Preventive maintenance is one of the most valuable things you can do to protect your investment in a diesel generator. The concept of preventive maintenance is to catch problems, faults and leaks before they happen. It is patterned after the old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!" The specific maintenance program has been in effect for over thirty-four years in the United States Department of Defense. If the age of the equipment was any indication of its effectiveness then the United States Armed forces have been doing fabulously. It is a system that works and keeps your equipment working long beyond its predicted life expiration.
Preventative maintenance is based on before, during and after operation checks. It is also founded on daily, weekly and monthly checks, which are conducted with liturgical frequency and accuracy. This article will cover the general maintenance checks for the diesel generator being used for your home power source.
Before Operation Checks: Step one, walk around your generator unit, specifically looking for any tell tale oil or fuel leaks on, beneath or around it. Record and repair any such Class III leaks immediately. Check the unit for any cracked, broken, loose or damaged parts. Check the oil and add to it as required according to you owners manual. Check the grounding cable and rod that they are tight and secure. Check on the air restriction meter if it is in the red then the air filter needs cleaning. If it still indicates red after cleaning then it needs to be replaced immediately. The generator is deadlined until this part is replaced and the air restriction meter is operating in the green. Check the air filter for any cracks, leaks, looseness, rough running or noise. Drain the day tank of water and sediment into a catch basin by means of the petcock. The tank will blow clear air when free of water and sediment. Drain water and sediment from strainer, primary and secondary filters until the fuel runs clear. Insure that a catch basin collects all oil and sediment. This will be recycled.
During Operation Checks:
Check the following generator controls and instruments to insure that they work within safe and acceptable limits. The battery indicator will be in the yellow when charging, green when fully charged and in the RED position when non-operational or unavailable. Check the frequency meter for the proper reading. It should read 60 hertz with a full load on the generator. Check on the percent rate current meter; it should not exceed 100% load. The voltmeter should read no more than 120v for America or 240v for Europe and Great Britain. The oil gauge should read between 20 to 45 PSI. The fuel gauge should read “FULL". Check the acoustical suppression kit for any loose or damaged parts and repair if required.
After Operations Checks:
Drain the day tank. Drain water and sediment from strainer, primary and secondary fuel filters. Check the acoustical suppression kit for any loose or damaged parts and repair if required. Fuel the tank after operation. Insure that there is no open flame, live wire, source of spark or smoking during refueling operations.
Weekly Operations Checks:
Check the electrolyte level of the batteries. The proper level is 3/8 inch above the lead plates.
Monthly Operations Checks:
Drain the fuel tank of water and sediment.
Follow these steps regularly and your generators will operate for a long time without worry.
In addition to that you should also consider all relevant state and local codes, and the manufacturer's instructions.
Before venturing to install the device ask yourself, are you competent and knowledgeable enough to handle such installation practice safely? If you are confident enough, then only take up the venture, otherwise get it installed by a qualified electrician.
The first lesson is: never hook up the generator directly to your home's electrical wiring; just plug the appliance into the outlet of the generator to draw power directly. The hooking up of a generator to your home's electrical system may lead to dangerous consequence as it may put excess power into your home electrical system from a generator and that may backfeed into the main line. The back feeding does not only damage your own electric line, it may cause problems for the electrical utility company and your neighbors as well. It may even cause life threatening consequences for electric utility workers.
Always use NEC prescribed products that will provide either an automatic or manual transfer between two power sources. The device that allows your standby generator to get connected to your existing electrical system is called an automatic transfer switch. This switch enables the generator start up automatically as power runs out. It will take few seconds to stabilize before the transfer switch connects the generator to the electrical system. As power returns, the switch will disconnect the generator and the electrical wiring of your home will come back to its normal state once again. The model of transfer switch depends mainly on the size of the generator. Transfer switch may seem to be costly, but the uninterrupted power supply in the emergency situations justifies their costs. However, it is preferable to get the transfer switch installed by a qualified electrician.
Proper placing of the generator is important. It is recommended that you install it in the outside of the living area over a concrete padding. The place should be close to the home's existing fuel source. Don't place it near doors and windows; otherwise the harmful gases emitted by the generator will enter your rooms.
In addition to the transfer switch, you should invest in a dedicated electrical sub-panel, for added safety. Certainly you will not need to power all your appliances as the power goes off. There are certain equipments that will need uninterrupted power supply and a sub-panel helps you to connect all those important equipments to the generator. This will save your generator from overworking.
Make it a point to thoroughly go through the instruction manual provided by the generator company.
Both John Stafford Stafford & Jason Uvios are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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