How to Prepare Your Diesel Generator Before the Hurricane Season!
With the hurricane season fast approaching, home owners who use diesel generator as an emergency power supply, must conduct basic maintenance procedures right now. Most probably, your genset was standing idle for a few months now, and you must make sure that it is in a working condition, ready to supply your household with electricity when blackouts hit, due to an inclement weather. Considering that even small diesel generators are quite expensive, it pays to care for your unit and get many years of an interrupted service, without spending too much for spare parts and repairs. Doint the right thing now, will save you money and increase the safety level of the emergency power supply for your home.
Here are some rudimentary maintenance procedures that diesel generators owners should implement:
- Check the battery that operates the starter motor, and make sure that it is properly charged.
- Check the oil level in the sump.
- Conduct a thorough check of the wiring, for any instances of insulation damage, broken wires, loose connections, etc.
- Ensure that the earth (grounding) connection is present, with the resistance allowed being less than 1 Ohm.
- Check the tank and ensure that enough of diesel fuel is there.
- Finally, do a trial run of your diesel generator, for at least 10 min. and watch for any unusual noises and vibrations.
When you test-run your diesel generator, make sure that the exhaust fumes are discharged outside of the living areas, thus avoiding the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Ideally, you should contact a licensed electrician to assist you with your pre-season testing. But, if you follow the above routine, you’ll have a peace of mind knowing that you’ve an emergency power assured in a reliable and safe manner. As always, if in doubt or not feeling competent, contact your local electricity authority for advice. When all done, you’ll be well prepared for the oncoming hurricane season.
