R. Baker Seamlessly Rigging and Replacing Old Equipment
Recently, a large hospital in central New Jersey successfully completed extensive HVAC and electrical changes. These changes, which were a significant undertaking, included replacing two chillers and cooling towers, adding two high-efficiency boilers, and removing and replacing five existing electrical generators with new, larger generators.
The electrical contractor involved with the renovations contacted R Baker to assist them with the efficient and safe removal and rigging of the existing generators. In addition, R. Baker was contracted to install the new, larger machines, ensuring a seamless transition.
R Baker's scope of work consisted of preparing and removing five smaller older diesel generators and fuel systems. These generators ranged in size from 100 KW to 250 KW and served the hospital for many years. Safety was a top priority, emphasizing lockout /tagout, toolbox talks, and communication among the electrical contractor's crews.
R. Baker's first and most crucial step was to remove the five existing generators. The hospital needed a 1-megawatt Caterpillar diesel electric generator to provide temporary emergency power during the replacement process of the old generators. Once the new temporary generator was tested and online, R. Baker and the electrical teams could begin removing the five existing generators. They started by reclaiming all fuel and oil. Next, they removed the large fresh air intake dampers and louvers. Finally, R. Baker disconnected each of the five generators by removing the exhaust manifolds, control, and electrical panel assemblies so they could be carefully removed from the building and onto waiting trucks.
In a previous arrangement, R. Baker sold the five generators as assets for reconditioning and resale. This provided the project with a credit towards the project costs.
In the meantime, two new large identical 1-megawatt generators ordered a year prior arrived on site. The new generators were 38' long by 10' wide by 12' high and weighed 47,500 lbs. Each had a 10,000-gallon belly tank with a sound-attenuating enclosure, industrial stairs, and extended platforms for fueling and maintenance.
R. Baker used a 130-ton hydraulic crane with large spreader bars and lifted each new generator onto its concrete pad. Rigging the two new generators took place over a weekend to minimize the disruption to the hospital's busy employee parking lot. Local police were on site to direct traffic accordingly. As the new generators were set in place, they were wired, fueled, successfully started-tested, and commissioned. This allowed the temporary generator to be removed after five months of servicing the hospital.
The hospital management, who was very involved during the entire process, was highly impressed and complemented R. Baker and the electrical contractor teams for a job well done. Their positive feedback is a testament to the project's successful completion.
About R. Baker & Son All Industrial Services
R. Baker & Son All Industrial Services, a Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE), in business since 1935, is a premier specialized contractor operating in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico, with over one hundred employees and an exemplary safety record (we have been directly involved in six sites that received VPP OSHA Safety Awards). R. Baker & Son is financially strong, with bonding capabilities of over $20 million. Capabilities include industrial and commercial demolition, rigging, machinery- and plant-moving, dismantling, decommissioning, plant and equipment relocation, interior demolition, selective demolition, warehousing, wrecking and razing, millwright, plant reconfigurations, heavy rigging, salvage, environmental services, remediation, decontamination, abatement, and investment and asset recovery.
R. Baker & Son - All Industrial Services
190 Boundary Road
Marlboro, NJ 07746
732-222-3553
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