The Best Tips to Maintain a Mobile Power Generator

With the annual shipment of generators bound to exceed 1.5 million units by 2024, these power gadgets are here to stay. They come in handy whenever and wherever you need power. This is not debatable. They can provide much-needed electric power during anticipated and unanticipated power outages. You will need them at off-grid construction sites and outdoor expeditions.

But just like you need to exercise and eat healthy to stay productive, your mobile generator also needs consistent maintenance to stay functional and reliable. The least you want is to experience a hard start, a failed start, or a breakdown when you dearly need power.

Of course, proper maintenance eliminates the need for extensive repairs, extends the lifespan of your generator, and improves its reliability. This post will discuss the best maintenance tips for your portable power generator.

1. Keep Your Mobile Generator Clean

Your portable generator will get dirty from time to time. It will gather dust as it sits in a room or dirt and debris from construction sites and outdoor environments. Worse still, your mobile generator may develop moss or mold. These contaminants will cause corrosion and eventually cause mechanical issues. Corroding parts will also shorten the longevity of your generator.

Firstly, you can keep your generator clean and safe by investing in a generator cover. Covers feature weatherproofing and waterproofing ability to help shield your generator from water, dust, debris, and extreme cold. If your power device gets dirty, you can wash it and grease the relevant parts.

2. Change Oil Regularly

Fresh oil is suitable for any engine, and this includes your generator. It lubricates your generator as your engine runs. Thus, low oil levels or dirty oil will not do the work as desired and probably clog valves and ruin your equipment. Changing your oil plays a significant role in maintaining the reliability of your generator.

Most modern generators require you to change your oil after every 30 hours of use after purchase. However, that is just the first oil change. Subsequent oil changes can take longer, with some brands recommending that you can make subsequent changes after 100 hours of running your power equipment.

3. Drain Your Tank before Storage

You should always have sufficient fuel for the generator. However, always drain the remaining fuel from the tank into an empty container if you plan to store your mobile generator for longer than a month. Before you begin emptying your fuel tank, add a high-quality gas stabilizer to the tank and run your machine for about 15 minutes.

Let the engine cool down after running your power equipment for 15 minutes. You can rerun the engine until the machine shuts down by itself. But if the tank has a lot of gas, you can use a siphon to drain the gas. Ensure that the siphon is non-conductive since a conductive siphon will generate static electricity in the gas tank.

4. Check Spark Plugs and Filters

Spark plugs and air filters are vital components for the smooth running of your mobile generator. The spark plugs ignite the gas through the cylinder as you start your generator. On the other hand, air filters help generators consume clean air as the equipment breaths. The air filter removes impurities from the air.

Pairing a new spark plug with a new air filter guarantees a better fuel-air mixture. This will ensure faster ignitions, efficient performance, and an extended lifespan of your power equipment. It is advisable to exchange your air filter and spark plugs every 200 hours after use.

5. Change the Battery as Recommended

Of course, this sounds pretty basic but is undoubtedly an essential aspect of your mobile generator maintenance practice. While not all portable generators have batteries, ensure that you change your battery if you have an electric model. Also, charge your battery correctly before storage to keep it fresh and ready to power your systems whenever you needed.

6. Run It Regularly

Can you imagine how your body would feel if you sat in bed for a week or two without any movement? You will feel weak, lose muscle tone, and exhibit low fitness levels. Getting to shape again would be difficult.

Portable generators and other machines will go through the same thing if they take longer without running. You can run your generator after every 30 days of idleness to keep it in good shape.

An over-reliance on power is one of the main reasons that would make you want to have a portable backup generator. But your power equipment is only helpful if it works as it supposedly should. Of course, this is dependent on your generator brand and your level of maintenance.

At LEDDY POWER, we provide our clients with high-quality power generators. And no matter what your power demands and challenges are, our containerized generator sets are engineered to deliver reliable, mission-critical power protection without interruption.

Call us now!