How long does it take?

Two to four weeks end-to-end. The on-site monitoring window is 7–14 days; site survey, install, retrieval, and analysis make up the rest.

We scope each engagement per site — pricing depends on number of feeders monitored, harmonic-content analysis depth, and report scope. Call (209) 229-1990 or request a quote and we will scope it within one business day.

Will it interrupt my operations?

No. Power loggers use non-invasive clamp-on current transformers and connect to voltage taps without breaking circuit continuity. No shutdowns are required to install or remove the equipment.

No. Power logging is non-invasive monitoring — it does not modify the electrical system. We coordinate with your facility team for after-hours access if needed, but no permits are required.

Can you do this for new construction?

Not in the literal sense — there is no existing facility to measure. For new construction we work from the engineer's panel schedule, NEC 220 demand calculations, and load profiles from comparable facilities in our database. If you have a similar existing site in operation, monitoring that one is often the best input for the new building's sizing.

What's the difference between a load study and load bank testing?

A load study measures your facility's electrical demand — performed before you buy a generator. Load bank testing exercises a generator under an artificial controlled load to verify nameplate performance — performed after the generator is installed, typically annually for NFPA 110 compliance. We offer both as separate services.

What do I get at the end?

A written report with: time-series demand profile, peak demand and timing, largest motor starting kVA, harmonic distortion analysis, diversity factor across feeders, NFPA 110 branch segregation if applicable, and a kW recommendation with full reasoning. Plus the raw logger data files for your engineer's records.

I already have a load profile from another vendor — can you use it?

Yes. Send it over with the configuration request and our engineering team will review it. If the data is sufficient (sub-15-minute intervals, captures motor starting events, includes harmonic data) we will size from it directly. If gaps exist we will tell you what supplemental monitoring would be most valuable.

Generator Load Study

Sizing a generator from nameplate sums or a checklist is guesswork. A load study measures the real electrical demand of your facility — peak load, motor starting events, harmonic content — so the generator we quote is the one you actually need.

Request a Load Study Talk to an Engineer

What is a load study?

Load studies are a commercial and industrial sizing tool — typically for facilities above roughly 50 kW connected load. Whole-home residential standby generators don't need one; the appliance count and panel schedule are enough. If you're sizing for a home, start with our online sizing wizard instead.

A load study is the instrumented measurement of your building's actual electrical loads over time. Our engineers install power loggers (clamp-on, non-invasive) on your service entrance and selected sub-feeders, then record voltage, current, real and reactive power, motor inrush events, and harmonic distortion in 15-second intervals for 7–14 days.

The output is a real demand profile — not an estimate. We see exactly when your building peaks, how much your largest motor draws when it starts, how much of your load is non-linear (VFDs, UPS, LED drivers), and how much usable diversity exists between feeders. That data is what an engineer-grade generator specification is built on.

Importantly: a load study is not load bank testing. Load bank testing exercises a generator under an artificial resistive load to verify it can deliver nameplate power. A load study measures your facility — before you've bought the generator — so we can size it correctly.

When the answer matters more than the estimate — start with our online sizing tool for a ballpark, then convert that into a measured spec we can actually build to.

Why measurement beats estimation

Estimated sizing tools — including ours — sum nameplate ratings and apply general diversity factors. That's adequate for early scoping. It's not adequate for ordering a generator that will run a hospital, a data center, a manufacturing line, or any retrofit where the actual load profile is the source of truth.

Eliminates oversizing

Nameplate sums routinely overestimate true demand by 30–100%. Oversized generators cost more, consume more fuel, wet-stack at low load, and require larger ATS and fuel infrastructure.

Captures motor starting

Snapshot calculations miss motor inrush. A 25 HP elevator or 50 HP compressor can pull 5× steady-state during start, which dictates the generator's transient response — not its kW rating.

Reveals harmonic content

Modern facilities run VFDs, UPS, switching power supplies. Harmonic distortion forces alternator upsizing and impacts IEEE 519 compliance. You can't estimate it; you have to measure.

Validates utility data

Utility peak demand bills are 15-minute interval averages. A load study captures sub-second peaks the utility doesn't bill for — but the generator has to ride out anyway.

How we run a load study

Most facilities can be monitored in a single visit, with no operational impact. The full engagement runs 2–4 weeks end-to-end.

Scoping call

20-minute call to understand your facility — service size, critical loads, retrofit vs. new construction, NFPA 110 requirements if applicable. We confirm the engagement is the right fit and quote it.

Site survey & install

Our engineer visits, reviews the single-line, identifies main switchgear and critical sub-feeders, and installs power loggers (Fluke 1750-class or equivalent). Non-invasive clamp-on CTs — zero shutdowns required.

Monitoring window

Loggers record for 7–14 days, covering at least one full business cycle plus weekend baseline. For seasonal facilities we may extend or schedule the window to capture summer cooling or winter heating peaks.

Analysis & report

We retrieve the loggers, extract the data, and produce: time-series demand profile, peak demand and timing, largest motor starting kVA, harmonic distortion profile, diversity analysis across feeders, NFPA 110 branch-circuit segregation if applicable, and a kW recommendation with the reasoning fully shown.

Configure & quote

Hand the report to your engineer for sanity check, or send it straight into our configurator — the recommended kW, ATS amperage, and add-ons are pre-locked from the measured data.

When you need a load study

Not every project warrants one. A new dwelling on a 200A panel doesn't need it. These are the situations where measurement is the only responsible path.

Retrofit / existing facility

Adding standby power to an existing building. Nameplate sums and panel schedules systematically overestimate. A load study cuts through the guesswork and protects you from buying a generator that's 200 kW bigger than you need.

Industrial / process loads

Large motors, VFDs, welders, kilns, compressed air systems. Steady-state nameplate ratings don't capture inrush, harmonics, or duty-cycle behavior — all of which drive generator and alternator sizing.

Healthcare / NFPA 110 Level 1

Hospitals, surgery centers, kidney dialysis. Life safety, critical, and equipment branches each have independent sizing requirements. Measurement is the only way to size them defensibly.

Data centers & critical IT

kVA per rack, cooling fans, UPS top-off, transfer transients. Real load is highly variable; one measurement window beats years of estimates.

Sizing wizard said 'low confidence'

Any time our online sizing tool returns a low- or medium-confidence result, that's a signal a load study would pay for itself many times over in right-sizing.

Load study — common questions

How long does it take?: Two to four weeks end-to-end. The on-site monitoring window is 7–14 days; site survey, install, retrieval, and analysis make up the rest.
What does it cost?: We scope each engagement per site — pricing depends on number of feeders monitored, harmonic-content analysis depth, and report scope. Call (209) 229-1990 or request a quote and we will scope it within one business day.
Will it interrupt my operations?: No. Power loggers use non-invasive clamp-on current transformers and connect to voltage taps without breaking circuit continuity. No shutdowns are required to install or remove the equipment.
Do I need a permit?: No. Power logging is non-invasive monitoring — it does not modify the electrical system. We coordinate with your facility team for after-hours access if needed, but no permits are required.
Can you do this for new construction?: Not in the literal sense — there is no existing facility to measure. For new construction we work from the engineer's panel schedule, NEC 220 demand calculations, and load profiles from comparable facilities in our database. If you have a similar existing site in operation, monitoring that one is often the best input for the new building's sizing.
What's the difference between a load study and load bank testing?: A load study measures your facility's electrical demand — performed before you buy a generator. Load bank testing exercises a generator under an artificial controlled load to verify nameplate performance — performed after the generator is installed, typically annually for NFPA 110 compliance. We offer both as separate services.
What do I get at the end?: A written report with: time-series demand profile, peak demand and timing, largest motor starting kVA, harmonic distortion analysis, diversity factor across feeders, NFPA 110 branch segregation if applicable, and a kW recommendation with full reasoning. Plus the raw logger data files for your engineer's records.
I already have a load profile from another vendor — can you use it?: Yes. Send it over with the configuration request and our engineering team will review it. If the data is sufficient (sub-15-minute intervals, captures motor starting events, includes harmonic data) we will size from it directly. If gaps exist we will tell you what supplemental monitoring would be most valuable.

Written by Dillan Ferguson, COO — BASc Mechanical Engineering, Red Seal Millwright

Size it right the first time

If you're spending six or seven figures on standby power, you should know what you're actually buying. Request a load study and we will measure your facility before recommending a generator.

Request a Load Study Or call (209) 229-1990

Last reviewed: May 21, 2026