Generac Generator Servicing: Inspections and Maintenance are Essential
You should always conduct pre-season Generac generator servicing inspections before power outages peak in the winter and summer seasons. These include basic analysis, maintenance checks, and additional tasks. Additional tasks depend on your climate and potential winterizing or hot-weather procedures.
As expected, the inspection goes both ways. Monitoring your generator post-season is also helpful if you want to extend its lifespan. A post-season inspection includes looking out for wear and tear (similar to the pre-season inspection), as well as additional components needing maintenance or replacement, depending on usage and your findings.
Not only is this recommended by Generac, but the manufacturer is steeped in a long history of making sure neighborhoods, towns, and city lights stay on — or come back on — as soon as possible during or after storms, natural disasters, and random electricity blackouts.
The question is: Will you keep on top of inspection and servicing items yourself, or let a qualified technician handle your maintenance right on-schedule as requested?
Generac Generator Servicing: Your Inspection and Maintenance Schedule
Any qualified Generac generator servicing expert will keep you well-advised. They’ll tell you things other techs won’t, like how a home standby generator needs maintenance immediately after installation. This means an oil change, valve inspection, and a possible valve adjustment after the first 25 hours of run-time. However, 14 kilowatt (Kw) and 18 Kw units with 816cc engines are different. They don’t need a valve adjustment since they have hydraulic lifters.
You also should check your generator’s battery condition and charge level every year, as well as a natural gas or propane fuel system-leak test and water intrusion inspection. Check your fuel and oil lines, engine oil level, and clearing dirt and debris should be a daily task if you’re running the generator continuously — or at least check before each use.
Replacing the oil, as well as the oil filter, should happen after every 200 hours of use or every two years. When changing the oil, only use Generac 5W-20 GEO Full Synthetic engine oil to protect the engine.
Checking the spark plug, valve clearance, sediment trap, and replacing the air filter should occur after every 400 hours of use or every 4 years. Installing base fascia can protect the generator from unwanted brushing, scraping, or kicking as well.
There’s an easy way to find your generator’s specific maintenance tasks and schedules. Enter your Generac generator model or serial number in the “search” section on Generac’s website. This gives you access to the owner’s manual information and other helpful materials. From there, you can also download other documentation. This includes the user’s manual, installation manual, and BOM exploded views (Bill of Materials diagram). Not to mention the parts manual, warranty statements, and wiring diagrams. Once you select your generator model number, just scroll down to the “Manuals” section.
A Variety of Inspections for Different Needs and Situations
You can break down Generac generator servicing inspections into various categories. They’re all extremely helpful over the long term. A basic inspection consists of a visual checkup, reviewing for overall condition, rust, cracks, loose connections, debris buildup, and proper oil and coolant levels.
A basic inspection also includes operational testing. A technician will start the generator and monitor its performance while checking for unusual noises, vibrations, and electrical output. Battery voltage and corrosion are also checked to ensure it can effectively start the generator during an outage.
Beyond a basic inspection, maintenance servicing will take your generator to the next level in preparedness. This involves replacing the air filter to ensure proper air intake for combustion, as well as replacing the oil filter to protect the engine from lubricate contaminants. Your engine’s spark plugs — which provide the engine-ignition spark — may also be replaced. Other tasks may include checking and adjusting valve clearances, cleaning the interior and exhaust system, and lubricating moving parts (as needed).
After years of use, some homeowners opt for a specialized inspection on the natural gas or propane fuel system, exhaust system, or transfer switch. Exposure, corrosion, and fuel delivery are scrutinized, as well as proper venting of exhaust to make sure there are no carbon monoxide leaks. A transfer switch inspection will ensure you have seamless switching between utility power and generator power.
Generac technicians are highly trained professionals. They diagnose, maintain, and repair the manufacturer’s product. They answer questions about proper generator operation, troubleshooting, and fine-tuning your generator’s performance. When choosing a technician, look for a Generac Independent Authorized Service Dealer (IASD) qualification. Check the technician’s experience. Read online reviews, and don’t forget to ask for recommendations from fellow Generac owners.
Generac Generator Servicing and Your Operating Conditions
There are some things you should know when it comes to your generator’s operating conditions. This includes a few technicalities that a Generac generator servicing technician would look for. For starters, you should run the generator at least 20 – 30 minutes once a week. Even if you haven’t been experiencing any power outages. This routine circulates fluids and keeps the engine from seizing up.
Second, avoid overloading the generator. Since excessive load can damage the engine and shorten its lifespan, you won’t want to exceed the generator’s limits when drawing power. Most units — if not all — are already made for making sure this doesn’t happen.
Third, invest in some sort of protective outdoor enclosure so your generator can be shielded from rain, snow, and other harsh weather conditions. The one that comes with your Generac generator should be enough; however, sometimes homeowners invest in better protection, depending on their weather and climate. Outdoor debris shouldn’t be accumulating around your generator.
Lastly, track the hours your generator has been running each year and maintenance tasks that you have or haven’t performed. If you need replacement parts, invest in high-quality ones — whether you’re repairing the problem yourself or hiring someone to do it. You can extend the life and reliability of your Generac home generator, as proper care and maintenance will ensure your investment lasts as long as possible.
Why Should You Use an IASD Service Dealer Technician?
An Independent Authorized Service Dealer (IASD) provides the best Generac generator servicing for a customer’s home backup system. IASDs are specifically trained and certified by Generac to perform relevant warranty repairs and routine maintenance. No one else is. As such, they’re highly capable of diagnosing and repairing any problems that arise. Not only that, but they do it promptly, ensuring your generator can perform at peak levels.
If an untrained or uncertified technician performs maintenance or repairs on your generator, you run the risk of an immediate or future safety hazard. Hiring an uncertified technician runs the risk of voiding the generator’s warranty. Doing so would leave the customer liable for repairs.
The industry holds Generac-certified installers and services techs to the same high standards as Independent Electrical Contractors-certified electricians. In fact, Generac has been laying the foundation for more skilled electricians and tradespeople with growing IEC partnerships to promote the development of electrical professionals.
IEC, a leading global supplier of energy technology solutions and other power products, recently joined forces with Generac Power Systems Inc. in a joint initiative aimed at addressing entry barriers in the electrical industry. In several local IEC chapters across the United States, Generac is the exclusive manufacturing partner for generators, battery systems, and transfer switches.
By getting regular inspections from a qualified Generac technician, you can ensure your home standby generator is in top condition, ready to keep your lights on when the power goes out. A qualified technician can perform a more thorough checkup and identify potential issues you might miss, helping you extend the maximum life of your Generac home generator.
W. Danley Electrical
At W. Danley Electrical, we assist you throughout the entire process — from helping you prepare for installation, repair, and maintenance to anything else surrounding Generac generator servicing, as well as obtaining permits, inspections, and much more. We help you optimize and fine-tune your situation so you get the most out of your investment, as well as determine the correct generator size.