What are the Common Causes of Industrial Generator Failure?  

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Industrial generator failure means a significant disruption to your business. The downtime involved to fix the problem can get in the way of production, deadlines, and events. It is important to quickly discover the cause of your generator failure to get it back online. It is also important to implement new policies in order to ensure that the issue which caused the failure is addressed in the future. Here are some common causes of industrial generator failure you should be aware of. 

Improper Sizing or Load 

This is a common cause of hospital generator failure and problems with commercial generators as well. Your generator needs to use at least 35% of its maximum load, and ideally more. Often improper load sizing issues happen when you expect to add additional load to your generator shortly and buy a larger generator for that purpose. However, you don’t end up adding the demand on time, and the generator suffers from problems due to unused capacity.  The solution, in this case, may be to add additional demand immediately or purchase or rent a smaller generator until such a time as you can add more load. 

Fuel Supply 

Improperly maintaining fuel levels in any generator, including an aircraft generator, will result in failure. Not only will the generator stop when low in fuel, but it will also draw air into the fuel system. This can be a serious problem that prevents ignition and causes overall failure.  The solution, in this case, is to ensure that your staff have a policy of properly supplying fuel or move to a fuel system that you can more consistently supply.  

Leaking Oil, Coolant 

When a generator has not been properly maintained, or if it has been exposed to environmental conditions it was not designed to handle, then it may develop a leak in the fuel, oil or coolant system. We discussed fuel supply problems above and those apply here. Oil leaks can create friction with the generator that damages critical components and causes failure. Coolant leaks can result in high temperatures within the generator that can cause its safety features to trigger a shutdown. High heat can also damage the generator and bring about long-lasting problems even after the coolant is fixed.  You can avoid leaks by sticking to your generator’s maintenance schedule as outlined by the manufacturer. 

Battery Failure 

Batteries are another part of your generator that need to be maintained. Over time, sulphates will form on the battery. This is a part of normal wear and tear, but the sulphates must be removed in order for the batteries to continue to work. You can choose generators with batteries that require less maintenance, but all will need some work.  Closely following your generator’s maintenance schedule is essential to prevent battery problems and many other problems with your generator. 

Avoid Industrial Generator Failure With Expert Help

Are you struggling with your industrial generator? At VCM Solutions, we can help! Give our team a call today. 

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