As per SOLAS chapter II- 1, Regulation 44
1. All passenger and cargo vessels shall be provided with emergency sources of electrical power, for essential services under emergency conditions.
2. Emergency generator and emergency switchboard of the ship should be located above the uppermost continuous deck, away from machinery space, behind the collision bulkhead.
3. The main switchboard of the ship should not interface with supply, control, and distribution of emergency power.
4. Emergency generator should come on load automatically within 45s after the failure of main power supply.
5. Emergency source of power should be capable of operating with a list of up to 22 ½ ° and a trim of up to 10 °
6. The generator should have independent fuel supply having flash point not less than 43°C.
7. Emergency generator should be capable of giving power for the period of 18 hours for the cargo ship and 36 hours for the passenger ship.
8. Emergency generator should start at or below 0°C and if temperature fall below this then there should be heating arrangement.
9. If the emergency generator fails to come on load the indication should be given to ECR.
10. Emergency generator should have two different starting arrangement.
• Primary may be the battery, should be fully charged at all time and capable of providing 3 consecutive Start.
• Secondary may be pneumatic or hydraulic, capable of providing 3 consecutive starts within 30 mint, and 1st start within 12 mint.
What are the emergency generator maintenance ?
- Every Saturday, emergency generator must test run
- Air bottle pressed up or starter battery fully charged, at all-time
- Changeover the selector switch to local position before starting
- Make sure breaker switch at ‘off’ position before starting (an interlock between E/R Main switchboard breaker and emergency switchboard breaker is provided to prevent simultaneous closure of both breaker)
- During testing, check frequency, voltage and ampere
- Fuel tank, always checked to ensure adequate level
- Air filter of generator, regularly cleaned
- Required tools and spares kept in a container
- Emergency light for this room should be always checked