Electric Generator
If you are like me that lives in an area where there is epileptic power supply from the national grid then you most certainly have an electric generator set.
Electric generating sets are very costly these days, most people cannot afford them but if you can afford one then you have to take good care of it so that it can last much longer for you.
Whether you are using your generator for business or at home, giving it good maintenance will make you get the very best out of it. Maintenance of your electric generating set starts even from the time you go to purchase it. Why did I say this, you must know your energy needs, before planning to purchase a generator. My safe rule is this; buy a generating set that is twice the capacity of your energy needs. For instance, if the energy needs of all your appliances is 2000 watts, then buy a generator of around 4000 watt capacity. Don’t go and buy a generator of a 1000 watt capacity because no amount of maintenance will make that generator last because its capacity is too small for the load you are subjecting it to.
Should you purchase a new or fairly used generator
In the course of my life I have purchased several electric generating sets both new and fairly used and my verdict is this:
Don’t buy fairly used generating sets, it won’t pay you in the long run. Most of these type of generators have lost their original quality value and they do have a problem that is why the owner decided to sell it. So by buying it, you just inherited the problem. You will most likely end up making several repairs on the generator and at the end of the day it becomes a burden. It’s not worth it. Just save up and buy a brand new generator, that’s the best, whether you are using it for business or for home use.
How to buy original electric generator
If you want to buy a good high-quality generating set then go for one that has a very original branding. The branding, the logo of the manufacturers must be engraved into the body parts of the generating sets not just pasted only. Sometimes it pays if you do a little research before you go and purchase. Ask people who have generator sets or those that repair them about how you can identify an original generator in the market. Read the information that is written on the body and packaging, it can give you useful clues as per the originality and capacity of the generator. Don’t always believe what the dealer tells you.
How to maintain your generator
All brand new generators come with a service manual that shows you when to service your generator and what parts you should clean, service or change. There are some forms of generator service you can do yourself and there are others you will have to contact a qualified technician.
Generator service you can do yourself
If you are using the gasoline generator then you can service these 3 things yourself
- Change or clean the air foam filter.
- Clean or change the spark plug
- Change the engine oil
The air foam filter can be cleaned after every 50 hours of use. Air foam filter purifies the air that goes into the generator and is usually located beside the carburettor. It is cleaned by washing the dirty foam in a high flash solvent such as kerosene, then dipping in clean engine oil and squeezing out excess engine oil.
The spark plug should be serviced every 3 months or so. To service a spark plug just to remove it and clean any dirt that is inside of it then put it back. Spark plug ensures the smooth running of the generator. If your generator is experiencing hard starting or is struggling to carry electrical load that it normally does easily before, then one of the first checks to make is that of the spark plug.
Change the engine oil of your generator with a brand new oil of motor quality every month if you use it everyday or every two days. The function of engine oil is to clean its internal parts, give it lubrication and cool it down during use. When the colour of the engine oil has become dark or black then it is due for changing.
Also, watch out for nuts and bolts that may come off the body of the generator during use and fix them back. During normal working conditions, the generator can sometimes experience heavy vibrations which can cause screws, nuts and bolts to loosen over time.
Other types of service such as service of the carburettor or repair of engine parts should be done by qualified personnel.
