Generator maintenance software for standby power, weekly checks to load bank tests

Generator maintenance on one record per set: weekly inspections, monthly exercise under load, transfer switch operation, battery readings, annual and 36-month tests, and services triggered by running hours or the calendar.

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Updated 15 Oct 2026

FieldEx scheduling board on desktop with a technician's inspection checklist open on the mobile app, as used by generator service teams

FieldEx is field service management and maintenance management (CMMS) in one system for generator service companies and standby power owners. It keeps every diesel generator set, automatic transfer switch, battery bank and uninterruptible power supply (UPS) on its own record, schedules weekly inspections and monthly load runs, triggers services on running hours or the calendar, records load and battery readings, and keeps every test on file.

What FieldEx does for generator and standby power teams

A standby generator earns its keep on the one day the grid fails, and the only way to know it will start is a steady record of weekly checks, monthly runs and on-time services. FieldEx keeps that record on each set, whether you look after one hospital's plant or several hundred sets across client sites. Book a demo to see it with your own fleet, or read our guide to the best field service management software.

Every set, switch and battery on record

A site record for each location, from a hospital plant room to a telecom shelter, with its address, map pin, contacts and service zone.
An asset record for each generator set, automatic transfer switch, control panel, battery bank, charger, day tank and UPS, with ratings, serial numbers, engine and alternator details, photos and manuals, in asset management.
Parent and component levels, so the engine, alternator, transfer switch and batteries each keep their own history under the set.
QR labels on each set and a change history showing who edited what and when.

Services by running hours or the calendar

Running-hour meters on each set, with a history of every reading entered from the asset or the job.
Maintenance plans that trigger on hours, on the calendar or on whichever comes first, such as 250 hours or 6 months, in preventive maintenance.
Different checklists and technicians for the weekly inspection, the monthly run and the annual service in one cycle.
Missed services rescheduled after a set overdue period, and new sets joining the right plan when they match its criteria.

Load runs, load bank tests and certificates

Recurring inspections for weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual checks, each linked to its checklist.
Certifications on custom frequencies, such as the 36-month test, with the certifying body recorded and the test report attached.
Due, overdue and completed status, with reminders by email, in-app notification or both, through compliance documentation.
A dashboard of overdue tests, those due in the next 7 days and those completed in the last 7 days, filtered by asset type or service zone.

Readings captured on site

Number fields on the job for load in kW or percent of nameplate, run time, exhaust temperature, battery voltage and specific gravity.
The running-hour reading taken during an inspection updating the set's meter at the same time.
Photos of the control panel and gauges, watermarked with the time they were taken.

Breakdowns and callouts

A QR code on each set or site that opens a fault-report form without logging in, and a branded customer portal for service requests.
Automatic assignment by skill, availability, shift, leave, service zone and live location, with a drag-and-drop scheduler for exceptions.
Service-level agreements with several stages, such as attend and restore power, and at-risk and violation alerts per client or set.
A warning when a new job repeats a recent job on the same set, so repeat faults are caught, in work order management.

Generator visits on the phone

Each job on the FieldEx mobile app with the set's history, its checklist, the readings to enter and the parts in the technician's own stock.
Scan the set's label to open its record, then capture photos, readings and the client's signature.
Jobs downloaded before the visit, worked without a signal at remote sites and plant rooms, and uploaded when the connection returns.
Spare parts such as belts, starter motors and batteries used on each job recorded from the technician's own stock, with low-stock alerts per stock location.

Records, reports and contracts

A completion PDF for each visit with the set, fault and resolution, parts with quantities and prices, check-in and check-out times, attachments and the client's signature.
Service contracts with start and end dates, linked to the sets and plans they cover.
Reports on sets, run hours, tests and faults by client or site, exported as CSV, Excel or PDF or emailed on a schedule.

How often must a standby generator be exercised, and how far apart can the runs be?

At least once a month for at least 30 minutes. That is NFPA 110 section 8.4.2, as reprinted in Cummins' 2020 guide to NFPA 110 (2016 edition). Health care adds a spacing rule: the Minnesota Department of Health's 2024 guidance says NFPA 99 requires generator sets to be tested 12 times a year, with no less than 20 days and no more than 40 days between tests, and that facilities must exercise their emergency generators under load at least monthly. The Joint Commission applies the same monthly 30-minute test under its standard EC.02.05.07, and the US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) points facilities to NFPA 110 for testing frequency.

The 20-to-40-day window catches a common slip: two runs at the start and end of one month, then nothing for almost 2 months.

What FieldEx does about it

A fixed monthly run: each set's monthly exercise runs on a fixed schedule, anchored to a weekday or date, so runs stay evenly spaced.
Gaps you can see: reports list each set's run dates by month, so any gap over 40 days stands out.
Run time on the record: the start, finish and run time are captured on each run, with check-in and check-out times on the job.
Missed runs moved, not lost: a missed run is flagged overdue and rescheduled after the overdue period you set.

What load should a monthly generator run reach, and what goes wrong at light load?

Cummins' reprint of NFPA 110 says the monthly run is held either at the operating temperature conditions the manufacturer recommends, or at not less than 30% of the set's standby nameplate kW rating. The Joint Commission's standards FAQ states it as monthly load testing of at least 30% of the nameplate rating for 30 minutes for diesel sets, and notes that cool-down time doesn't count. Cummins also warns why the threshold matters: running a diesel set below 30% load can cause "wet stacking", where unburnt fuel is deposited in the exhaust system.

What FieldEx does about it

Load as a number: the technician enters the load in kW or as a percentage of nameplate, and the exhaust temperature, as number fields on each run.
Below 30% flagged: a checklist answer of "below 30% load" raises a follow-up for a supplemental load test.
Nameplate on the asset: the set's standby kW rating is kept on its record, so the technician can check the target on the phone.
Wet stacking signs logged: observations such as exhaust slobber are recorded with photos, building a history for the engine.

When does a generator need an annual load bank test, and how long does it run?

When the monthly runs don't reach the load threshold. Cummins' reprint of NFPA 110 says diesel sets that miss the monthly requirement are exercised once a year with supplemental loads: at least 50% of nameplate kW for 30 continuous minutes, then at least 75% for one continuous hour. The Joint Commission describes the same annual test as 90 continuous minutes with dynamic or static supplemental loads.

The genset is part of that installation, so the competent person's visit is a natural time to check it.

What FieldEx does about it

The annual test booked when needed: the annual load bank test can run as its own yearly inspection on sets whose monthly runs fall short.
Each load step recorded: the 50% and 75% steps are entered as separate readings with their durations.
The load bank on the job: the load bank itself can be one of your assets, booked onto the job and moved between stock locations.
The report attached: the load bank printout is attached to the completed test record.

What is the 36-month four-hour test for Level 1 emergency power systems?

NFPA 110 section 8.4.9, as reprinted by Cummins, says Level 1 emergency power supply systems are tested at least once every 36 months, continuously for the duration of their assigned class. Where the class is longer than 4 hours, the test can stop after 4 continuous hours. The National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) 2020 article on maintaining these systems sums up the rhythm: inspect weekly, exercise monthly and test Level 1 systems at least once every 36 months. The Joint Commission notes that, under NFPA 110 (2010), 8.4.9.7, the annual load bank test and the 36-month test can be combined.

Synchronised sets need a chargeman holding the right category, not just any electrician.

What FieldEx does about it

A 36-month certification: the four-hour test runs as a certification with a custom 36-month frequency and reminders well ahead.
Combined visits planned: where the annual and 36-month tests fall together, both records can be completed on one job.
Hours recorded through the test: load and temperature readings can be entered at intervals through the 4 hours.

What should a weekly standby generator inspection cover?

NFPA's 2020 article says Level 1 emergency power systems and their components are inspected weekly and Level 2 systems monthly, and that the inspection looks at the equipment without running it. The Minnesota Department of Health's weekly list starts with fuel: main and day tank levels, the day tank float switch, and the piping, hoses and connectors. NHS England's Health Technical Memorandum 06-01 (2017), paragraph 17.93, adds checks for coolant, lubricant leaks, battery charging, ventilation and the status of all instruments. Caterpillar's maintenance schedule for its C9 to C18 generator sets starts each week by inspecting the automatic start/stop and checking the battery charger.

What FieldEx does about it

A short weekly checklist: the weekly inspection opens in seconds from a scan of the set, with one question per item and a photo where needed.
Level 1 weekly, Level 2 monthly: each set's inspection frequency follows its level, set on its asset type.
Leaks and alarms raise jobs: a failed answer, such as a coolant leak or a charger fault, creates the repair job straight away.
Client staff on the round: where the site's own staff do the weekly walk-round, it can be assigned to their users. Client staff who run their own inspections can have a FieldEx user account.

How should generator starting batteries be checked and maintained?

Cummins' reprint of NFPA 110 section 8.3.6 says storage batteries are inspected weekly, that maintenance of lead-acid batteries includes testing and recording the electrolyte specific gravity every month, and that defective batteries are replaced immediately once found. NFPA's 2020 article adds a battery load test every quarter alongside the monthly specific gravity record.

The most common reason a standby set fails to start is the one that's easiest to record.

What FieldEx does about it

Batteries as components: each battery bank sits under its set, with its install date and warranty.
Specific gravity and voltage readings: monthly specific gravity and quarterly load test results are entered as number fields.
Replace on discovery: a failed battery check raises the replacement job, with the battery drawn from the technician's own stock.
Warranty kept: each battery's warranty period is on the part record for claims.

How often should an automatic transfer switch be tested?

Monthly. NFPA 110 section 8.4.6, as reprinted by Cummins, says transfer switches are operated monthly, by electrically switching from the primary position to the alternate position and back. NHS England's HTM 06-01, paragraph 17.83, says the monthly on-load generator test should include testing of the interlock and changeover arrangements.

What FieldEx does about it

The switch on the same visit: the transfer switch's monthly operation is a task on the monthly run job, so both are done together.
Transfer times recorded: transfer and retransfer times are captured as number fields.
A failed transfer escalates: a failed operation raises an urgent job and can notify your supervisor and the client at once.

How often should stored diesel fuel be tested?

At least once a year. NFPA 110 section 8.3.7, in Cummins' reprint, requires a fuel quality test at least annually, using ASTM standards or the manufacturer's recommendations. In 2018, NFPA balloted a proposed tentative interim amendment, TIA 1388, that would have required diesel to be tested for degradation at least twice a year, no more than 6 months apart, starting from a benchmark sample on the day of first fill. That was a proposal, not adopted text.

What FieldEx does about it

A yearly fuel test per tank: each tank's fuel quality test runs as a recurring certification with the lab report attached.
A six-monthly option: clients who want twice-yearly testing can have the frequency set to every 6 months.
Results that trigger work: a failed fuel result raises the job to polish or replace the fuel.

How many running hours should pass between generator services?

It depends on the engine, and the manufacturer sets the base. Caterpillar's operation and maintenance manual for C9 to C18 generator sets says intervals are set by service hours or fuel consumption, and that the calendar intervals shown can be used instead of the service meter. Its schedule includes, for example, a coolant sample every 250 service hours or every 6 months. For emergency compression ignition engines in the US, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule 40 CFR Part 63 Subpart ZZZZ, Table 2c, requires the oil and filter to be changed every 500 hours or within 1 year plus 30 days, and the air cleaner to be inspected every 1,000 hours or within 1 year plus 30 days, whichever comes first.

What FieldEx does about it

Whichever comes first: each service runs on a plan that triggers on running hours or the calendar, whichever is reached first.
Intervals per engine type: the default meter-based interval is set on the asset type, so each new set of that type starts with the right one.
Hours from every visit: hour-meter readings entered on any job update the set's meter and its next service.

How many hours a year can a US emergency generator run for maintenance and testing?

Up to 100 hours per calendar year. Under the EPA's 40 CFR 63.6640(f)(2), an emergency stationary engine may run for maintenance checks and readiness testing for a maximum of 100 hours a year. Any operation outside emergency use, maintenance and testing, and the limited non-emergency hours the rule allows is prohibited, and would stop the engine being treated as an emergency engine.

What FieldEx does about it

Hours by year: reports sum each set's run hours from its meter readings by calendar year.
Every run recorded: each monthly run, test and repair run is a job with its run time.
Running hours on record: test and run hours are logged as meter readings on every set and available in reports, so you can see how close each set is to its limit.

How are standby generators tested in UK hospitals?

NHS England's Health Technical Memorandum 06-01 (2017 edition), paragraph 17.83, says all standby generator plant should be tested online with the building load every month, for at least one hour and preferably two. Paragraph 17.84 says that where a building-load test isn't acceptable, the test is done with a load bank that has both reactive and resistive components.

What FieldEx does about it

A monthly on-load test of one to 2 hours: each hospital set's monthly test runs with its own checklist and run-time reading.
Load bank tests as the alternative: sets that can't take the building load have a load bank test on the same monthly cycle instead.
Changeover checks included: the interlock and changeover test is a task on the same job.
Remote visits offline: jobs and tasks can be downloaded and worked offline, with check-in, check-out and travel synced later.

What must a generator maintenance record show under NFPA 110?

NFPA 110 section 8.5.1, as reprinted by Cummins, says records are created and kept for every inspection, operational test, exercise, repair and modification of the emergency power supply system. The permanent record goes to the authority having jurisdiction on request, and includes the date of the maintenance report, the identity of the servicing personnel, and a note of any unsatisfactory condition with the corrective action taken. The Minnesota Department of Health points facilities to the sample maintenance and testing logs in Annex A of NFPA 110.

What FieldEx does about it

Every event on the set: inspections, runs, tests, repairs and changes are each a record on the generator, with the date and the technician.
Unsatisfactory conditions and the fix together: a failed item and the job that corrected it are linked, so the record shows both.
A log on request: reports by set and period export as PDF or Excel when the authority or the client asks.

Customer story

Sime Industrial sells, services and rents heavy machinery for construction, mining and energy customers across Asia Pacific, representing more than 30 brands. It moved its field service team off Excel and WhatsApp onto FieldEx. Its story describes job updates, statuses and time logs in one place, live technician locations beside task progress, and reports on job durations and technician performance in a few clicks.

Read the Sime Industrial story

AlanDick has worked in telecom infrastructure in Brunei since the late 1970s, with operations in Malaysia too, and sends up to 26 people a day to onshore and offshore sites. Its FieldEx story describes automatic task assignment by skill, availability and proximity, tool inspections and procedure audits scheduled with reminders, staff certification renewals tracked, and clients seeing live service updates through the portal.

Read the AlanDick story

Questions generator service teams ask about FieldEx

What is the best generator maintenance software for a standby power service company?

One that holds every set, switch and battery per client, triggers services on running hours or the calendar, runs weekly, monthly and annual tests on time, captures load readings and sends a signed report. FieldEx does all of this in one system. See our guide to CMMS software.

Can FieldEx trigger a service on running hours or the calendar, whichever comes first?

Yes. Each plan can trigger on the set's hour meter, on the calendar, or on whichever is reached first, with the interval per set or across the plan.

Can technicians record load percentage and run time on each monthly run?

Yes. Number fields on the job capture load, run time, exhaust temperature and battery readings against the set.

Can FieldEx track the 36-month four-hour test?

Yes. It runs as a certification with a custom 36-month frequency, due and overdue status, reminders and the report attached.

Can we test the transfer switch on the same visit as the generator?

Yes. The transfer switch is its own asset under the set, and its monthly operation is a task on the monthly run job.

Can clients see their generators' service history?

Yes. The branded customer portal shows each client its sets with last-serviced dates, upcoming asset maintenance, job status and downloadable reports.

Can we see which sets haven't been run this month?

Yes. The dashboard shows overdue inspections and those due in the next 7 days, and reports list run dates by set and month.

Can a failed weekly inspection create the repair job?

Yes. A failed answer, such as a charger fault or a leak, creates the repair job and its tasks straight away and can book a follow-up check.

Can technicians work at remote sites without a signal?

Yes. Jobs and tasks can be downloaded and worked offline, with check-in, check-out and travel synced later.

How long does it take to set up FieldEx for a generator fleet?

Once we know your requirements and your data is ready, FieldEx can be implemented in as little as a week with standard features for small businesses. Larger setups and custom work take longer. Setup, data upload and training are included in the subscription, with no setup fee. Sites and generator sets can be uploaded. FieldEx helps with setup, and training is included. See implementation and training.

Know every standby set will start, with the record to prove it

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