The lightning flashes and the thunder rumbles during a big storm. That wouldn’t be a big deal for your company unless the power is affected.
Running your business can be tough enough, but when the power goes out it becomes almost impossible.
Because you are a smart leader, you invest in a commercial generator. You are prepared for the next emergency, at least that is what you think.
Too many businesses never think about their generator once they purchase it until the power is out again. They forget about routine maintenance.
Without the proper maintenance, your commercial generator won’t be there when you need it.
With proper upkeep, your generator will perform perfectly and last a long time.
Here are some commercial generator tips to help you keep your generator in the best shape.
Set up a Schedule
Generator maintenance is something you don’t want to have to remember. You are busy running a company and don’t have time to think through maintenance.
The best way to make sure the generator is ready to go at a moment’s notice is to set up a regular maintenance schedule.
The commercial generator manufacturer will often give you the best maintenance schedule for their equipment.
Many of those schedules recommend running the generator regularly to keep it in top shape.
Doing this actually increases the commercial generator longevity because all the parts stay in shape and aren’t caught off guard.
You also have the satisfaction of knowing that your equipment is running smoothly by testing it regularly.
Taking the schedule and putting the regular maintenance on the calendar will ensure your generator won’t be forgotten. You can give the calendar to your maintenance crew and you won’t have to worry about it.
Commercial Generator Service Focus
Every part of the country is different and servicing commercial generators for each area is different. Plus, there are different types of generators out there.
Many parts of the country have an extreme cold or extreme heat, you want to take that into consideration for your servicing.
Excess amounts of dust or sand and excessive rain and moisture can also be an influence on the service to your generator.
Here are some key areas to remember for your service:
Visual Inspections
You will want to make sure that you visually look at your generator and the area around it regularly.
Debris could blow near it and impede its performance and checking it regularly will give you a visual way of making sure everything is good.
You can also visually check it when it is doing it’s running to make sure everything looks right.
Filter Changes
Filters protect your generator from dirt, dust, and many other small particles that can make their way into it.
Even the smallest thing can hurt your generator’s engine, so the filter is one of the most important parts to regularly maintain.
Some filters are reusable and just need to be cleaned and some filters are disposable. Make sure you know which one your manufacturer recommends.
Your generator’s engine must have good air to work and a clean filter guarantees the air quality stays good for your generator.
Fluid Changes
Like many of your commercial equipment pieces need fluids to work properly, your generator needs the right fluids to function for you.
Oil is at the heart of the engine because it keeps the engine running smooth and the parts lubricated. Over time oil loses its abilities so you need to replace it regularly.
Your generator’s maintenance schedule should tell you how often to change the oil and in what conditions to change it sooner. The schedule will usually be a combination of time or amount of hours run.
A generator’s engine must stay cool like a car so it needs high-quality fresh coolant regularly. You will want to regularly check the coolant level to make sure it hasn’t gotten low.
You also want to change out and flush the cooling system entirely based on the manufacturer’s recommendation.
The simplest and easiest fluid to forget is the fuel level of your generator. If you run it regularly, it will use some fuel, so you want to make sure it stays full.
If an emergency happens and you have to run your generator for a long time, you want to know that there is plenty of fuel to see you through.
Worn Parts
Worn parts are a factor that you will have to look out for in your generator. Time and the weather can degrade parts over time along with the weather.
The belts of your generator’s engine will need to be checked on regularly. They run many different parts of your engine and are crucial for your engine to perform properly.
You can visually check them for warping and cracking, plus you can listen to see if they make a squeaking noise when they are running.
A belt in bad shape will need to be replaced as soon as possible. You don’t want your generator to have to run with a bad belt. If the belt breaks while running, it could hurt a large portion of the engine.
As you check the engine you can visually see other signs of wear like cracked hoses or corroded connections.
The benefit of regularly checking the engine is you have a baseline to compare it to so it will be easier to see if anything doesn’t appear normal.
Wear and tear happen with any engine but with regular routine maintenance, you can make sure that your engine doesn’t let worn-out parts hurt it.
Partners in Maintenance
If you don’t have maintenance staff to keep your commercial generator maintained properly, you may want to consider getting a service to do it.
We have the experience and expertise to help you maintain your generator so you don’t have to worry about it and can focus on your business.
Contact us and let us take the stress of generator maintenance off your mind.
