Your generator will last you a long time. It can, however, break in a matter of seconds. Good maintenance habits make all the difference. Installing something and then forgetting about it is not a good idea. Generators are hardworking devices that can fail catastrophically if not properly maintained.
10 Trusted Ways To Maintain Your Generator
Here are the ways you can maintain your generator and prevent it from landing in a mechanic workshop.
1. Make a six-month cycle plan.
The majority of your generator’s maintenance will be completed within six months. Inspection is one of the most basic tasks: is there enough oil, coolant, fuel, and so on? Cleaning the air filter, for example, might be done monthly or weekly, depending on the size and workload of the generator. Oil filters and other such items must be replaced every few months. Installing something and then forgetting about it is not a good idea. Generators are hardworking devices that can fail catastrophically if not properly maintained.
2. It should never be used indoors
Generators emit gases that will likely render you unconscious before you realize you’ve been poisoned. As a result, a generator must be kept in a well-ventilated area at all times. Enclosures for generators are also carefully built to ensure optimal air circulation. A generator can also be damaged if it runs out of air, so make sure your equipment can breathe!
3. Change Oil Regularly
Generators are high-powered equipment that go through oil and oil filters quickly. Expect the filters that come with the generator to last about as long as a cartridge you buy with your printer. After that, you should anticipate to replace your oil filters every 50 to 100 hours of operation. If you chose poorly, this might be a maintenance drain. Consult your generator manual and provider on the intervals.
4. Don’t fuel it directly
Some people put fuel directly into a generator that is already running. This is extremely unsafe and will almost certainly harm your expensive equipment. There are several scenarios and models that permit direct refueling, but they are the exceptions. Before adding more gasoline to your generator, be sure it’s turned off. Allow for a cool-down period as well. Diesel generators are less prone to this, but gasoline generators must be handled with extreme caution.
5. Use a good chord
Not all power chords are made equal. They differ in terms of the amount of electricity they use and the environment they are exposed to. To put it another way, if your chord will be exposed to rain and sunlight, get one that can handle it. They will not only survive longer, but they will also protect you from getting electrocuted by a frayed cable.
6. Don’t run out of Petrol
Generators generate electricity by spinning magnetic coils against each other. It’s important to keep those coils from becoming demagnetized. When a generator runs out of fuel, it ceases to generate electricity, but the devices that draw power from it suck the magnetism from the coils. The outcome is a hefty repair expense, or even the purchase of a new generator. A generator can be run dry, but it must not be linked to anything. Always consult the owner’s handbook first.
7. Remove old fuel.
Fuel ages and degrades over time, even foaming up, therefore it can’t be left in the gas tank eternally. Similarly, using old gasoline to start a generator can produce complications. Unfortunately, there is no precise answer to how long gasoline may sit: petrol ages faster than diesel, and the rate of aging differs depending on the additives used. It also makes a difference how you store the fuel. If in doubt, replace it. Fuel is always less expensive than repairing potentially damaged components, such as injector pumps.
8. Check your volts
You can use a meter to measure the voltage coming from your generator, which is a little more technical. If the voltages do not match what the generator should supply (check your manual), get it inspected by an expert. Also, more volts isn’t always better: a generator that produces more volts than it should is probably running too quickly, which can harm it and your other equipment.
9. Use a transfer switch
Never connect your generator directly to anything that requires power. It can cause backfeeding, which is the electrical equivalent of tripping over your toe while going down a winding mountain trail in the dark. This is prevented by a transfer switch. Some generators include a built-in transfer switch, but never presume this. The error could result in serious injury or perhaps death.
10. Make it run frequently.
Mechanical equipment despises being left idle. Dust, dead insects, and a variety of other items can clog up its components over time. Allow your generator to run for 30 minutes or so every few months, even if you don’t use it regularly.
Source: Nyscinfo