With the advent of LED lighting on fire apparatus, some departments find they have no need for a generator on their rigs. While there has been a drop in the use of generators, notably on pumpers, they continue to be used on rescues, aerials, and some of the larger engines.
Likewise, departments have increased their use of auxiliary power units (APUs) on their rigs. But while APUs are making inroads onto apparatus, various types of generators continue to be installed on some fire apparatus and ambulances.
Jay Farrell, director of sales for Smart Power Systems, says while APUs have created a lot of competition for generator use on fire apparatus, Smart Power continues to see a lot of generator use on various fire rigs.
“We’ve seen a lot of light-duty rescues/paramedic rescues using generators to keep their meds at a constant temperature once they come off of a shore line,” Farrell points out. “A lot of aerial ladders continue to use generators in the 6-kW to 10-kW range to power their 120-volt systems, and we’ve even seen an uptick in some aerials and rescues putting in 10-kW and 15-kW generators. But for the most part, in the Southwest and on the West Coast, the average size generator going on an aerial or rescue is between 8 kW and 10 kW.”
Farrell adds that Boca Raton (FL) Fire Rescue is putting 8-kW and 10-kW generators on its pumpers, depending on the equipment that’s on that particular rig. “They’re powering a 100-volt air-conditioning unit that does a slow ramp up when they start the truck and operates the entire time they are on the road, managing the climate control system, whether air-conditioning or heat, depending on the weather,” he says. “The Aurora (CO) Fire Department has a 10-kW Smart Power generator that handles a lot of 120-volt LED lighting and numerous receptacles in the cab and body compartments for chargers, radios, and cord reels. The system we built for them complements the charging of their battery-powered tools while they are on the road.”
1 A Smart Power Systems 6-kW generator installed on a rig for the Charlotte County (FL) Fire Department. (Photos 1-2 courtesy of Smart Power Systems.)
2 The Seminole County (FL) Fire Department had a Smart Power Systems generator installed on its new SP70 aerial quint.
3 A Harrison Hydra-Gen hPower idle reduction unit is installed on the Type 1 EMS ambulance built for the Houston (TX) Fire Department. (Photos 3-4 courtesy of Harrison Hydra-Gen.)
4 The STINGER 3.0 generator from Harrison Hydra-Gen has a new frame and look to bridge the gap between a traditional generator and an inverter.
5 A Vanner® inverter that Sutphen Corp. installed on a new SPH 100 aerial platform. (Photos 5-6 courtesy of Sutphen Corp.)
6 Sutphen installed its idle reduction technology units on these two pumpers built for the Durham (NC) Fire Department.
Paul Newton, vice president of sales and marketing for Harrison Hydra-Gen, says the most popular sizes of generator now for fire apparatus seem to be in the 3-kW to 6-kW range. “Components on fire vehicles have gotten much more efficient with the use of LED lighting and various technologies and motor efficiencies,” Newton points out. He adds that Harrison has seen a move back toward generators on fire apparatus because the vehicles’ 12-volt systems are becoming overloaded.
Newton says Harrison’s 6-, 8-, and 10-kW hydraulic generators are the most popular on fire apparatus. “Many departments are moving toward our 6-kW STINGER MSV, a very compact generator that can be installed in a number of different ways and in 3.6-, 4.8-, and 6-kW models,” he says. “We also have the STINGER 3.0 that has a new frame and look that bridges the gap between a traditional generator and an inverter.” Other generators Harrison makes that are well used on fire apparatus include the FALCON MAS in 6-, 8-, and 10-kW sizes; the STEALTH MCR in 6-, 8-, 10-, and 12-kW; and the VULCAN LPG in 6-, 8-, and 10-kW, he adds.
Dale Grosskopf, chief electrical engineer for Rosenbauer America, says that generators on fire apparatus are trending down to inverters, except on rescues, but that diesel-fired APU generators are the best option for fuel consumption and environmental impact due to not having the truck’s chassis engine running.
Grosskopf believes the use of inverters is growing and they are taking their place on fire rigs. “An inverter takes a 12-volt DC power source and converts it to 120-volt AC current,” he says. “An inverter might cover a fire department for lighter loads on a fire apparatus but not for large loads such as compressors and other heavy equipment.”
Grosskopf points out, “If a fire department wants a lot of alternating current around a fire vehicle, it should go with a generator and AC wiring. These are best used when you need to power air compressors, refrigerators on rescues, lots of cord reels, and other heavy users of AC power.”
Joe Lichtscheidl, pumper program manager for Rosenbauer America, says Rosenbauer offers its GREEN Star System idle reduction technology through two generation systems—diesel-powered and battery-powered units. “The diesel-driven unit is more fuel efficient than one driven off of hydraulic power,” Lichtscheidl points out. “And lately, we are seeing a lot more efficient batteries being specified for our battery-operated system, which is getting increasing use over our diesel GREEN Star system. But no matter which system you choose, the GREEN Star system will power lighting, rescue tools, fans, drills, saws, and all other tools operating on Milwaukee or other types of batteries.”
Justin Howell, sales territory manager for Sutphen Corp.’s southeast region, says Sutphen’s installation of generators has been “few and far between.” He says Sutphen has put 8- and 10-kW generators on rescues and aerials and rigs with light towers, but many of the apparatus it builds go with either APUs or inverters. “The APUs are integrated with the main engine, and when it’s activated on the scene, it turns off the main engine and runs the scene lights and other electricals,” Howell notes. “If the operator needs to run a pump, then the APU shuts down and the main engine comes back on. Sutphen’s Idle Reduction Technology uses lithium-ion batteries that are ultra-efficient and can be charged by either shore line or through a solar panel.”
7 SVI Trucks installed a 9-kW generator with idle reduction on this heavy rescue built for the St. Louis (MO) Fire Department. (Photos 7-8 courtesy of SVI Trucks.)
8 SVI Trucks installed a rooftop Onan 20-kW diesel generator with fans in the compartment lid to aid cooling on this walk-in heavy rescue for the Houston (TX) Fire Department.
9 4 Guys Fire Trucks installed this 6-kW Harrison Hydra-Gen MAS generator in the front of the hosebed on this pumper it built for the New Salem (MA) Fire Department. (Photo 9 courtesy of 4 Guys Fire Trucks.)
Howell points out that some fire departments choose an inverter for their rig. “An inverter converts 12-volt DC to 120-volt or 240-volt AC,” he says. “It’s a good way to run some scene lights and battery chargers on a fire scene without firing up a full-sized generator.”
Dave Archer, vice president of engineering for Pierce Manufacturing Inc., says Pierce is installing more and more APUs on fire vehicles. “With the proliferation of LED lighting, we are seeing a big downsizing of the use of generators,” Archer observes. “If they are going on fire rigs, they are much smaller and often portable units instead of the larger, vehicle-mounted models. The smaller portable units are in the 1.5-kW to 3-kW range and are powering battery packs on auxiliary equipment, hydraulic rescue tools, saws, and battery-powered fans.”
Stephen Greenhagen, sales engineer for SVI Trucks, says his company has seen a dramatic drop in the use of generators on fire vehicles. “We put one on a truck every now and then, especially if a department wants a light tower or lots of scene lighting on the truck,” Greenhagen says. “You might need it on a big rescue that has a plasma cutter, but many departments are going with a portable generator that can take care of their battery-operated rescue tools, saws, and fans.”
Mark Brenneman, assistant sales manager for 4 Guys Fire Trucks, says his company installs a number of brands of generators on the trucks it builds, including Harrison, Onan, Stadco, and Smart Power, but that Harrison hydraulic generators seem to be in the greatest demand. “The most popular option seems to be a 10-kW Harrison hydraulic generator,” Brenneman says. “It’s a middle-of-the-road, workhorse-size generator that meets the needs of the vehicle quite well.”
Bob Hansen, president of XRT Power Systems, notes that his company sells radiator-cooled diesel generators made by Westerbeke and also developed a pump to attach on the back of a generator to power hydraulic rescue tools. “We are the biggest distributor for Westerbeke diesel- and gasoline-powered generators,” Hansen says. “We handle generators in the 6-kW up to 26-kW size for fire/rescue and from 3.5-kW to 30-kW for marine applications, which is of interest to a number of fire departments.”
ALAN M. PETRILLO is a Tucson, Arizona-based journalist, the author of three novels and five nonfiction books, and a member of the Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment Editorial Advisory Board. He served 22 years with the Verdoy (NY) Fire Department, including in the position of chief.
