Why is diesel generator maintenance important for generator set health

As a specialist manufacturer of diesel generators for backup power, we are constantly asked why it is important to perform regular maintenance on backup generators.

1. Oil

Most people don't know that engine oil degrades over time, even if the engine isn't running at all. If the life expectancy is 1 year, this does not mean that it maintains 100% mass until 1 year. It degenerates from day one, but can still reach an acceptable level of tolerance a year later.

Now, if you extend the maintenance interval to 18 months, this does not mean that your oil is half as good as new oil, because you have exceeded the recommended 50 percent replacement time. Oil does not degrade linearly, which means it may retain its usefulness and then suddenly lose 90% of its lubricating power and other properties.

2. Now consider backup diesel engine oil

Due to the nature of using diesel generators, it is rarely run. Yes, it may run once a week, but that's not enough to burn the pollutants in the oil. When diesel generator specialists perform annual servicing on these units, it is common to see a milky white and jelly-like consistency in the oil. This is caused by condensation in the crankcase, which is not uncommon in backup diesel generators.

In our climate, we can see temperature changes from morning to night. Cold mornings and warm afternoons can lead to condensation, where water settles in the crankcases of cars, motorcycles and generators. Unlike a generator, it rarely runs, so it doesn't reach a temperature and stay there long enough to burn water and other contaminants in the oil. If left for too long, what you should have is clean honey brown oil is a white milky substance that does not function or protect the engine and is difficult to drain from the unit.

As you can see, oil is a big reason to maintain the health of your backup generator on a regular basis, but there's more.

3. Other key generator maintenance tasks

During annual maintenance, in addition to changing oil and oil filters, technicians will also replace air filters and spark plugs as needed, which often happens during annual maintenance. The technician will also update the onboard firmware and evaluate any work that may have been done since the last service.

In addition, technicians will lubricate the mixer assembly, hinges and locks and clean the equipment from the inside out. General inspections of equipment are included in annual maintenance and can be of great help. The generator technician will also test your battery under load (the only proper way to test a battery) and make sure it's good for next year. If your equipment is liquid cooled, in addition to all of the above, we will repair the liquid cooled assembly and refill the liquid.

During the generator specialist's annual maintenance, a simulated outage will also be performed and it will be apparent to ensure that the transfer switches and cables operate as expected. Finally, the output voltage and Hertz measurements are performed and any adjustments required are made.

Jiangsu Meao Power Technology Co., Ltd. is an important manufacturer of diesel generators. The company mainly manufactures and sells diesel generator sets with power of 3-3000kW, mobile power station of 24-600kW, Marine emergency diesel generator set of 24-800kW, gas generator set, heavy oil generator set and all kinds of imported series, special series (trailer, static speaker, mobile lighthouse, container, etc.) diesel generator At the same time, we are engaged in generator set maintenance and after-sale service of generator set accessories.