The limitation is a word that we are surrounded with at all times and are always striving to progress in order to attain better versions of ourselves as well as the things that surround us. And although we have machinery and equipment that is reliable to the point that they rarely malfunction or get affected by their limitations it is wise to know that they exist so that we are able to get to a better version while attempting to get rid of the limitation. For instance, the power grid that the majority of the population is so dependent upon has its load limitation and gives way in cases when the demand for power exceeds the supply capability of the grid. This is on a regular update but it always seems to be following the demand-supply race rather than taking over it.
In order to overcome the effects of such a scenario, we have powerful Diesel generatorsthat instantly take up the load when the grid gives way ensuring that work continues as it was without getting affected by the power loss in the grid. But the question that one has to ask themselves here is whether their generator is ready for a blackout?
They can last long
The first thing to understand here is that a blackout can last a while, while rare it is possible for a blackout to last weeks on end and sometimes even a month or more depending upon the severity of the blackout. This can happen in case of a natural disaster that wreaks havoc at a location destroying everything in its path. For instance, a hurricane, flood, or an earthquake. These are natural calamities that unleash tremendous destruction on the planet causing billions in damage.
What happens and why do you need a generator?
The electricity that we are so dependent upon suddenly without any prior warning goes out, this leaves you in the dark, you are expecting it to come back on but it doesn’t. there could be various reasons for this to happen as mentioned above. The only thing that you can now do is to wait for the electricity to kick in. In a normal scenario the electricity comes back within a short period, but beware sometimes this may last for days or weeks on end at a time. To prevent oneself from going into this situation or losing electrical power even for a short period, people prepare in advance by having backup generators. These machines kick in as soon as they sense the loss in the utility power and take the load that was previously being supported by the public utility supply. This is the main reason one needs a generator, but the limitations that we talked about earlier also apply to these reliable machines which have to be kept in check in order to guarantee that these machines do not fail us when we need them the most. So, it becomes a very important question to ask ourselves whether the generator that we have is ready for a blackout or not?
The checks that you can make to ensure that you are ready
In order to survive or outlast such a scenario one has to check and ensure that the machinery and equipment that they have to battle out this scenario is in their best condition otherwise it becomes almost impossible to be able to face such a scenario.
The maintenance
That manufacturer always lets the consumer know the appropriate time for a Genset to be serviced, it is also mentioned in the owner’s manual. This is the time period or the running hours after which the generator has to go through service maintenance to continue performing to its optimum capabilities. Failing to do so can result in damages or inefficient functioning of the machine which could further be the reason for losses and also if you do wish to get the maintenance after a certain period the damages sum up to an amount which you might not be ready to pay. The maintenance also includes the regular or periodic servicing of the Genset which takes care of most of the flaws in the machine ensuring smooth operations for a certain period of time when operated under normal conditions. This periodic servicing takes care of most of the issues that one is facing at present or might face in a while as the certified professional performs full diagnostics on the machine.
The fuel
While not a part of the machine this is a component that is equally important to be discussed as without the fuel you will not be able to run the machine. Most generator owners store a certain amount of fuel safely for emergency situations, this is done in regulation with the local authority and according to the permissions. This fuel however if not stored properly can break down prematurely because of bacteria and pollutants. This is prominent in the case of diesel fuel as Diesel is flammable and harmful unless correctly managed and preserved. Owing to condensation, the water accumulates on the diesel fuel this accumulated water is a primary breeding ground for bacteria that can lead to premature diesel fuel breakdown.
Coolants
This, like the fuel, is a very important part of the machine altogether without which running the machine would prove to be dangerous. It is always advised to keep the coolant level in check when operating the Genset as it helps radiate the excess heat produced by the combustion process in a Genset. Without appropriate coolant levels the generator might overheat and the consequences of which can be fatal to man and property alike.
Conclusion
All the above-mentioned points are in order to overcome the limitations of something or the other, these have to either be checked on a regular basis or after a fixed interval. Some of the things mentioned also check the compliance with the local authority, negligence in which can lead to fines or cancelation of permission because of the inability to meet the required compliance.
