Generator Monitoring

IoT Generator Intelligence
Generator Monitoring
ready when power fails.

Monitor generator performance in near real time with IoT gateways, Modbus controller data, and cloud alerting — so assets start when they are needed.

The Brief

Generators that must start when power fails

A Canadian corporation experienced disruptions as a direct result of power generators that would not start when needed. The customer wanted to leverage IoT to monitor the performance of their power generators to ensure that they would start when required. Correspondingly, the company also wanted to identify any faults in real time in order to maintain the health of assets proactively.

Fail-to-start events Limited real-time visibility Reactive maintenance risk
The Solution

Modbus, MQTT, and 24/7 remote generator visibility

From IoT gateway integration to automatic transfer switch data — continuous insight into engine health, fuel systems, and electrical output.

01

IoT gateway integration

Power generators integrated with an IoT gateway to capture critical electrical and engine data to the cloud for near-real-time monitoring.

02

Modbus controller link

Connected directly to the generator controller via Modbus to capture real-time engine and energy data alongside existing fuel system alarm inputs.

03

Non-disruptive sensing

Enabled monitoring of all existing fuel system alarms and new sensors with no disruption to existing systems.

04

24/7 remote access

Provided 24/7 remote access to live system status via 4G cellular connectivity.

05

MQTT cloud dashboard

Transmitted all data to a cloud dashboard via MQTT for real-time monitoring, historical trending, and reporting.

06

Real-time alerting

Implemented real-time alerting on the dashboard to surface threshold breaches and fault conditions as they occur.

07

ATS data capture

Captured automatic transfer switch data for full visibility across the power path.

08

High-frequency logging

Provided high-frequency data sampling for the data logging functionality.

09

Remote troubleshooting

Enabled remote troubleshooting and improved response to alarms through predetermined alarm configurations.

The Dashboard

Live status across engine, fuel, and ATS

Near-real-time parameters, historical trending, and fault alerts in one place — so teams can confirm generators will start before an outage, not during one.

  • Engine, electrical, and fuel system telemetry via Modbus
  • MQTT cloud dashboard with trending and reporting
  • Critical alarm alerts delivered within seconds
Output 0 kW
Engine RPM 0
Fuel 0%
Coolant 0°C
Load 68%
Fuel 78%
Battery 94%
4G / MQTT online
Highlights

What the customer gained

Better power deliveryImproved power delivery and increased life expectancy of assets.
Start when neededEnsured availability of power generators when needed.
Seconds to alertCritical alarm alert delivered within seconds.
One-pane visibilityComplete visibility across all generator parameters in one place.
Rapid ROIRapid return on investment.
Scalable architectureHigh availability with cost-effective and scalable architecture.

Know your generators will start

Talk to Big Instance about Modbus connectivity, MQTT dashboards, and real-time alerting for your critical power assets.

Modbus controller data 4G / MQTT cloud visibility Alerts within seconds