Providing power to your home or business in the event of a power outage or other electrical problems can be useful or even critical depending on your industry. The best way to do this is to use a generator. Power generators are devices that generate electricity for some amount of time using a source of fuel like natural gas in order to replace power from the city or utility plant. What many people don’t know about generators is that they are not the only piece you need. There is another piece that must be considered called an Automatic Transfer Switch, or ATS.
What is an Automatic Transfer Switch?
An automatic transfer switch, or ATS, is a device that acts as a brain between utility and secondary power. It acts in the event of power interruption to switch over to secondary power and control the system with little or no input from you.
After reading this guide about ATS systems, you will be more prepared to understand your power needs and decide what solution is best for your business.
Understanding ATS Systems
ATS systems act as a brain between your building, utility power and the generator. They detect changes in power and act accordingly to maintain electricity for your building with the help of a generator. If utility power cuts out, the ATS will turn on your generator and switch to it. When utility power is back, it will shut down the generator and switch back to utility power automatically.
This system, besides convenience, is there to prevent even small losses of electrical power which can be devastating for your business. The ATS and generator are sized according to the needs of your building or system. Ultimately, the intelligent backup and power transfer provided by the ATS helps maintain business continuity and prevent costly or potentially deadly failures in environments such as hospitals, heavy industries or other businesses.