Your generator is only compliant if the paperwork says so.
NFPA 110 sets the testing schedule for emergency and standby power systems and requires a permanent written record of every inspection, test, and repair. Hedgehog Power Systems builds maintenance and testing plans around that schedule and delivers the record after every visit.
The standard for emergency and standby power systems.
NFPA 110 is the National Fire Protection Association standard that governs how an emergency power supply system is installed, tested, and maintained. It applies to the whole system, called the EPSS: the generator, the transfer switches, the switchgear, the fuel supply, and the starting system. A generator that starts on command can still fail an inspection if the transfer switch was never exercised or the fuel was never tested.
Facilities are classified by Level (Level 1 where failure could cost a life, Level 2 where it is less critical), Type (seconds allowed to restore power; Type 10 is 10 seconds and standard for healthcare), and Class (minimum runtime in hours at full load without refueling). Level 1 carries the stricter testing schedule, including the 36-month 4-hour run.
The authority having jurisdiction, your fire marshal, building department, accreditor, or insurer, decides which edition applies and enforces it. Hospitals and nursing homes are surveyed by CMS against the 2010 edition.
What has to happen, and how often.
The routine maintenance and operational testing cadence NFPA 110 sets for a standby generator system. Rows marked Level 1 apply only to life-safety systems.
| Frequency | Requirement | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly | Inspect the emergency power supply system and the starting batteries. | NFPA 110, 8.3.1 and 8.4.1 |
| Monthly | Exercise diesel generator sets for at least 30 continuous minutes at 30% or more of nameplate kW rating, or at the manufacturer’s recommended minimum exhaust gas temperature. Tests include a complete cold start. | NFPA 110, 8.4.2 |
| Monthly | Operate each automatic transfer switch electrically from the normal to the emergency position and back. | NFPA 110, 8.4.6 |
| Annually | Test stored fuel quality to the applicable ASTM standard. Stored diesel degrades; the test tells you whether it will burn cleanly when the unit is called on. | NFPA 110, 8.3.7 |
| Annually Level 1 | Exercise Level 1 main and feed circuit breakers between the generator and the transfer switch load terminals, with the generator in the off position. | NFPA 110, 8.4.7 |
| Annually, if the monthly test falls short | Where the monthly test cannot reach 30% of nameplate or the minimum exhaust temperature, run a supplemental load bank test: 30 minutes at 50% of nameplate kW followed by 60 minutes at 75%, for 1.5 continuous hours. Older editions specify a three-step 25%, 50%, 75% protocol. | NFPA 110, 8.4.2.3 |
| Every 36 months Level 1 | Run Level 1 systems continuously for the duration of the assigned Class or 4 continuous hours, whichever is less, at not less than 30% of nameplate kW for diesel units. The 36-month test can be combined with the monthly and annual tests as a single event. | NFPA 110, 8.4.9 |
What the inspector actually asks for.
NFPA 110 requires a written maintenance and testing schedule and a permanent record kept on site and available to the AHJ. Missing or incomplete records are among the most common causes of a citation.
A written report follows each Hedgehog Power Systems visit and captures:
- Date of the inspection, test, or repair
- Name or identification of the servicing technician
- Any unsatisfactory condition found and the corrective action taken
- Parts replaced
- Results of any testing performed after a repair
- Engine hours, transfer times, per-phase voltage and amperage, frequency, pressures, and temperatures for exercise runs
Hospitals and nursing homes carry more.
On top of NFPA 110, healthcare facilities answer to the Joint Commission, NFPA 99, and CMS. The requirements overlap but they are not identical.
EC.02.05.07
Test each emergency generator 12 times a year at intervals of not less than 20 and not more than 40 days, for at least 30 continuous minutes at a dynamic load of at least 30% of nameplate, or the manufacturer’s minimum exhaust gas temperature. Test all automatic transfer switches on the same 20-to-40-day cycle. At least once every 36 months, run each generator for at least 4 continuous hours at not less than 30% of nameplate.
Health Care Facilities Code
Hospitals are Category 1 and require a Type 1 essential electrical system: separate Life Safety, Critical, and Equipment branches with independent transfer switches. The Life Safety and Critical branches must be restored within 10 seconds of a normal-power failure.
Life Safety Code survey
CMS adopted the 2010 edition of NFPA 110 and the 2012 edition of NFPA 99 for hospitals and nursing homes through the 2012 Life Safety Code. Emergency power records are reviewed as part of the Life Safety Code survey, and missing or incomplete records are among the most common causes of a citation.
From standard to schedule to signature.
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Assess
Inventory every generator, transfer switch, and breaker on the site. Confirm the Level, Type, and Class. Review the last twelve months of records against the schedule.
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Schedule and test
Build a written testing plan on the NFPA 110 cadence, and the Joint Commission 20-to-40-day cycle where it applies. Run the monthly exercise, transfer switch, annual, and 36-month tests.
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Document
Deliver the written record after every visit with every field the standard calls for, so the binder is complete before anyone asks to see it.
How often does NFPA 110 require a generator to be tested?
NFPA 110 calls for a weekly inspection, a monthly exercise run of at least 30 continuous minutes at 30% or more of nameplate kW (or the manufacturer’s minimum exhaust gas temperature), monthly operation of each transfer switch, annual fuel quality testing, and, for Level 1 systems, a 4-hour run at least once every 36 months. The edition that applies is the one adopted by your local authority having jurisdiction, so confirm it with your AHJ.
Why did my generator fail during a power outage?
The most common cause we find is a dead or weak starting battery, which is why batteries get tested monthly and replaced on a schedule. After that: contaminated fuel that clogs filters, a transfer switch that did not transfer, and coolant or block heater problems that keep a cold engine from starting. A generator that only runs under light load can also wet stack, leaving unburned fuel in the exhaust that chokes the engine when real load arrives.
What records does an inspector expect to see for a standby generator?
NFPA 110 requires a written maintenance and testing schedule plus a permanent record kept on site and available to the authority having jurisdiction. Each entry should show the date, the technician, any unsatisfactory condition and the corrective action taken, parts replaced, and the results of testing after a repair. For exercise runs, the record should also capture engine hours, transfer times, voltage and amperage by phase, frequency, pressures, and temperatures. Hedgehog Power Systems delivers a written report after every visit that covers these fields.
Do you offer emergency service if our generator fails during an outage?
Yes. Hedgehog Power Systems dispatches for emergency diagnostics and repair when a standby unit fails to start or fails mid-outage, across Illinois and the surrounding states we serve. Call (708) 292-6300 for emergency response.
Tell us what you are running.
Generator make and kW, number of transfer switches, facility type, and the last time it was load tested. We come back with a schedule.
(708) 292-6300- Testing plans on the NFPA 110 cadence
- Written record after every visit
- NFPA 70E trained and certified technicians
Pass the next inspection on paper.
A testing schedule that matches the standard, and a record from every visit that proves it. Call and talk to a technician.