a standby generator? Better yet, what if there is no space to install one? That’s where a commercial grade portable generator rental comes in.

Portable generators have been widely used for various industrial applications such as mining or new construction. A major reason for this is due to the ease of transporting the generator to remote work sites that are located off-grid. Portable generators can power key equipment and serves as the main power source for jobs where electricity is not readily available. This bit of versatility is touted to be an absolute necessity when it comes to these types of projects.

As mentioned earlier, portable generators may be commonly employed for commercial and industrial applications, but these portable form factors can also be used to provide backup power to businesses and facilities that lack the required space to install a permanent standby generator. Portable generators rentals are also great for businesses that only experience inclement weather certain times of year and do not find the need to install a standby generator permanently. Portable generators are versatile enough to fit many different needs and use cases.

So what makes a portable generator so unique? Why are rentals a good option? Check out our brief overview:

Portability

This is one of the more obvious answers, but portable generators are, well… Portable! Portable backup generators are manufactured to be extremely durable. These generators often come installed on trailers with a hitch for easy transportation, never-flat tires, and fairly simple design. This enables the generator to be moved around the work site or from location to location if needed.

Function

As mentioned, commercial grade portable generators provide flexibility in various different applications, but they also come with several advantages that make them a class of their own, including:

• Capability to run in prime or continuous power for long operation periods

• Voltage selector switches to meet the right voltage requirements for a task

• Circuit breaker protection

• Inverter technology that allows for the production of clean energy

• Automatic shutoff capability in the event of low oil or fuel

• Spark arrestor on the exhaust to prevent fire risks

Cost Savings

Permanent standby generators can often be pricey and out of budget for many businesses. A huge advantage of a portable generator is that generator dealers often have portable generator units available for rental. Rentals allow for a flexible short-term plan that include many benefits that won’t be found with traditional standby generators.

For example, generator rentals plans can span anywhere from a couple days to a couple of months. There are many areas that may only experience inclement weather or severe storms a couple months out of the year, so portable generator rentals can help cover you during these times and then be delivered back to the generator dealer when the season is over. When compared to purchasing a standby generator, this option can be a more cost-effective solution.

When you rent a portable generator from a dealer, the dealer is also responsible for regular service and maintenance of a generator lent out to you. This ensures that the generator will be fully functional and operational with no incurred cost to you. The only thing you have to worry about is not damaging the generator and making sure the generator has enough fuel to continue operating.

Peace of Mind

This might be one of those advantages that are only recognized when the need arises, but when using a portable generator for backup, you won’t have to worry about the power going out.

Power outages don’t simply equate to the light going out, but can take out heating and AC equipment, which can create an unsafe work environment for you and your employees. Key systems and equipment can cease to function, which brings business operations to a halt, and can even result in loss of profits or target deadlines.

If there are mission-critical or emergency applications required, like life saving equipment - a portable backup generator can provide the power you need, when you need it most.

Conclusion

While portable generators have many advantages, there are a few items to keep in mind. First, if you find yourself renting a portable generator many times throughout the year or for long periods of time - be mindful of the total costs, as they can greatly add up. Depending on the use case and duration, it may be more cost-effective to purchase a standby generator in the long run. Many generator dealers that offer portable generator rentals often have a supply of new, used, and surplus standby generators available for purchase. So assess your usage and contact your generator dealer for available options.

While the process of renting a generator is simple, the initial process of using it is not quite that easy. If you plan to use a portable generator rental for backup power, keep in mind that the facility’s electrical circuits must be properly configured in order to accept power from the generator. This is usually a task handled by a master electrician who can handle the necessary cabling and conversion process. Also, unless you have an electrician on-site to handle the process, a master electrician will also be required to set up the generator rental when it arrives.

If you’re looking to find out more information about portable generator rentals or would like to secure a generator rental, please give us a call at 610-658-3242.

Additionally, you can fill out our form including all requirements and our project managers will get back to you with options - Generator Rental Form

Lastly, you can send us an email at sales@woodstockpower.com and our project managers will touch base to assess your needs and provide you with a generator rental package.