RER recently interviewed generator manufacturers to learn about the latest trends and innovations. Here, RER talks to Doosan Infracore Portable Power’s Wyatt Franks, assistant product marketing manager generators, North America, to learn the importance of a simple user interface, a maintenance-free after-treatment system for the engine, and why Quad Voltage generators are a bonus in Canada.
RER: What are some of the key features a rental generator must have?
Franks: You want an easy-to-use interface so it’s clear to the end user what he should and should not touch. If an end user is confused and there’s a problem, he’s going to try to press every button. If there’s a clearly laid-out interface as well as some safety systems in place, the end user will be less likely to press every button and he’s also able to clearly explain to the technician on the other end of the phone what exactly is wrong with the machine.
Doosan Portable Power has positioned the voltage selector switch (VSS) behind a door with a trip button on it so if the user does try to open the door to change the voltage selection, the entire machine shuts off. If that door wasn’t in place, and he was able to switch the VSS, what would most likely happen is damage to the alternator which is a pretty expensive fix. We’ve done everything we can to prevent that.
Also important is the communication the end user needs to have with the service technician. Doosan Portable Power has at-a-glance monitoring, which means vitals of a generator — fuel level, oil pressure, engine temperature, etc. — and then on the alternator side — volts, amps and hertz — all of them are displayed in analog gauges. For example, this allows the end user to easily look and see that the amp meter is at zero, and then relay that information to the service technician who can then try to help troubleshoot the problem over the phone.
In terms of access to service elements like filters and fluids and the fuel tank, it’s essential that the end user is able to easily reach those components. We’ve tried to put as many of the routine maintenance items for access on the curb side of the generator. That way if the generator is in an urban setting, the service technician isn’t in the street trying to change a filter, and instead, he’s safely on the sidewalk.
Another item that is essential in renting a generator is the fact that an end user doesn’t always know where the cable distribution will be routed. Some manufacturers put the cable hook-ups on one side of the machine and quite often it’s on the street-side because the manufacturer has put all the service elements on the curb-side or vice versa. Doosan Portable Power has positioned the cable hook-ups at the rear of the machine; that way whether the distribution cables need to go to the right or the left of the machine, its equidistance, and the generator does not need to be repositioned one way or another to try to get an extra foot out of the cable.
Describe the latest technologies and innovations in generator design.
Franks: The latest trend is to use as maintenance-free after-treatment system as possible. Doosan Portable Power addresses this market preference by using maintenance-free Diesel Oxidation Catalysts. DOC technology meets the Tier 4 interim emissions standards and for our engine supplier, Cummins, they’re adding a Selective Catalytic Reduction system to the DOC to reduce NOx levels even more to meet Tier 4 Final emission level requirements.
A DOC is absolutely maintenance free; SCR only requires DEF fluid to be refilled. Because Tier 4 is an additional cost not only to the rental house or the dealer, but the end user as well, there’s a trend to increase security on generators. At Doosan Portable Power, we’re doing that by putting the LoJack stolen vehicle recovery system on them if the customer would like. This means that if the unit is stolen, the owner can track the generator no matter where it is.
We’re also putting telematics on Doosan generators as an option. This means that not only can the dealer or rental house manage their fleet and see where the assets are located, but the end user can tap into this as well. If it’s on a rental site powering a pump jack in the middle of Texas, the rental company and the end user who are both responsible for that generator, can view on their smartphones or computers the status on that machine, such as, is it low on fuel? Does it need a filter change? Who can they dispatch to do it? This provides not only better management of the rental asset, but also the service assets as well.
Describe the features and benefits of your standard generator control panel.
Franks: With Tier 4 interim, Doosan Portable Power did a great job of commonizing the units. With Tier 4 Final, Doosan Portable Power is doing an even better job. With the move from Tier 4i to Tier 4 Final, Doosan Portable Power will add more value to the machines. One way is adding features and benefits that let the end user easily interface with the machine, but also allow the end user have more visibility into the machine.
How is Doosan Portable Power giving them more visibility into the machine? We are moving toward incorporating telematics into the control panel, but also at-a-glance monitoring. In terms of the interface, we’re trying to make it as clean and succinct as possible and dial down the number of gauges on the control panel to only include what’s absolutely necessary to be able to quickly walk by and diagnose the machine. We’re combining analog gauge information into the digital display to reduce clutter on the control panel. This is to reduce confusion for an end user when he is trying to operate a machine or communicate problems to the service technician.
What the end user will also notice is the fact that Doosan Portable Power is making the machine as safe to use as possible. There are automatic shutdowns for low fuel, low coolant, low oil pressure, or low DEF.
Definitely I’d say the greatest benefit is the clear layout. Doosan Portable Power is using automotive-quality gauges that are backlit by blue LED lights so they’re easy to see at night. End users are not fighting with white glare that they would normally get from luminescent bulbs. And the way they’re laid out is intuitive. Even at night in the dark, it’s clear which gauges are for the engine and which gauges are for the alternator.
Rental customers definitely want a dynamic machine. In Canada or near a dock, end users want a machine that can accommodate foreign application requirements. For example, if an end user needs 50 Hz application, all Doosan generators have 50/60 Hz switchable settings, which are referred to as Dual Frequency. Doosan Portable Power also offers Quad Voltage. Quad Voltage on the same machine allows the user to get 600 volts, 3-Phase out of a generator as well as 480, 204 and 120 volts. In Canada, the rental house or end user does not have to have one dedicated 600-volt machine. The same machine can be rented to multiple sites, multiple locations, and multiple applications, which means a faster ROI.
