The harsher winter weather of recent years has led to higher electricity bills and more frequent power outages. For this reason, it is essential that your diesel generators remain operational during the winter months and Broadcrown Power Engineering can help you get your generators Winter ready.

Cold weather can make it especially challenging for generators to start and perform if the equipment is not maintained correctly. We recommend having your generator serviced regularly. Our Assetcare package includes two services a year, one major and one minor, as well as a variety of additional services for complete reassurance.

If your generator hasn’t run much in the past few months, getting another service scheduled before Winter may be worthwhile. Dependent on the level of service you have scheduled, our engineers will check that your diesel generator is healthy and ready for operation.

Here are some of the critical components of your generator that we will check during a winter service:

A Winter Checklist

Visual inspection
At every service, a visual inspection is conducted to identify any obvious issues like wear and tear or exposure to the elements, which could become a problem if left unattended. The generator may accumulate leaves, vegetation, snow, or ice if it’s located outdoors. It is always essential to make sure generators are adequately ventilated, and an engineer can advise if they see any potential threats or hazards.

Batteries
Our engineers inspect your power system’s batteries as routine generator maintenance. Battery maintenance is just as crucial as generator maintenance. We recommend regular battery checks to prevent problems and detect any issues before they arise. Debris or dirt on your battery may lead to corrosion, leading to battery failure. We perform routine maintenance on your battery and battery charger to ensure that it operates at peak performance, and we can size and install a new battery and dispose of the old one, if necessary.

Control Panels, Switchgear and Emergency Stop
Our trained engineers will also switch the generator to run in manual mode, to run the generator off load – to check for any leaks before switching back over to automatic mode.
Next, they’ll look for any error codes or system alarms from the control panel while recording engine readings – voltage, frequency, oil pressure, temperature and charge currents (to be provided to you in a final report). Finally, they’ll check the operation of the emergency stop button.

Oil check
As the weather gets colder, we recommend checking the oil on your generator. Depending on the duration of your last service, replacing or topping up the oil will help your generator to run smoothly. One of the most common generator failures is oil reserves running low. So, to avoid interruptions, our engineers will check the oil levels and refill if necessary to prevent any interruptions.

Filters
At every one of our service visits, our engineers will check the generator filters to ensure they’re running optimally. As part of a major service, we will change the filters. Staying on top of necessary maintenance ensures these key components are ready to perform when the generator starts.

Coolant Check
Just like your car, checking the coolant on your generator is essential, especially during the colder months, to prevent any damage to internal components. As part of every generator maintenance check, our engineers will carry out coolant checks as part of the vital visual checks.

Check Engine Block heater / Water Jacket Heaters
During cold weather, the engine block heaters, also known as water jacket heaters, are used more frequently to help ensure the generator starts quickly and easily. As a result, failures become more common in Winter. We recommend regular visual inspections to check that all the components are in working order to prevent any damage to your power system caused by a cold start.

Fuel Polishing & Sampling

Just like oil, we recommend checking the fuel in your power system before the winter months. If fuel sits for too long, it can become contaminated and gather sludge which can block the engine and its components. Depending on the duration of your last service, replacing or topping up the fuel will ensure your generator will start.

Our engineers can also conduct a fuel sample during a routine maintenance check. The routine test will check the quality of the fuel and can flag any potential issues. The whole process is very quick, and we will make every effort to ensure we keep your operations active.

If the test flags any issues, fuel polishing is the best proactive means of ensuring the longevity and condition of your fuel. This can be achieved either by us providing an annual fuel polishing service with use of a mobile fuel polisher or by fitting an integral fuel polishing system to your existing generator installation.

Test Your Generator

If your generator has not been needed during the summer, we recommend carrying out a load bank test. A load bank test will ensure the generators are fully ready for an emergency. Our skilled engineers will test your generator at a convenient time to minimise any disruption to your facility. Running your generators in a controlled environment rather than during an unexpected mains failure can also help to detect any faults that could prevent your system from starting.

For ultimate peace of mind, we also offer a black building test to validate a generator system’s performance. To conduct a true test, the incoming mains power must be turned off and our trained engineers will monitor the performance of the generator and the operating system.

Keep Critical Spare Parts On-site

If your generator application is especially critical, we recommend holding a stock of strategic spare parts on-site to be able to best respond to immediate demands and increase the likelihood of a first-time fix in the event of an emergency call-out.

We can work with you in making a recommendation of what these spares should be and source them for you, so you can focus on your business.

Ask Us for a Service Quote

If you want further peace of mind that your generator will reliably make it through the Winter, request a free quote today to book your winter generator service.

Our team of engineers will complete a visual inspection of your generator, test the battery, check all the fluid levels and ensure your fuel is clean with a quick, easy fuel sample.

If you would like more information on our generator servicing and maintenance services or a customised service contract, please get in touch with our sales team: 0330 900 3939