Troubleshooting Your Standby Generator

The last thing you want when there’s a power outage, is to discover that the standby generator in your Tinley Park, Illinois home isn’t working. In some cases, the cause is something simple that can be easily addressed. At other times, you will need to enlist the services of a professional. If you are able to troubleshoot your standby generator, you could avoid some major inconveniences.

Standby Generator Troubleshooting Tips

Do not undertake any troubleshooting activities if you are not sure what to do, or if there is any risk to safety. You should take precautions so you and your family are not harmed in any way. The following are steps you can take when trying to determine what is wrong with your generator:

• Check the circuit breaker to see if the switch supplying power to the outlet to which the generator is connected is in the on position. If it has “tripped” reset it and restart the generator.
• If the generator had been operating a while, it could have overheated. There are several possible causes including, oil levels, poor coolant circulation, and the amount of engine fuel.
• If the generator automatically shuts off now and then during operation, it may not be seated on a level surface. Turn off the generator and use a level to check its balance. If it needs to be balanced, add some wooden shims under the low side, or if practical, relocate the generator to a more level spot nearby. Before restarting, make sure that it is resting on an even surface.
• If the generator is running roughly during operation, it may need to have the fuel valve adjusted. If the flow of fuel to the generator isn’t correct, or if it is obstructed in any way, the supply of fuel will be inconsistent and so will generator performance.

For more information or to have your standby generator installed or serviced, contact Climate Master Mechanical Contractors, Inc. today at 708-597-5470.