The summer season has been particularly active, with regular rainfalls and many homeowners are thankful for their portable generator to help them get through outages.
Every year, however, a few unfortunate individuals discover that their generators are unable to function in an emergency due to neglected maintenance or faulty operation.
A portable generator requires more upkeep than a standby generator, which is installed in permanent locations.
Professionally performed annual maintenance is required for standby generators, however, service is rarely required in the meantime. Many people even perform their diagnostic scans once a month to make sure everything is running smoothly.
When it comes to a portable generator, however, it pays to be prepared and maintain it throughout the year. The following are some of the most crucial steps to be aware of:
Check The User Manual
Each portable generator comes with a unique set of features, cautions, and maintenance instructions. If you’ve used different generators in the past, don’t assume you know how a new one works.
While the power is still on, read and fully comprehend your generator’s instructions so that you are prepared to operate and maintain it when the power goes out.
Charge it up!
If your generator’s starter battery stays idle for too long, it will die, just like your car’s starter battery. Make it a point to run your generator for a half-hour every three months when it’s not in use. This ensures that it starts when you need it to.
Avoid Backfeeding
Back feeding is a risky (and illegal) technique of using a generator, in which users plug the generator into a regular outlet with a male-to-male power cord to power the entire house. This can cause irreversible damage to the generator, as well as a potentially fatal fire.
When Not In Use, Clean & Cover Your Portable Generator
When your portable generator sits in a room for several days, it might become filthy. On your portable generator, dust, debris, and even mold/moss can build up.
These pollutants have the potential to contaminate key components, rendering them less effective. To help preserve your portable generator, keep it clean and protected.
Buying a generator cover from your local store is the easiest method to keep your portable generator from getting soiled.
These covers can protect your portable generator and may include features like water resistance and weatherproofing.
They do, however, act as insulation, so remove them before starting your generator to prevent overheating.
However, we recommend maintaining and cleaning your portable generator once a month if you don’t want to buy a cover.
Empty The Tank Of Your Portable Generator After Each Use
You’ll need to empty your portable generator’s tank into a gas container once it’s completed its task. Although it is recommended that you have enough gasoline for your generator, you should not keep it in the fuel tank idle.
This can result in gum deposits which occur when gas adheres to the portable generator’s metal surfaces and chambers.
Its performance can be hampered by gum buildup. As a result, it’s best to keep the gasoline from your portable generator in a separate container after each usage.
Monitor The Wattage Capacity of Your Portable Generator
If you’re going to use your generator, make sure it can withstand the voltage you’re going to use. Because not all portable generators are created equal, you’ll need to check the labels or manual to establish the wattage rating. In most cases, there are two of these ratings: starting and running.
The starting or maximum rating refers to the amount of power a generator can produce in a short period.
As a result, initial ratings are typically higher. However, for the most part, this grade should be ignored. Instead, concentrate on the continuous or running rating.
This rating is used to determine wattage over long periods, which is exactly what you’ll need from a portable generator. Allow for the running rating while utilizing your portable generator with any gadgets you intend to use.
Oil Replacement
Changing the oil is a critical part of maintaining the reliability of any small-engine power equipment.
After only 30 hours of use, the majority of new generators will require their first oil change.
Following the initial oil change, subsequent oil changes are only required every 90-100 hours of operation, or at the very least every season. Stock up on oil, oil filters, and even gas to be ready for any unexpected extended power outages.
Plugs and filters should be changed.
Your generator would be useless without a means of breathing and igniting the gas in the engine’s cylinders.
Replace your spark plug and air filter every 200 hours of use, or at least once a season. A new spark plug combined with a clean air filter helps ensure the correct fuel-air combination, allowing your generator to run more effectively and increasing its lifespan.
Battery Replacement
Although not all portable generators have batteries, those that do should be fully charged before being stored. If possible, use a trickle charger to maintain the battery charge and ready to use as needed.
Conclusion
Owning a portable generator necessitates regular maintenance. Inadequate maintenance of your portable generator can result in difficult starting and inefficiency.
So, we listed a few maintenance tips to help you care for your generator. If your portable generator is properly maintained, they remain active and useful for a longer period.
