MAINTENANCE TIPS FOR SUMMER, KEEPING YOUR GENERATOR COOL
Your standby or continuous generator during extreme heat is important not only for the life of the generator, but to guarantee that performance is not affected.
Your generator service company can do to keep your generator as cool as possible during the dog days of summer or any other heat waves. Always consult your generator manual for exact instructions if you choose to perform maintenance yourself.
While it is accepted that a generator is always present, often the unsung hero of the show, there may be some aspects, particularly concerning comparable performance and size of units, that need to be addressed before a purchase or rental decision is made. There are five important factors to consider when choosing a diesel generator: ensuring the right capacity for the application, its modularity potential, the type of control system it uses, its fuel efficiency and autonomy, and, finally, its physical size and logistical operation.
1. BATTERIES
Batteries are the single most common cause of generator failure. This is primarily caused by three factors:
1. Battery deterioration: As batteries age, the acid inside will coat the lead plates with sulfate resulting in the battery being unable to generate enough amps to crank the engine. This process can also lead to shorts if the lead debris from deterioration makes contact between plates at the bottom of the cell. Ensuring that the tops of the batteries are clean and free of oil residue and dirt will help prevent shorts between the poles of the battery, which can lead to faster battery cell deterioration.
2. Battery charger failure: Battery chargers commonly fail due to a breaker being open or tripped, generally caused by improper maintenance procedures. Always double check to make sure the battery charger breaker has been turned back on after completion of routine or scheduled maintenance. Once initially installed, battery chargers are relatively maintenance free and should only be checked for calibration purposes during the life of your generator.
3. Poor/loose battery connections: Battery cable connections should always be securely tightened, cleaned and free of debris. Any buildup of corrosion or debris can lead to shorted connections during cranking cycle, discharge of battery and deterioration of battery cables/wiring. Make sure battery saver is applied to batteries to prevent corrosion at each service.
All of these conditions can be prevented by proper maintenance of the generator and it’s batteries by qualified technicians to ensure that the equipment is properly serviced and maintained and that the batteries and cabling are replaced every 2-3 years per the manufacturer’s recommendations.
2. COOLING SYSTEMS
Cooling systems, especially in summer heat, should be a focus to ensure that when your generator is called upon to operate it functions properly. While the name “antifreeze” leads some to believe that it only serves to prevent the engine from freezing in cold winter months, it serves the dual purpose of keeping the engine cool during operating temperatures, which can exceed 190 degrees Fahrenheit. Proper coolant system maintenance includes the following:
1. Coolant levels: Maintaining the proper coolant level is the bare minimum to ensure your equipment can withstand summer heat. Low coolant levels are “shut down” faults on generators. This means if the generator senses a coolant level below the acceptable tolerances, the generator controller will prevent the engine from starting, even during an outage. This is because low coolant levels can lead to air pockets in the cooling system, which leads to improper cooling, overheating, and can also cause premature failure of engine components such as seals and water pumps.
2. Coolant mixture: Always make sure when filling your coolant to use either a 50/50 premix coolant, or coolant concentrate mixed to a 50/50 ratio with deionized water. Using deionized water is essential when mixing coolant as regular tap water can lead to hard-water buildup in the engine, called scale, which can restrict the flow of coolant and clog the radiator.
3. Coolant condition and protection: Proper generator maintenance procedures include checking the coolant for freeze point levels and for carboxylate levels on a pass/fail basis. Antifreeze should be field tested on a routine basis and if necessary changed every 2-3 years or if the coolant becomes discolored, contains sediment or loses its protective properties.
4. Block heaters: Block heaters have a misleading name in that most people assume they are only needed in the cooler winter months. In actuality, block heaters are essential year round in ensuring that your equipment will start and come to speed in a timely manner by assisting your generator to reach combustion faster.
5. Cooling system/block heater hoses: Over time, cooling system and block heater hoses will be deteriorate due to high operating temperatures. The most common points of failure on hoses are near the hose clamps or crimping points, which can be found by inspecting for cracks or deterioration around these critical points. Both coolant and block heater hoses should be replaced every 3-5 years to prevent failure and ensure proper operation.
3. CLEAN THE FILTERS
Hot, dry months mean dust (even from as far away as Africa at this time of year), and dust means clogged air filters and fuel filters, which mean more wear and tear on your diesel generator as it has to work harder to put out power. The air filter can be removed, knocked gently to get the dust off, and sprayed with compressed air to be cleaned, or it should be replaced if it has reached the end of its life. Cleaning the fuel and oil filters are more complicated and probably best left to professionals, but they’re also important to keep your unit at optimal performance levels.
4. OVERHEATING
Keeping air filters clean is just one of a handful of ways to prevent the most common causes of overheating, which is all the more likely to occur in summer months because of the weather conditions.
Other tasks you can do include:
1. Checking coolant levels and making sure there are no loose clamps or leaking gaskets, which are the most common failure sites for coolant hoses.
2. Keeping the unit’s exterior free from dirt and grease so that heat dissipates optimally.
3. Making sure you don’t have a broken fan, fan belt tightened improperly, collapsed coolant hose, or damaged exhaust.
4. Avoiding over-fueling or overloading the generator.
5. SUPPORT THE ALTERNATOR
Alternators get hot; it’s just what they do. But dirt and heat can make them generate excess heat and reduce the ability for the windings to produce power. A visual inspection can reveal whether windings need to be cleaned to keep the alternator in good shape. If so, strip the alternator and blow it clean with either compressed air or, failing that, a leaf blower. Air is the preferred cleaner as any solvent or water sprayed in the alternator runs the risk of making its way into the bearings and ruining them. Blow air in from different angles and be prepared for nasty dust to come out.
6. CLEAR THE RADIATOR
Having a clean radiator is crucial for keeping a genset cool in hot conditions. However, the gap of the radiator can get blocked by collected oil from blowby of the engine, dirt, dust, leaves, grass, insects, and other debris, hampering the efficiency of your unit. To avoid this problem, turn to your leaf blower or compressed air duster to clean that junk out.
7. COOL THE AREA DOWN
Keeping the ambient temperature around your generator as cool as possible can go a long way to reducing the maintenance work you have to do on the generator itself during the summer. Whether it’s keeping your genset in an air-conditioned room or setting up some kind of sun shade to keep a unit out of the direct sunlight, an ounce of heat prevention is worth a pound of cure. Even going so far as to move the generator to somewhere on the premises that can be kept cooler might be recommended in certain cases.
Conclusion
A generator set brings you peace of mind, if you keep your generator maintain it properly the life and usage increases and your business is in sustainable way.
