Like any other piece of equipment in a manufacturing facility—or your home, for that matter—generators require preventive maintenance to ensure that they run properly.
"As a general rule, treat your backup generator like you would other elements critical to your house, like your air conditioner or furnace, or your car," said Amy Davis, president of Braintree, Mass.-based Cummins Northeast LLC, a distributor of Cummins products in the Northeast. "Generators need preventive care."
Before a major storm hits, Cummins advises businesses and individuals to:
- Make sure the generator's oil is clean and has been changed recently.
- Ensure that there is an adequate, fresh supply of fuel.
- Ensure that the fluids are full and the batteries are charged.
- Test the generator now, before the need arises.
"Additionally, we want people to know to use them safely—this is paramount," Davis said. "They should not be used inside homes or small businesses, and again, periodically check on them.
"Often you will see warning signs if something needs to be fixed or serviced. You want to identify these problems, before the generator is no longer functional."
Cummins offers a number of daily, weekly and monthly tips for ongoing preventive maintenance of generators.
Daily:
- Check coolant heater.
- Check coolant level.
- Check oil level.
- Check fuel level.
- Check charge-air piping.
Weekly:
- Check/clean air cleaner.
- Check battery charger.
- Drain fuel filter.
- Drain water from fuel tank.
Monthly:
- Drain water from fuel tank.
- Check coolant concentration.
- Check drive-belt tension.
- Drain exhaust condensate.
- Check starting batteries.
Every six months:
- Change oil and filter.
- Change coolant filter.
- Clean crankcase breather.
- Change air-cleaner element.
- Check radiator hoses.
- Change fuel filters.
"We know many individuals may need backup power in the event the power grid is affected," Davis said. "For those who rely on generators for backup power, we want to be sure individuals and businesses use them effectively and safely."