Congratulations on your decision to install a home standby generator, but what comes next?

A standby generator is a fantastic investment for your home and you should expect it to serve you well for many years. Once the installation is complete, many customers ask “what do I do next?” Well, the short answer to that is “not much.” In the event of a power loss, the generator will do all the work for you. Standby generators offer a hands-off peace of mind for you and your home, but it is important to remember that your generator is a machine that requires periodic maintenance to ensure dependability. Similar to a car, generators have numerous internal moving parts, each one critical to the overall performance of the unit. Without proper maintenance, the functionality and dependability of any machine will start to break down over time. Some companies also require proof of annual maintenance in order to honor product warranties. Gen-Tech offers annual preventative maintenance packages to ensure the safe and dependable operation of your generator for many years!

The power behind your generator is supplied by a carefully designed engine. Just like the system in your car, a generator engine requires a few important elements to help it function properly, including lubricating oil, a steady air supply and a spark. Unlike your car, however, your generator only runs during a power outage or during the weekly test cycle. The engine on your standby generator is made from aluminum metal. Aluminum has excellent heat transfer capabilities, which allows your generator to remain cool even when running under load during a midsummer outage. In the cooler months, however, aluminum tends to extract moisture from the atmosphere, which then collects inside the engine. On a day to day basis this is not a problem for your generator, but if left untouched for an extended period of time condensation can break down the efficiency of the engine’s lubrication system, resulting in damage. The only way to remove moisture from the engine is to change the oil on a routine yearly schedule and to run the unit under load for an extended period of time in order to generate heat. Generators located in damp climates or in areas with long periods of cold weather are prone to having condensation buildup. An annual maintenance will prevent condensation from becoming a problem.

At Gen-Tech, we use only full synthetic oil in the generators we service. Synthetic oil molecules will not mix with water molecules, hence forcing the water to separate from the oil. The condensation in your engine will dissipate through heat (during a load test) or when the oil is changed on a yearly basis. Conventional paraffin based oil molecules, however, will mix with water. Have you ever seen oil that is foamy and has a tan color? That is what happens when conventional oil is mixed with water. This is not good for your engine.

Many customers ask us why we also change the air filter annually. The simple answer to this question is moisture. Yes, your air filter will look like new, but in truth, moisture collects in the air filter over time and restricts air flow to the engine. Simply stated, lower air flow equals less performance.

A common misconception is that spark plugs do not go bad in a natural gas fired engine. On the contrary, spark plugs actually go bad quicker because natural gas is acidic and has a lot of imperfections in it. The spark plugs in your generator, after just one year, will look sand blasted and have corrosion. After several years, the spark plugs will misfire, inhibiting the dependability of your generator. Changing the spark plugs on an annual basis is a simple and easy way to ensure your generator is well maintained.

Generator engines have mechanical valve trains. They also have a very tight clearance specification .003 - .005 tolerance. As the valve parts wear down, the valves become tight. When this happens, the valves will remain partially open causing hard starting and poor performance from your unit. Manufacturers recommend adjusting the valves on your generator after the first year of service and every 2 years after that. At Gen-Tech, we adjust valves every year as part of our annual maintenance package.

After servicing the engine, we run it at normal operating speed and check the “HZ” or frequency. The frequency of electrical service in the US is 60HZ, which is relevant to the engine speed. If frequency of your generator is high, then the engine is turning too fast. If it is low, the engine is turning too slow. Damage to your electrical system and or electrical devices can occur if the proper frequency is not present. We check and adjust frequency each year.

The generator is made up of a rotor “moving winding” Stator “fixed winding” and a voltage regulator. Most generators use slip rings and brushes to control the field, which in turn controls voltage output. The rotor is driven by the engine and is supported by bearings, while it is cooled by a fan. All of these components are exposed to the elements, which can lead to rust, corrosion, stalling or a number of other functionality issues. With a Gen-Tech maintenance service, we inspect all components of the generator and use a special synthetic grease to protect all of the wire terminations as well. We also tighten every connection in the generator, junction box and transfer switch.

As previously discussed, checking the frequency is important to maintaining your generator, but the second part of making “clean” power involves testing the voltage. After adjusting to the proper frequency, we then check and adjust voltage of your generator. Standard US voltage is 120/240 volts. Any voltage above or below this measure can cause damage to your electrical service and devices. The most common items to be damaged are TV’s, computers, control boards in furnaces, washers, dryers, garage door openers and microwave ovens, to name a few.

Your generator features a sophisticated, digital control board, which is basically a computer that makes everything function properly. The control board is dependent on a good 12 Volt power supply. Upon installing your generator, the control board is set to function independently and should not require any further adjustments. If you need to adjust the settings please consult a professional and always refer to your owner’s manual following all instructions. We check over all of the programming with each annual service to make sure your system is set properly and install any updates when necessary.

Your generator uses the same lead acid battery as your car. The biggest difference, however, is that your generator does not use a battery current as often as your car does, which means the battery in your generator is charging more than in use. Since the battery is on a constant charge and exposed to the outside elements, it can start to corrode. Corrosion also happens when a battery overheats. Batteries overheat when the lead plates deteriorate and cause internal shorts. The charger then recognizes that as a low voltage and compensates by overcharging the battery. Low voltage can also damage the control board, which can be very costly to replace. Without a good battery, your generator is nothing more than an expensive lawn ornament. We recommend changing batteries every 4 years. At Gen-Tech, we load test your battery with each annual maintenance. We clean corrosion off terminals and apply synthetic grease to control and prevent any future corrosion. We also use a battery made by East Penn, the largest US battery manufacturer. Our batteries have a special patented design that prevents internal shorting and, in most cases, completely eliminates any corrosion.

Your generator system has extensive wiring both inside the unit and in conduit that runs through your home to the transfer switch. There are many electrical terminations between the generator, transfer switch and panel. If not properly maintained, wires can become corroded, loosen and deteriorate over time. It is important to check the wiring in your generator annually and tighten any wires that may have come loose.

We often hear from new customers that their former service company never came in the house or performed a load test on their generator. A generator can be started manually from outside to check the mechanics, but this will not test if your unit will function properly during an outage. In order to make sure your generator is fully functional, we must simulate a loss of power and transfer load to the generator and back to utility. Load testing your generator is an important way to ensure everything is operating as it should.

The most commonly overlooked part of generator maintenance is actually the most visual part of the generator: the housing, locks, and vents. It is not uncommon to find generators with locks that are corroded and frozen shut. Sometimes the housing is rusted, allowing water to leak into the generator, or the hinges are corroded, preventing the cover from opening. Typically, when a home or business owner goes 4, 5 or maybe 6 years without doing any maintenance to their generator, issues like this start to occur. During our annual maintenance service, we use synthetic grease on all hinges, locks and bolts. We also spray any existing rust to slow down the deterioration, preventing the onset of further damage to your unit. Generator owners can easily prevent rust on the housing by applying a coat of good automotive wax yearly. Taking a proactive approach to prevent wear and tear on your generator will greatly increase its lifespan and dependability.