When you make the decision to purchase a diesel generator, it means getting a piece of equipment which should be long-lasting and provide you with backup power in any event that you need it.

While it may be a cost-effective and reliable source of backup power – without providing the proper care and maintenance; chances of breaking down is likely to increase even more. Especially if your workplace may experience more often or lengthier power outages – it means your generator may be operating for hundreds of hours each year; the heavy usage, putting a strain on your equipment, requiring more frequent maintenance such as generator rewinding.

So, to ensure your generator is always running at full capacity and to prevent much too often costly repairs – regular servicing is highly necessary for lengthening your equipment lifespan and efficiency. However, before you plan out your maintenance schedule – you need to understand what are the various factors affecting the frequency of diesel generator maintenance first.

An overview of diesel generators

Either for the purpose of primary or emergency power – a diesel generator set has to be regularly checked and maintained to make sure that they are providing sufficient and quality power in the duration of their service life.

Whether you’re a large company requiring gensets with prime power or a small company only requiring a standby generator – the life-cycle of power generators is documented and well established, meaning that regular maintenance is absolutely necessary for optimal performance. It is also highly advisable to follow the maintenance schedule as given by the manufacturer of the generator, or your trusted engineer.

The long duration of generator usage has made it necessary to acquire knowledge to correctly predicate as and when particular parts may malfunction or require servicing. As such, an appropriate maintenance schedule will come in handy throughout the course of your equipment’s lifespan. By following this schedule closely, it will ensure maximum service time and efficiency for your equipment and proper functioning when its use is necessary for providing power.

Now that you have gained a better understanding of how important a diesel generator is for your business operations – it’s necessary to be aware of the factors which will have an impact on how frequent your diesel generator should be serviced.

Factors affecting the frequency of maintenance

The suggested frequencies of servicing are highly dependant on its running time and usage – naturally, the more it’s being used, the more often servicing is needed. Typically, the recommended timeframe whereby you should go for a complete inspection and servicing such as generator overhauling would be about 400 hours running time or once every 6 months.

By following through with routine visual inspections, it will allow you to identify the errors within your equipment and call for a service a lot earlier than expected. For you to do so, here are some of the factors which may result in more frequent maintenance.

• Lack of usage: When a generator is dormant for an unexpectedly long duration – engine exercise is necessary to prevent battery failure.
• Overuse of equipment: The majority of diesel generators are structured in a way to provide emergency power. But if you’ll be using a standby generator for prime power due to a generator breakdown or power outage – ensure proper care is in place by implementing routine inspection and only operate it during the proper timeframe.
• Contaminants: Sand and dust are some examples of airborne contaminants which are able to infiltrate the generator, resulting in damage to its internal parts. Especially if a generator is located on a construction site or any other similar environment, additional servicing may be necessary.
• Environment: Damage to your generator components can also be due to the exposure to extreme weather conditions or temperatures. Moreover, if your generator is within a coastal environment – be it a shipyard or part – ensure that you implement the appropriate precautionary measures and steps to avoid it from being exposed to saltwater carried in the winds.

When you know what are the factors that may affect frequencies of diesel generator maintenance – it’ll go a long way to adjusting your maintenance schedule accordingly to ensure your equipment is running at tip-top condition and performance.