Don't let this happen to you. Why pay attention to the diesel fuel in your generator storage tank? Because doing so might prevent a costly remediation and repair bill. A little attention to the fuel in the tank could have saved the owner of this generator nearly $13,000 in repairs. Here's what happened. Recently our service team received a call to review a 180kW Caterpillar mobile generator that was idle for over three years and would not start. Since fuel related issues are the cause of most engine fail-to-start situations, it didn’t take long for the technician to discover the problem. A quick fuel sample revealed a tank full of dark, contaminated...

Trained in all aspects of generator maintenance for diesel, natural gas, and propane systems, the P3 Generator Services team provides sales, service, and repair on all major brands of standby power generation equipment and has been doing so for nearly three decades. In addition to our commitment to provide factory tech experience at affordable rates, P3 Generator Services is now a Generac Authorized Select Level Dealer. Which now allows us to provide sales and warranty service on all Generac air-cooled generators. Count on P3 Generator Services with our extensive experience in diesel and natural gas engine repair and service to provide homeowners and users of air-cooled Generac products with quality and affordable...

Noon on a clear day, or 2 AM during a storm.  When do you want to hear about your generator problems? We'll take bets that it's not the latter. Yet many facility managers have the same fear. Will their generator perform as expected when the power goes out in the middle of the night? Discovering potential generator problems in a controlled setting at a time of your choosing is a much safer approach than dealing with them during an emergency. The following is a case to this point. We recently performed a cylinder head and head gasket replacement on an older generator. This itself is not very newsworthy. After all, head gasket...

When a generator fails to start or is running poorly the first thing people think is that there must be a mechanical issue. Yet surprisingly, most performance issues can be traced back to bad fuel quality. Here's why you should care. This will be a little chemistry lesson. But don't fear. There's no test and we only offer the CliffsNotes version. What's important to understand is that over time fuel loses its ability to function properly. It becomes unstable as it ages and molecular particulates fall out of the fuel at an increasing rate. And this is how it's bad for your generator. Today's diesel fuels typically have a shelf life of...

Cross-Industry Benefits of Load Banking: What you need to know. Many health care facilities are required to meet certain aspects of NFPA Code when it comes to testing and ensuring adequate performance from their emergency generator systems. Yet the benefits of load banking your generator go beyond simply meeting a mandate and are good practice for any industry application. According to NFPA 110, 8.4.2 and 8.4.2.3   All diesel generators must be exercised monthly for a minimum of 30 minutes using one of the following methods: Loading must maintain minimum exhaust gas temperatures as recommended by the manufacturer. Under operating temperature conditions and at not less than 30% of the generator standby...

Another piece to help complete the puzzle of proper generator maintenance. Why should I invest in remote monitoring for our generator when we already have maintenance personnel on staff that do just that? This is certainly a valid point and one we hear quite often. However, having a remote monitoring solution for your emergency generator system can provide consistent 24/7/365 peace-of-mind without worrying about who is on staff, on break, or simply away on vacation. Remote Monitoring provides you and key members of your maintenance staff with real-time information on the status and health of your emergency power system. It can even save you money too Remote Monitoring can provide detailed diagnostics...