Having a generator in your home or business is an excellent investment for reliable power year-round. Power outages can ruin days and even put you in danger depending on when they come and for how long.
However, a generator is only as good as the maintenance you give it. A broken generator only takes up space. It won’t be able to help you when you need it the most.
Proper generator maintenance should prevent generator breakdown and outages. Keep reading to learn how much maintenance your KOHLER generator needs!
What Goes Into Generator Maintenance?
Most generators need a lot of care to maintain high performance and stay reliable. But every situation is different. Some generators may require more maintenance than others.
Maintenance practices vary depending on the type of generator you have, the environment it is in, and how often you use it. The demands for each situation influence the maintenance you give your generator.
But that does not mean there aren’t baseline industry standards you can practice. These must be present in any worthwhile generator maintenance program.
Here is a quick list of some of the most basic maintenance practices. These guidelines should keep the majority of generators in good condition in most situations.
- Replace all filters, including but not limited to oil, air, water, and fuel
- Oil change
- Coolant levels, temperature, and mixture documentation
- Coolant removal and replacement
- Belt tension check
- Visual inspection of ductwork, block heater, hoses, and connections
- Check for potential fuel, oil, or coolant leaks
- Battery charge operation check
- Ignition wiring inspection
- Replacement of worn equipment including belt, hose, thermostat, battery, and more
- Exhaust system inspection
Specific services for your generator may only need annual inspection like fluid sampling and load bank testing. Batteries, belts, and hoses should last even longer but need occasional replacement.
Generator Self-Maintenance Tips
Regular inspections by a technician are essential for your generator’s life and efficiency. But, there are things you can do yourself to make sure the generator gets some essential maintenance between visits.
A regimen of weekly generator maintenance goes a long way to improve the reliability of your machine. You should follow the schedule given to you by KOHLER to keep your generator running optimally.
Your generator needs to be accessible at all times with two feet of clearance on all sides. This will assure your generator can be serviced when needed and more importantly the exhaust is clear.
Your generator should be set to exercise once a week for 15 minutes, if you notice your generator not exercising give us a call.
You should be inspecting your unit for any rodent issues. Rodents can get into the smallest of areas and will do damage to the generator. If you notice any evidence, clean out the area and install repellent. After cleaning, if the issues persist schedule an appointment with a Pow’r Point technician.
If your generator is running continuously in an outage for more than 24 hours, you should check the oil level every 8 hours.
You can also check the oil and coolant levels yourself. Low oil and low coolant are some of the most common causes of generator malfunction.
You should also make sure the environment around your generator is suitable to keep your generator in top condition. Make sure it is not closed in because it needs a lot of air to work properly.
You should handle these weekly routine inspections. But beyond basic review, you risk further damage to yourself and the machine if you aren’t trained.
What Can Pow’r Point Do for You?
By choosing Pow’r Point Generator Power Systems as your KOHLER generator dealer, you invest in a qualified team of professionals. We are here to help you with your backup energy needs.
When you work with us, you get generator repair services from a force of trained and certified technicians. There are many testing services available to ensure your generator is running at capacity when you need it to.
We can perform the following tests on your generator:
Load Bank Testing
Load bank testing exercises the generator by putting artificial loads on it. It ensures that under loaded conditions, your generator can perform.
Load bank testing is critical for standby and emergency generators because they do not routinely carry heavy loads of energy. It can give insight into any problems your generator may have before you need to rely on it.
Analysis Testing
Analysis testing examines the fluids in your generator. It ensures that it is in good shape by checking that engine and cooling fluids are clean and at the proper strength.
Diesel Fuel Testing
Diesel fuel testing detects bacteria or fungus in the fuel. Dirty diesel can damage the components inside your generator and cause breakdowns. Testing the quality of your diesel when you aren’t relying on your generator ensures it can handle the work when you need it.
Oil Testing
Having dirty or diluted oil and other fluids in your generator can cause mechanical issues and degrade the hardware. Oil-testing detects dirt buildup in the oil, as well as water, glycol, and metals. Checking that these fluids are clean increases the longevity and resiliency of your generator.
Coolant Testing
Coolant testing monitors corrosion levels and pH balance in the coolant. Without coolant metal components and oil in your generator can rapidly degrade. If these features begin to break down, it can cause malfunctions in your unit.
Servicing your generator is essential because it keeps you and your family safe during hard times. Schedule routine maintenance at Pow’r Point Generator Power Systems in Southern Maine.
Don’t wait to service your generator until the power is out. Contact us and service your generator today. Our technicians will be happy to ensure your generator is ready for the winter season ahead!
