Systems and methods for testing emergency power supply systems

A method for testing emergency power supply system (EPSS) equipment at a facility, wherein the EPSS equipment comprises at least one automatic transfer switch (ATS), and wherein the EPSS equipment is operatively connected to an EPSS management computer system for managing the EPSS equipment, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a test initiation command at the EPSS management computer system for initiation of an automatic load test of one or more items of EPSS equipment, wherein the test initiation command is generated by a user via a graphical user interface (GUI), and wherein the test initiation command includes one or more testing parameters;
• upon receipt of the test initiation command, the EPSS management computer system creating a data record for each of the one or more items of EPSS equipment that are subject to the automatic load test, wherein each data record includes EPSS testing data related to the automatic load test, and wherein each data record is stored in a database;
• sending a test start command from the EPSS management computer system to an initiating ATS included in the one or more items of EPSS equipment to be tested to start the automatic load test as a function of the one or more testing parameters in the test initiation command, whereby the initiating ATS facilitates a transfer of electrical power to a portion of the facility from utility power to emergency power;
• during the automatic load test, receiving the EPSS testing data from the one or more items of EPSS equipment and storing the received EPSS testing data in each respective data record for use in generating one or more test reports;
• ending the automatic load test based upon the one or more testing parameters;
• and
• whereby once the automatic load test has ended, power to the portion of the facility is transferred back to utility power and the one or more test reports are generated based on the stored data records.

A method for testing emergency power supply system (EPSS) equipment at a facility, wherein the EPSS equipment comprises at least one automatic transfer switch (ATS), and wherein the EPSS equipment is operatively connected to an EPSS management computer system for managing the EPSS equipment, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a test initiation signal at the EPSS management computer system indicating that an initiating ATS has been manually activated by a person for initiation of a manual load test of at one or more items of EPSS equipment, whereby the initiating ATS facilitates transfer of electrical power to a portion of the facility from utility power to emergency power;
• creating a data record for each of the one or more items of EPSS equipment that are subject to the manual load test, wherein each data record includes EPSS testing data related to the manual load test, and wherein each data record is stored in a database;
• and
• upon creation of the data records for the one or more items of EPSS equipment, receiving the EPSS testing data from the one or more items of EPSS equipment and storing the received EPSS testing data in each respective data record for use in generating one or more test reports;
• whereby once the one or more items of EPSS equipment are manually deactivated by the person, the manual load test ends, power to the portion of the facility is transferred back to utility power, and one or more test reports are generated based on the stored data records.

A method for testing emergency power supply system (EPSS) equipment at a facility, wherein the EPSS equipment comprises at least one generator, and wherein the EPSS equipment is operatively connected to an EPSS management computer system for managing the EPSS equipment, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a test initiation command at the EPSS management computer system for initiation of a no load test of at least one generator;
• creating one or more data records for the at least one generator that is subject to the no load test, wherein the one or more data records include EPSS testing data related to the no load test, and wherein the one or more data records are stored in a database;
• and
• upon creation of the one or more data records for the at least one generator and receipt of an indication that the at least one generator is running, receiving the EPSS testing data from the at least one generator and storing the received EPSS testing data in the one or more data records for use in generating one or more test reports;
• whereby once the no load test has ended, the at least one generator is allowed to stop running and cool down, and the one or more test reports are generated based on the one or more stored data records.

A method for utilizing an emergency event as a load test for purposes of complying with testing requirements involving the operation of emergency power supply system (EPSS) equipment at a facility, wherein the EPSS equipment is operatively connected to an EPSS management computer system for managing the EPSS equipment at the facility, comprising the steps of:

• upon initiation of the emergency event, detecting the emergency event via the EPSS management computer system;
• creating one or more data records for each item of EPSS equipment affected by the emergency event, wherein the one or more data records include EPSS operational data related to the emergency event, and wherein the one or more data records are stored in a database;
• receiving the EPSS operational data from the each item of EPSS equipment affected by the emergency event and storing the received EPSS operational data in each respective data record;
• and
• upon completion of the emergency event, generating one or more emergency reports based on the stored EPSS operational data for each item of EPSS equipment affected by the emergency event.

For an emergency power supply system (EPSS) that supplies emergency electrical power to a protected facility in the event of a power outage of electrical power by a utility, a method for maintaining equipment of the EPSS in a state of compliance with requirements involving the operation of the EPSS equipment under predetermined conditions for predetermined times, the EPSS equipment comprising at least one generator and at least one automatic transfer switch (ATS), comprising the steps of:

• providing an emergency power management system (EPMS) that is coupled for data communications with the EPSS equipment, the EPMS including a management computer system operative for managing operational characteristics of the EPSS equipment with automatically configurable management software, the management computer system including a computer program operative to receive signals from the EPSS equipment indicative of status of the EPSS equipment and to provide signals to control the operation of the EPSS equipment including the testing of the EPSS equipment;
• in response to a power outage event that causes the startup of the at least one generator by the at least one ATS, providing signals to the EPMS management computer system indicating the power outage event, the EPMS management computer system creating and storing data records corresponding to a time of initiation of the power outage event, the nature of the event as a power outage event, operating parameters of the EPSS equipment during the power outage event, and a time of termination of the power outage event and return of utility electrical power to the protected facility;
• in response to an automatic test event, providing signals from the EPMS management computer system to the EPSS equipment to startup the at least one generator and run a test, the EPMS management computer system creating and storing data records corresponding to a time of initiation of the automatic test event, the nature of the event as an automatic test event, operating parameters of the EPSS equipment during the automatic test event, and a time of termination of the automatic test event;
• in response to a manual test signal from an item of EPSS equipment indicating a manual test event initiated by a person, the EPMS management computer system creating and storing data records corresponding to a time of initiation of the manual test event, the nature of the event as a manual test event, operating parameters of the EPSS equipment during the manual test event, and a time of termination of the manual test event;
• cumulating operational data by the EPMS management computer system corresponding to the operating parameters of the EPSS equipment for power outage events, automatic test events, and manual test events;
• and
• based on the cumulated operational data, providing an output from the EPMS as evidentiary data in support of a submission that the EPSS equipment has complied with said predetermined operational requirements.