Make, kVA, running hours, emission norms and the route out of the basement — what decides the price of a used DG set.
A DG set is often the single most valuable item in an office building or factory — and one of the hardest to price without seeing it. Here is what a serious buyer checks, and how you can prepare so the quote is accurate the first time.
The nameplate: make, model, kVA and year
Start with a clear photo of the engine and alternator nameplates. Make and kVA set the baseline value; the year of manufacture tells the buyer which emission norms the engine was built to. Well-known makes with good parts availability resell more easily.
Running hours and service records
The hour meter tells the buyer how hard the engine has worked. Service records — oil changes, filter replacements, overhauls — show whether it was looked after. A set with high hours and a full service history can be worth more than one with low hours and no records.
Does it start and take load?
If possible, the buyer will want to start the set and, ideally, see it run on load. A set that runs cleanly is priced as a working unit. A set that doesn't start is priced mostly on engine, alternator and metal value.
Emission norms and air-quality rules
In Delhi NCR, air-quality restrictions under GRAP limit DG set use during poor-air periods, and newer gensets are built to stricter CPCB IV+ emission norms. That is one reason many buildings are replacing older diesel sets. Older sets still have value — for use where permitted, or for parts and metal — but newer-norm sets fetch more.
The canopy, panel and accessories
- Condition of the acoustic canopy (rust, damaged doors)
- AMF or synchronising panel, and whether it is sold with the set
- Batteries, fuel tank and exhaust system
The route out
This is where many quotes change. A 250 kVA set in a basement with a narrow ramp may need the canopy dismantled, chain pulleys and a crane at the top. A rooftop set may need a crane lift. The buyer will look at the route and price the removal into the offer. Share photos of the location and the path to the road.
Paperwork
For company assets, keep the original purchase invoice or asset tag handy, along with internal approval for the sale. The buyer should give you a purchase receipt.
A quick preparation list
- Nameplate photos (engine and alternator)
- Hour meter reading
- Service records if available
- Photos of the canopy, panel and the route out
- Whether it runs
Send these to us on WhatsApp and we'll come back with an approximate range, then confirm at a site visit. See our used DG set buyers in Delhi and used generator buyers in Noida pages.
Quick questions
Do buyers purchase DG sets that don’t run?
Yes. Non-running sets are bought for the value of the engine, alternator, copper and steel. Working sets fetch a higher price.
Who pays for crane and removal from a basement?
In most buyback offers the buyer includes removal in the price. Difficult routes reduce the offer, so share photos of the route in advance.
Adarsh Old Office Furniture Buyer
Old office furniture buyers and office dismantling crew based in Sector 94, Noida. Written from our own jobs across Delhi NCR.
