It’s Time for Generator Maintenance

During this past fall and winter, Virginia saw its fair share of inclement weather including record levels of rain, snow, sleet, and ice. With this came a few widespread power outages throughout Central Virginia. If you own a portable or whole house generator, it probably got plenty of use keeping the lights on during and after these storms.

Spring is the perfect time to schedule a maintenance session for your portable or whole-house generator. Performing proper maintenance on your generator helps keep it running efficiently and extends the life of it. It also gives you the opportunity to spot repair issues before they become bigger problems and before your generator is needed.

Check for corrosion.

After a long winter season, it’s always good to check your generator for corrosion. If your generator runs on diesel, check any old fluids. Fluids that are not often changed can lead to corrosion of the radiator. Fuel filters that are not regularly checked can also become corroded or clogged.

Change the oil.

Most new generators need to have their first oil change after 25 hours of use. All subsequent oil changes should happen every six months or 100 hours of use. Always consult your owner’s manual for specific oil brand, oil amount, and maintenance schedule. Regular oil changes will keep your generator running smoothly. Also check your oil before and after every use to make sure you have the right amount of oil.

Check your fuel.

If you used your generator during the winter season, make sure you replenish the fuel you used. You don’t want to find yourself in need of it when the next power outage hits. Also, it’s never a good idea to have to go out for more fuel during dangerous conditions. If any old fuel was left in the generator from the last use, be sure to remove it and reload with fresh gas before the next time you run the generator.

Clean the air filter.

Check the condition of the air filter. Regardless of how dirty it is, be sure to clean the filter every 100 hours and change it monthly.

Load bank testing.

A load bank test is an examination and assessment of a genset. It helps verify that all primary components of the generator are in good working order under loaded conditions. Essentially, it ensures the generator will run properly when needed in an emergency situation. An artificial load is placed on the generator and is gradually increased in a timed test.

Bradley Mechanical’s highly qualified and trained generator technicians are your go-to guys for all of your generator maintenance services. With a generator maintenance plan, our technicians will inspect critical generator components including the engine and transfer switches. We’ll make sure all mechanical issues are prevented and your generator will be ready when the time comes that you need it. We’ve been keeping the lights on in Richmond and all of Central Virginia through many emergencies since 1969. Give us a call today at (804) 748-6728.