Generator maintenance for Malaysian gensets in hospitals, buildings and telecom sites

Generator maintenance that keeps every genset, changeover switch and battery bank on its own record, runs weekly and monthly tests on time, raises PPM on engine hours, and holds the logbook a hospital licence check or Suruhanjaya Tenaga inspection asks for.

Book a demo

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 brings field service management and a computerised maintenance management system (CMMS) together for Malaysian genset service companies and standby power owners. Each genset, changeover switch, battery bank and control panel has its own record, weekly runs and monthly load tests are scheduled, planned preventive maintenance (PPM) triggers on engine hours or dates, and readings and job sheets are kept for every visit.

What FieldEx does for genset service companies and owners

In Malaysia a standby genset sits under several sets of rules at once: Suruhanjaya Tenaga (ST) for the installation, Jabatan Alam Sekitar (JAS) for larger sets, the Ministry of Health for hospitals, and the building's fire systems that depend on it. FieldEx keeps every test, service and repair for each set in one place, so the answer to any of them is on the genset's own record. Book a demo to see it with your own gensets.

Gensets and their parts on record

One site per location, whether a hospital, a commercial building, a factory or a telecom tower, with address, map pin, person in charge and service zone.
One asset per genset, changeover switch, synchronising panel, battery bank, charger and day tank, with kVA rating, engine and alternator details, serial numbers, photos and manuals, in asset management.
The engine, alternator, switch and batteries kept as parts of the set, each with its own history.
A QR sticker on each genset, and a log of every edit with the user and time.

PPM on engine hours or dates

An hour meter on each genset, with every reading kept as a history.
PPM plans that raise the job on engine hours, on the date or on whichever arrives first, in preventive maintenance.
One cycle holding the weekly run, the monthly load test and the yearly overhaul, each with its own checklist and technician.
Missed PPM moved forward after a set overdue period, and newly installed gensets joining the right plan by their criteria.

Tests, licences and certificates

Recurring inspections for weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly checks, each linked to its checklist.
Certifications on custom frequencies, such as the installation's ST registration or a JAS licence, with the issuing authority and the document on file, through compliance documentation.
Due, overdue and done status with reminders by email, in the app or both.
A dashboard of overdue tests, tests due this week and tests finished last week, by zone or asset type.

Readings from every run

Number fields for load in kW or % of rating, run time, engine temperature, battery voltage and specific gravity, keyed in on site.
Engine hours read during a check updating the genset's meter straight away.
Photos of the control panel and gauges, stamped with the time.

Breakdowns and power failures

A QR code at each site that opens a fault form without a login, and a branded customer portal where clients raise requests.
Jobs given out by skill, availability, shift, leave, zone and live location, with a drag-and-drop board for the exceptions.
Response and restore targets per client, counted in working hours, with a warning before a target is missed.
A warning when a new fault repeats a recent job on the same genset.

Gensets, van stock and the app

The FieldEx mobile app in English, Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese, with the set's past jobs, its checklist, its readings and the parts in the technician's van stock.
A sticker scan that opens the genset, then readings, photos and the client's signature on the phone.
Jobs and tasks can be downloaded and worked offline, with check-in, check-out and travel synced later.
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.

Logbooks, job sheets and contracts

A job sheet PDF for every visit with the genset, fault, fix, parts and prices, time in and time out, photos and the client's sign-off.
Service contracts with start and end dates, linked to the gensets and PPM plans they cover.
Reports on gensets, run hours, tests and faults by client or site, downloaded or emailed on a timetable.

Does a building with a standby genset have to register its installation with Suruhanjaya Tenaga?

Yes. Suruhanjaya Tenaga's ECOS guideline on installation registration lists installations with a standby generator, installed to supply power when the licensee's supply is cut, among those that must be registered. Registration is the owner's duty under section 21 of the Electricity Supply Act 1990, and failing to register is an offence carrying a fine of up to RM25,000. The guideline from Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) on registering and operating electrical installations (section 7.1) makes the same point for government buildings: installations with a standby genset, or at 11 kV and above, are registered.

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

Registration on the site record: the installation's certificate of registration is a certification with its expiry date and reminders.
The genset linked to it: the genset sits under the same site, so the registration and the set's history are side by side.
Renewal as a job: renewal can run as a job with a task for each document needed.
Missed runs moved, not lost: a missed run is flagged overdue and rescheduled after the overdue period you set.

Does a genset of 60 kVA or more need approval from Jabatan Alam Sekitar?

According to JKR's guideline (section 7.3), standby gensets rated 60 kVA and above are registered with Jabatan Alam Sekitar using form AS 16B, the licence obtained is displayed in the installation room, and sets below 60 kVA don't need registration. The Environmental Quality (Clean Air) Regulations 2014 define fuel burning equipment to include internal combustion engines, which is why a diesel genset falls under them.

What FieldEx does about it

Rating on the asset: each genset's kVA rating is on its record, so sets of 60 kVA and above can be filtered and listed.
The JAS licence tracked: the licence can be a certification on the genset with its renewal date and the licence document attached.
A photo of the displayed licence: the technician can photograph the licence in the room during the yearly check.
Wet stacking signs logged: observations such as exhaust slobber are recorded with photos, building a history for the engine.

How many competent-person visits does an installation with a standby genset need?

Regulation 67(2) of the Electricity Regulations 1994 sets the minimum. An installation up to 600 V that takes its supply through switchgear rated 100 A or more needs at least one inspection visit a month by its competent person. An installation above 600 V and up to 11 kV needs at least two a month.

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

Visits by voltage: the installation's site plan raises one or two competent-person visits a month.
The genset on the visit checklist: the visit checklist can include the genset's status, hours and battery check.
Hours updated on each visit: the hour reading taken on the visit updates the genset's meter and its next PPM.
The report attached: the load bank printout is attached to the completed test record.

Which chargeman category covers a low-voltage system with genset synchronising?

Suruhanjaya Tenaga's list of penjaga jentera (chargeman) categories includes A4-2 (PJ32) for low-voltage systems without aerial lines and without synchronising; generator synchronising work needs an A4 chargeman. A1 (PJ2) covers low-voltage systems without a generating station.

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

What FieldEx does about it

Categories as skills: each chargeman's category, such as A4, can be set as a skill. Each skill can carry an expiry date.
Synchronising jobs matched: jobs on synchronising panels can require the A4 skill, so they only reach chargemen holding the A4 category.
A fallback: if no qualified chargeman is free, the job goes to the next group, alerts a supervisor or waits, as you set.

How often must a private hospital's genset be run and load-tested?

Regulation 87(7) of the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Regulations 2006 (P.U.(A) 138/2006) says electrical generating equipment is run for at least 30 minutes every week, or as the manufacturer stipulates, including a monthly test under load, with a proper record of the tests kept. The Ministry of Health's Medical Practice Division licensing checklist (October 2016) checks the same point, asking for the record of weekly runs of at least 30 minutes and monthly load tests.

What FieldEx does about it

Weekly runs and monthly load tests: the weekly run and the monthly load test are separate recurring inspections on the hospital's genset.
Thirty minutes on the record: run time is captured on every run, with check-in and check-out times on the job.
The licence checklist answered: reports list every run and load test by genset and month, ready for the licensing visit.
Missed runs flagged: a missed weekly run shows as overdue on the dashboard.

What genset test and inspection records must be kept in Malaysia?

Regulation 68(3) of the Electricity Regulations 1994 requires the owner, management or licensee of an installation to keep a book of all inspection records and reports, open for inspection by the Commission at all times. For private hospitals, regulation 87(7) of the 2006 healthcare regulations requires a proper record of generator tests, and the Ministry of Health licensing checklist asks to see it.

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

What FieldEx does about it

A digital logbook per genset: every run, test, service and repair stays on the genset's record with the date, technician and result.
Records available at any time: the owner can download job sheets and the genset's history from the customer portal.
Exported for inspectors: reports by genset and period can be exported as PDF or Excel.
Warranty kept: each battery's warranty period is on the part record for claims.

Which fire safety systems rely on the emergency power supply under UBBL by-law 253?

Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia's (PAM) 2011 seminar on fire protection in Malaysia explains that, under by-law 253 of the Uniform Building By-Laws (UBBL), emergency power is provided for fire pumps, fire lifts, fire alarms, smoke control, emergency lighting, voice communication and the firemen's intercom. One source of emergency power it lists is a standby generator with a changeover switch that operates on power failure. PAM's 2018 seminar on the UBBL revisions lists by-law 253, emergency power system, among the active fire requirements.

What FieldEx does about it

The genset linked to what it powers: the fire pumps and fire lifts it serves sit under the same site, so a genset fault shows its effect on the building.
Changeover tested on the monthly run: the changeover switch operation is a task on the monthly load test.
Faults escalated: a failed changeover can raise an urgent job and alert the client and your supervisor at once.

How often should a genset be load tested, and at what load?

Outside private hospitals, international guidance is the usual reference. NFPA 110, as reprinted in Cummins' 2020 guide, says generator sets are exercised at least monthly for at least 30 minutes, at not less than 30% of the standby nameplate kW rating or at the manufacturer's recommended operating temperature. For Malaysian private hospitals, regulation 87(7) of the 2006 healthcare regulations already requires a monthly test under load.

What FieldEx does about it

Load as a % of rating: each load test records the load against the genset's rating as a number field.
Light load flagged: an answer below the 30% mark can raise a follow-up for a load bank test.
The load bank booked: your load bank can be an asset, moved to each site and recorded on the job.

How many engine hours should pass between genset services?

The manufacturer sets the interval. Caterpillar's operation and maintenance manual for its C9 to C18 generator sets, an international reference, says service intervals are based on service hours or fuel consumption, with calendar intervals usable instead. US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules for emergency compression ignition engines, under 40 CFR Part 63 Subpart ZZZZ, require an oil and filter change every 500 hours or within 1 year plus 30 days, whichever comes first.

What FieldEx does about it

Hours or date, whichever first: each genset's PPM plan triggers on its hour meter or the calendar.
Intervals by engine model: a default hour interval can be set per asset type, so each new set starts with the right one.
Hours from every job: readings taken on any visit move the next service date.

How should genset starting batteries be checked?

International guidance sets a monthly and quarterly rhythm. NFPA 110 section 8.3.6, in Cummins' reprint, requires monthly testing and recording of the electrolyte specific gravity for lead-acid batteries, and NFPA's 2020 article adds a quarterly battery load test.

What FieldEx does about it

Batteries under the genset: each battery bank is a part of its set, with its install date and warranty.
Readings each month: specific gravity and voltage are entered as number fields on the monthly check.
Replacement raised at once: a failed battery check opens the replacement job, with the battery taken from van stock.

What rules apply to gensets at telecommunication tower sites?

The Malaysian Technical Standards Forum's technical code for radiocommunications network infrastructure, MTSFB 001-2009 TSIR Part 3, registered with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), says a genset at a telecom site must comply with all relevant authority requirements: the domestic trade ministry, Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna (KPDNHEP, now KPDN), for diesel, JAS and occupational safety and health rules for sound and smoke where they apply, and registration with Suruhanjaya Tenaga. For a portable genset, its capacity must be at least 80% of the site's loading.

What FieldEx does about it

Each tower as a site: every base transceiver station (BTS) site has its own record, with its genset, batteries and rectifiers as assets.
Portable gensets moved and tracked: portable sets are assets moved between sites, with each move recorded.
Capacity on the record: each portable genset's rating is on its asset, so the technician can check it against the site's load.
Remote visits offline: jobs and tasks can be downloaded and worked offline, with check-in, check-out and travel synced later.

How often should diesel in a genset tank be tested?

International practice is the usual reference. NFPA 110 section 8.3.7, in Cummins' reprint, requires a fuel quality test at least once a year using ASTM standards or the manufacturer's recommendations. A 2018 NFPA proposal, TIA 1388, would have required testing for degradation at least twice a year, but it was a ballot proposal, not adopted text.

What FieldEx does about it

A yearly test per tank: each tank's fuel quality test is a recurring certification with the lab result attached.
Six-monthly where the client asks: the frequency can be set to every 6 months instead.
Bad results raise work: a failed result opens the job to treat or replace the fuel.

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

What Malaysian genset owners and service firms ask about FieldEx

Which generator maintenance software suits a Malaysian genset service company?

One that holds every genset, switch and battery per client, raises PPM on engine hours or dates, runs weekly and monthly tests on time, records readings and keeps the logbook. FieldEx does this in one system, with a mobile app in English, Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese. See our best field service management software guide.

Can FieldEx raise genset PPM on engine hours?

Yes. Each PPM plan can trigger on the genset's hour meter, on the date, or on whichever arrives first.

Can we prove weekly 30-minute runs for a hospital licence check?

Yes. Every weekly run and monthly load test is recorded with its run time, technician and result, and reports list them by genset and month.

Can technicians key in load and battery readings on site?

Yes. Number fields on the job take load, run time, temperature, voltage and specific gravity readings against the genset.

Can FieldEx remind us before a JAS licence or ST registration lapses?

Yes. Both can be certifications with their own expiry dates, due and overdue status and reminders.

Can we track portable gensets moved between telecom sites?

Yes. Portable sets are assets that can be moved between sites and stock locations, with every move recorded.

Can clients see their genset service history?

Yes. The branded customer portal shows equipment, last-serviced dates, coming PPM and downloadable job sheets.

Does the app work in Bahasa Malaysia and offline at remote towers?

Yes. The FieldEx mobile app runs in English, Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese. Jobs and tasks can be downloaded and worked offline, with check-in, check-out and travel synced later.

Can a failed changeover test raise an urgent job?

Yes. A failed answer opens the repair job at once and can alert the client and your supervisor.

How soon can a genset service company go live on FieldEx?

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. There is no setup fee: setup, data upload and training come with the subscription, and FieldEx onboards customers in person in Malaysia as well as online. See FieldEx implementation in Malaysia.

Keep every genset's runs, tests and PPM on one logbook

Book a demo