Ingersoll-Rand's Portable Power Business has launched a new range of GenPowerSource diesel-driven generators aimed at customers in the plant hire and construction industries.

The new generators, from 16 kVA to 550 kVA, are designed specifically with plant hire in mind and with a total of 17 different models, backed by Ingersoll-Rand's one-stop shop aftermarket service.

One of their important features is the double galvanised steel skid chassis that is so robust that the generators can be towed via dragging points to manoeuvre them into place on site or in the hire yard. In addition the tough base allows the generators to be stacked easily and handling is further enhanced through the provision of fork slots built into the skid base and central lifting eyes.

The skid base has further sheeting in the under base and affords excellent protection, acting as a retention tank to prevent spillages and allowing the use of larger fuel tanks in the bigger generators.

The generators have a single control panel positioned at the front of the machines that offers a number of operating and safety features for the plant hire industry. These include an air heater pre-warm package that enables starting at -18 deg C, an instrument circuit breaker and potentiometers for voltage and speed adjustment to fine tune the generator. The control panel is also modular in design so that a generator can be configured for a specific application or upgraded in the future.

Other features include built-in ladders on the small and mid-range generators, a battery cut out system to prevent the battery from running down when the generator is not in use; protective guards for hot spots; an air filter with replaceable cartridge; a diesel oil hatch and an oil drainage pump for quick drainage of the lubrication system.