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The Healthy Generator – A Seven Part Series
Oct 30, 2014
In an ideal word, machines would never break down, construction problems would never arise and projects would always be completed ahead of time and under budget. Alas, while it’s possible one or even two of those scenarios might take place, it’s rare to see all four in a single project. Machines, like the people who make them, are fallible and subject to the intricacies of the systems that govern their function.
So, does that mean you should turn on a generator, shrug your shoulders and hope for the best? Far from it. Instead, by taking time to understand a generator’s working components and planning for their optimal operation, you’ll help ensure you get the most out of your machine.
You can think of your generator the way a doctor might consider a patient. No individual part or system is independent of the other. Everything needs to be in proper working order for the entire machine to provide steady consistent operation.
As in medicine, though, it isn’t always easy to see the infiltration of a fatal problem until an autopsy is performed. If you have a machine in the field, the last thing you want is to have your patient pulled apart on the operating table wondering what went wrong. The real medicine lies in providing routine scheduled maintenance and proper inspection.
Over the course of several installments, we’ll detail the most common maintenance procedures: What can be performed in the field. What can be performed while the machine is in operation. And, most importantly, the signs that can indicate your generator isn’t running at its optimal capacity. Here are the topics we’ll be covering:
1. Process (Maintenance Schedule and Procedures)
2. A Visual (The Initial Patient Assessment)
3. Fuel System (Garbage In, Garbage Out)
4. Batteries (The Juice)
5. Oil and Grease (The Importance of Lubrication)
6. Operating Temperature (Hello Coolant)
7. Integrating Systems (Lights, Switches, Buttons and Knobs)
We aren’t intending to replace the in-depth training provided by an accredited facility with qualified instructors. Instead, this document is meant as a guide and overview to aid in understanding broad principles of generator maintenance. For additional information and technical support our staff is available 24/7 to answer any questions you may have.
