Friendly Aid at Your Fingertips: Your Assistant in Action
Maintaining a generator is crucial for ensuring its reliable operation, especially during emergencies. Here are some essential maintenance tasks similar to maintaining a car that you should follow:
Visual Inspection
Start by visually inspecting the entire unit for leaks, damage, corrosion, and debris around the generator. Regular inspections can help catch potential issues before they become serious problems.
Fluid Levels and Maintenance
Checking and maintaining fluid levels, including engine oil, coolant, and fuel, is vital. Change oil and oil filters according to the manufacturer's guidelines, typically every six months or after specified run hours. Also, ensure the air filter is clean or replaced regularly, usually every three months or 50 hours of operation.
Battery Maintenance
Check the battery's charge level, clean terminals to prevent corrosion, and secure connections. Replace the battery if it's over six years old. Lead-acid batteries typically last about three years, while AGM batteries can last up to four to five years, and Lithium-Ion batteries can last up to seven.
Spark Plug Inspection and Replacement
Inspect the spark plugs and replace them usually every year to ensure proper ignition.
Fuel System Inspection
Check the fuel lines, filters, and injectors for clogs or leaks to ensure a steady and clean fuel supply.
Cooling System Maintenance
Inspect the radiator, hoses, and coolant levels to prevent overheating. Rubber hoses have a lifespan of five to ten years, but high heat degrades rubber.
Belts and Hoses
Inspect belts and hoses for wear, cracks, or looseness and replace if needed.
Electrical System Checks
Inspect wiring, tighten loose connections, and verify proper voltage and frequency output.
Load Bank Testing
Running the generator under load periodically to simulate real conditions and verify performance is recommended.
Regular Exercise Runs
Regular exercise runs when not in active use help keep the generator operational and lubricated.
Post-Emergency Inspection
Inspect the generator every 150 hours of operation after an emergency.
Safety Measures
Always disable the generator at the control panel before conducting tests and inspections.
Preventive Measures
To prevent mice chewing on wire assemblies, seal entry points and consider using Bonide Mouse Magic. Remove vegetation around or on top of the generator to prevent air flow restriction and vermin attraction.
Additional Tips
Consider installing hardware cloth over the ventilation intake point of the generator to discourage mice and lizards. Create a perimeter of crushed stone atop a fabric weed barrier around the generator.
Record Maintenance Activities
Recording maintenance activities and scheduling the next service according to usage is important to maintain reliability. It's also recommended to consult the generator’s owner manual for model-specific maintenance schedules and to have professional servicing every six months or as advised by the manufacturer.
Emergency Preparedness
Develop relationships with fuel providers for emergency situations. Monitor fuel consumption to avoid running out during an emergency.
Maintenance Tips Submission
Send maintenance tips for generators to [email protected] for potential SBE recertification credit.
Maintaining the Generator Box
The generator box outside the transmitter building requires maintenance to ensure reliable operation.
- To maintain the generator box outside the transmitter building, regular checks should be made to ensure it's free from debris and damage.
- The antenna that connects the generator box to the studio could benefit from an inspection to ensure a proper electrical connection, similar to how radio equipment is maintained.
- Just as technology and lifestyle at home and garden improve with regular updates, so does the efficiency of a generator. Periodically, consider upgrading your generator with newer models to harness advancements in technology.
