When To Service Your Generator And How An Emergency Electrician Can Help | Wilmington, NC
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Severe weather events are a scary reminder of how important electricity is to our day-to-day lives. When the system fails or your home’s power goes out, it is important to have a backup option. But home generators also require maintenance to work correctly. To ensure your back-up option is there when you need it, this guide will walk you through when you need to service your generator and how an emergency electrician can help you do so.
Home generators by default should remain operational for thousands of hours if everything is working properly. However, heavily used machines might last a bit longer due to constant wear. Depending on the needs of your home or property, an emergency electrician can assist you in selecting a generator that meets your individual needs. A professional can also install the generator properly, ensuring proper use and lengthening the machine’s lifespan as well.
An electrician can also help when your machine needs work. Mister Sparky of Wilmington boasts years of experience and a qualified team of technicians that can help you with a number of generator service issues. This article will discuss when you need service and how an emergency electrician can help.
When Your Coolant Is Running Low
Generators require enough coolant to operate effectively. When there isn’t enough coolant in the machine, it may start malfunctioning or not provide any power. When this happens, you’ll need the services of an electrician.
A professional will be able to assess the cause, which is possibly leaking inside the machine, and replace the coolant or repair any underlying issues.
When Your Block Heater Is Malfunctioning
Another cause of generator malfunction is a faulty block heater. The block heater circulates coolant within the machine. If not working properly, this could cause the oil in the generator to thicken and will require the services of an emergency electrician. Problems with the block heater are very important also because they could cause long-term damage to the machine if not addressed quickly. This is because the block heater helps regulate the temperature in the generator.
When There Are Problems with the Alarms
Problems can also arise with the alarms on the generator. The alarms on your machine are mostly there to indicate the different types of maintenance problems that require service. The owner’s manual will usually describe what each alarm indicates. However, sometimes the alarms will go off incorrectly even when the underlying issue is not occurring. In addition to being annoying, false alarms often trigger an emergency stop to the block heater. As described above, this is an essential component of the generator and must be returned to working order. When this happens, call up an emergency electrician for repair service. They will be able to assess the problem and implement the needed repairs to fix your alarm and make sure the generator is back to working order.
When the Generator Is Leaking
Leakers are a very serious situation that requires immediate service for your generator. A leak, such as a coolant leak, can cause operational problems. To prevent leaks, it is best to work with an emergency electrician to arrange for routine maintenance. Look to the owner’s manual for a good idea of how frequent routine maintenance should be for your machine.
When a leak happens, quickly call up an electrician to repair the issue and get your machine back up and running. Effective and expedient service is important to maintaining the longevity of your generator and preventing any damage to its components.
Assessing leaks can be a little tricky. If there is a fluid coming out of the generator, it could be coolant, which would require repairs. Some apparent leaking, however, is the result of something called “wet stacking.” Wet stacking is actually a combination of carbon, fuel, and water that condenses and appears to be leaking from the machine. However, it is not a leak at all.
Either way, wet stacking still indicates an issue that needs to be addressed. To figure out the underlying cause, you’ll want to work with an emergency electrician service.
Coolant leaks may be the result of a problem with the block heater inside the generator. Sometimes, high temperatures within the machine cause damage to internal hoses, leading eventually to a leak. To get ahead of issues like this, you should stick with the routine maintenance schedule indicated in the owner’s manual.
When the Generator Does Not Turn On
If your generator refuses to power up, you’ll need to work with an emergency electrician to get to the root of your issue. There could be a number of things causing this. For example, fuel may have leaked within the machine. This could cause the generator not to power on or even put out any alarm indicators. This can make it hard to know what is going on with the machine.
An emergency electrician can help when this happens. Sometimes it may require a replacement generator, but often it can be repaired. Either way, a professional can help chart the path forward and select the right approach.
Generators are an important part of your home’s emergency planning, especially during severe weather or issues with the electrical grid. It is critical that you work with an electrician to ensure proper maintenance and repair to ensure effective, long-term use.
Mister Sparky of Wilmington, NC, has the skills and experience to keep your machine in working order. Our technicians are happy to help you with any step of the process, from selecting the right generator to installing, maintaining, and repairing the machine over time. Electricity is an integral part of our modern lives, and it is always best to be safe by maintaining a working generator in your home or property. Mister Sparky of Wilmington, NC, can help make sure you are always covered.