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Beyond the Box: Crafting Your Perfect Generator Setup

The Core Benefits: Custom vs. Off-the-Shelf Generators

When standard power solutions fall short, custom generator solutions provide the precision, reliability, and efficiency that critical operations demand. Unlike one-size-fits-all units pulled from a catalog, a custom-engineered generator is a power system carefully designed for your application’s unique requirements—from precise power output and fuel type to specialized enclosures and advanced control systems that standard units simply cannot provide.

For MTS Power Products customers, this goes beyond just picking a bigger or smaller unit. As a direct manufacturer based in Miami, Florida, MTS designs and builds generator sets, automatic transfer switches, and control systems in-house. That means engineering and fabrication teams can coordinate every detail of your system—from the alternator and engine package to McPherson Controls panels and voltage regulators—to deliver a turnkey solution instead of a patched-together assortment of parts.

A Deeper Dive into Customization

The difference between an off-the-shelf product and a custom solution lies in the engineering details that address specific operational challenges.

  • Custom Power Output: A standard generator often forces you to choose between a unit that’s too small, risking overload and failure, or one that’s too large, leading to fuel inefficiency and potential engine damage (like wet stacking in diesel engines). Custom solutions are precisely matched to your load requirements, from 7kW to over 3000kW, ensuring optimal performance and longevity. MTS engineers analyze your real-world load profile, motor starting needs, and future expansion plans so your generator is sized for what you actually use—not just a nameplate rating.
  • Space Optimization: Modern facilities and retrofits rarely have perfect, rectangular spaces available. Custom generators are designed to fit challenging locations, whether it’s a narrow basement, a weight-restricted rooftop, or an irregularly shaped room. Using advanced 3D modeling, engineers can create a solution that integrates perfectly into your available footprint, saving significant construction and installation costs. MTS routinely designs low-profile enclosures, modular skid systems, and split-shipment units that can be assembled on-site when access is limited.
  • Noise Control: Standard generators often produce noise levels unacceptable for hospitals, residential areas, or commercial high-rises. Custom solutions are engineered with sound-attenuated enclosures that use specialized insulation and baffled airflow systems to meet strict local noise ordinances, ensuring quiet operation without sacrificing performance. For South Florida projects, MTS also considers dense urban environments and proximity to neighbors, coordinating with acoustical consultants when required.
  • Fuel Flexibility: Your site’s location and operational needs dictate the best fuel source. While many standard units are diesel-only, custom solutions can be configured for diesel, natural gas, propane, or even bi-fuel systems. This flexibility allows you to leverage available resources, reduce fuel costs, and build in redundancy for mission-critical applications. MTS supports a full range of configurations, from natural-gas-driven commercial standby systems to large diesel units with extended runtime tanks for hurricane-prone facilities.
  • System Integration: A generator is part of a larger electrical ecosystem. Custom solutions are designed for seamless integration with your existing infrastructure, including Automatic Transfer Switches (ATS), switchgear, and Building Management Systems (BMS). With advanced programmable panels, like our own McPherson Controls line, you gain sophisticated load management, remote monitoring, data logging, and the ability to connect with microgrids or renewable energy sources. Integration with common protocols and platforms—such as Modbus, BACnet, and web-based dashboards—ensures your power system can be monitored from anywhere.
  • Safety and Compliance: Critical power systems must meet stringent electrical codes, emissions regulations, and life-safety requirements. A custom-engineered generator can be designed to support NFPA 110, NEC, and local AHJ requirements, as well as applicable EPA emissions standards and Tier 4 options where needed. MTS coordinates design and documentation so inspectors, insurers, and facility stakeholders have clear evidence of compliance.
  • Long-Term Value: The true cost of a generator extends far beyond the initial purchase. A custom solution delivers a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) by optimizing fuel consumption, reducing maintenance needs through right-sized engineering, and simplifying installation. Over a 20- to 30-year lifespan, these efficiencies result in substantial savings. Because MTS is a direct manufacturer, customers also benefit from ready access to OEM parts, technical support, and upgrades—further extending system life and performance.

Understanding Industry Standards and Best Practices

For consulting engineers and facility managers, the choice of a power system is a significant long-term commitment. Industry analysis from organizations like the Electrical Generating Systems Association (EGSA) highlights that this decision can influence a facility’s operational reliability and financial performance for decades. This is why for most critical applications, there are no truly “standard” power solutions.

Organizations from hospitals to data centers increasingly turn to custom-engineered systems to solve complex power challenges. For example, one manufacturer struggled with poor power quality and rising utility costs for years before developing one of Canada’s first industrial microgrids—a 4MW custom solution that transformed their operations. Similar benefits can be seen in well-designed systems from major brands such as Caterpillar and Cummins, which offer extensive technical resources and product documentation that can help specifiers understand best practices when evaluating any custom power solution.

The difference between adequate power and optimal power often comes down to engineering expertise, not just equipment selection. Working directly with a manufacturer like MTS Power Products, with in-house design, fabrication, McPherson Controls, and worldwide delivery from Miami, ensures that your custom generator solutions are custom precisely to your environment, your loads, and your long-term operational strategy.

Environmental Considerations and Sustainability

Modern custom generator solutions must also address environmental concerns and sustainability goals. Custom systems can be engineered to meet or exceed EPA Tier 4 emissions standards, incorporating advanced exhaust after-treatment systems that significantly reduce NOx and particulate matter emissions. For facilities pursuing LEED certification or corporate sustainability initiatives, custom generators can be designed with features like:

  • Hybrid Power Systems: Integration with renewable energy sources such as solar panels or wind turbines, allowing the generator to serve as backup while maximizing clean energy usage during normal operations.
  • Load Management Optimization: Advanced control systems that intelligently manage power distribution, reducing runtime hours and fuel consumption while maintaining reliability.
  • Alternative Fuel Capabilities: Natural gas and propane options produce fewer emissions than traditional diesel, while bi-fuel systems provide operational flexibility to switch between fuel sources based on availability and environmental considerations.
  • Heat Recovery Systems: Custom generators can be equipped with combined heat and power (CHP) capabilities, capturing waste heat from the engine for building heating or industrial processes, improving overall system efficiency to 80% or higher.

These environmental features not only reduce the carbon footprint of backup power systems but can also qualify facilities for utility incentives, tax credits, and improved insurance rates. MTS Power Products works with customers to identify opportunities for sustainable power solutions that align with both operational needs and environmental objectives.

Infographic comparing standard generators versus custom generator solutions, showing differences in power output flexibility, space adaptability, noise control options, fuel type choices, integration capabilities with existing systems, total cost of ownership over 20-30 years, and customization options for enclosures and control panels - custom generator solutions infographic comparison-2-items-formal

Custom generator solutions further reading:

When it comes to securing reliable power, many businesses initially consider standard, off-the-shelf generator units. They seem like a straightforward choice. However, experience across countless critical applications—especially in hurricane-prone regions like South Florida—shows that “ordinary doesn’t fit.” This is precisely where custom generator solutions shine, offering a suite of tangible benefits that far outweigh the one-size-fits-all approach.

Let’s consider a direct comparison:

Feature Standard (Off-the-Shelf) Generator Custom Generator Solution
Power Output Fixed power ratings (e.g., 100kW, 250kW, 500kW). Often leads to oversizing or undersizing. Precisely engineered to match your exact load profile (7kW to 3000kW+), preventing inefficiency and premature wear.
Footprint & Space Standard, fixed dimensions. May require costly site modifications to fit. Designed to fit your exact space constraints, including rooftops, basements, or irregular-shaped rooms.
Noise Level Basic enclosure with limited sound attenuation. Often exceeds noise ordinances in sensitive areas. Engineered with custom sound-attenuated enclosures to meet strict noise regulations (e.g., hospital or residential zones).
Fuel Type Typically limited to a single fuel type, usually diesel. Flexible fuel options including diesel, natural gas, propane, or redundant bi-fuel systems to meet site and cost needs.
System Integration Basic control panel with limited ability to integrate with other building systems. Advanced, programmable controls (like McPherson Controls) for seamless integration with ATS, switchgear, BMS, and microgrids.
Total Cost of Ownership Lower initial purchase price, but higher long-term costs due to fuel inefficiency, potential site modification, and higher maintenance. Higher initial investment, but a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) through optimized fuel consumption, reduced maintenance, and longer lifespan.

Whether you are protecting a single commercial building or a multi-site portfolio, partnering with a specialist like MTS Power Products in Miami ensures that your system is engineered, built, and supported by a team that understands both local conditions and global standards—and can deliver custom solutions worldwide.

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