One thing you never want to happen is for your generator to not work during a power outage. A brief outage without a backup generator can be merely inconvenient. However, a longer outage can be expensive as frozen and refrigerated food goes to waste, or the sump pump can’t work and the basement or crawlspace floods. An even longer outage may mean you need to leave your home altogether. Finally, even a brief outage can be dangerous for a person who relies on an electrical device to support their life or health. Here are ways to make sure the generator works when it’s needed.
Check the Power Source
Sometimes, generators don’t work simply because their battery is dead. Before bad weather or an emergency starts, make sure that the generator’s battery and its connections are working. Make sure connections are secure and battery plates are clean. If a gas-powered generator doesn’t work, the problem may be that it’s simply run out of gas. Check to make sure this doesn’t happen. To learn more, consult your professional electrician.
Have Your Generator Regularly Checked by a Professional
Your generator also needs to be checked regularly by a professional who can spot potential problems that you probably can’t. They can troubleshoot problems that may be dangerous or even unlawful for a layperson to attempt to fix. For example, a generator powered by natural gas is attached to lines that can leak, suffer damage or have problems with pressure. This is a dangerous situation that only a pro should handle.
Keep an Eye on Spark Plugs
If everything else seems well with a gas-fueled generator, but it stutters and stalls when it’s turned on, you should check the spark plugs. Dirty spark plugs hamper the power that runs the generator and keeps it from working properly. If the spark plugs are dirty or cracked, they need to be replaced.
Fix Wet Stacking
A diesel-powered generator can be subject to a condition called wet stacking. This is a type of fluid leak that’s a black, gooey mess of raw gasoline, dirty water and oil and can cause your generator to fail if it’s not fixed. Fortunately, the solution to this problem is simple. Set the generator to burn off the extra fuel by increasing its load to between 30% and 75% of its full load.
Contact Us to Learn More About How to Prevent Generator Problems
Don’t be one of those homeowners whose power goes out, but nothing comes on when they turn on their generator. To learn more about how to prevent problems and for generator services, call our professionals at Ambition Electric of Lincoln, NE.
