POWER SUPPLIES & GENERATORS TALKING ABOUT YOUR GENERATION


PPSPower, specialists in generator maintenance, repair and service and have comprised a short guide to the most common culprits sabotaging your diesel generator reliability, and how to prevent them from affecting your gen-set systems.


Year upon year the expectancy of constant reliable power increases, and the strain of such demands is felt throughout the power generation industry. Businesses require unlimited access to sustainable power to ensure their organisation maintains a consistent state of operation, without the fear of power cuts disrupting crucial operating hours. Power cuts can cause extreme damage to a company’s reputation resulting in huge financial losses, which is why many organisations are investing in vital standby power.


Whilst standby diesel generators are a critical investment they come with a large price tag, and require professional maintenance and repair to ensure a healthy operational system. Lax maintenance will only lead to generator malfunction and the generator investment will be worthless. Organisations must be educated in the basic generator functions and understand how to properly execute maintenance and repair checks in order to save them unnecessary down time, due to system malfunctions.


BATTERY FAILURE Weak or undercharged starting


batteries are the most common cause of standby generator failures, with 8% of all batteries failing due to sulfation build up.


Sulfation occurs when a lead battery is deprived of a full charge and sulfate crystals form to a stable crystalline. If the crystals are left for weeks or months they can harden and the large crystals will eventually reduce the batteries’ active material resulting in battery failure. In order to prevent this, one must apply a periodic fully-saturated charge.


28 | TOMORROW’S FM


Annual load bank testing can determine if there is a failure and or could be, also operating cooling system and other engine parts to their full potential and burning off any unnecessary carbon build up in the engine from light load running.


FUEL CONTAMINATION Fuel contamination occurs when


“LAX MAINTENANCE WILL ONLY LEAD TO GENERATOR


MALFUNCTION AND THE GENERATOR


INVESTMENT WILL BE WORTHLESS.”


LOW COOLANT LEVEL Generator engines are designed to


run at specific temperatures, with insufficient coolant in the engine, it runs the risk of overheating and failing at the time it is needed most. Check coolant level in the radiator weekly and top up with the correct coolant for the engine. Visibly check the engine for any coolant leaks.


LOAD BANK TESTING Diesel engines are designed to run


at specific loads, not running your generator at 70/80% load or full power at least once a year can cause damage to injector units, which will inevitably end in damage to the engine. Fuel contamination of the engine oil is just one.


debris and other stagnant matter build’s up within the fuel tank, which can also cause excess water to build up and fuel bugs to grow. Regular fuel polishing and maintenance of the tank is the best prevention for this. Moreso on standby generator units.


BREAKERS AND SWITCHES Sometimes human error comes into


play and during maintenance routines the control panel may be left not in auto mode, with the output breaker left in the wrong position. When any maintenance checks have been commissioned, always check the output breaker is in the on position and the control panel is in auto mode.


At PPSPower we recomend: • Bi-Annual generator service visit • Fuel and oil checks • Lubricating system checks • Cooling system checks • Control Panel & Instrument checks • Exhaust system checks • Engine electrical system checks • Alternator checks • General Maintenance www.ppspower.com


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