Tags
air-blower, alternator, battery, battery life, battery sensor, corroded, corrosion, electric motor, electric wires, engine oil, generator, lead-acid, mercury, oil filter, power outages, power terminals, recalibrated, rust spots, serviced, storage battery, storage capacity, Syed Wajeeh-ul-Hassan Naqvi, technician, UPS, water-based battery, wet cloth
With the mercury rising, power outages are expected to be a frequent occurrence. If you have a generator or UPS, then it is time to have it serviced by a technician, as the chances are that it will be used frequently in the forthcoming months.
However, while having a generator or UPS serviced is important, it is equally essential to maintain it regularly to ensure trouble-free use.
Here are some maintenance tips to keep in mind:
Generators
- Clean the generator with an air-blower every week and then wipe it with a wet cloth; this will prevent the formation of rust spots.
- Check the alternator (which looks like an electric motor) every two weeks; make sure there is no dirt inside it otherwise the generator’s performance may be compromised.
- Lookout for loose electric wires and corroded parts and have them fixed or replaced as and when required.
- Track the number of hours that the generator is used; change the engine oil and oil filter after 100 hours of use, and the air filter after 300 hours.
- Have the battery checked by a technician every month; check fluid levels at least twice a month and top up when required.
- If you are not using the generator regularly, turn it on for 10 minutes every month.
UPS
- If your UPS uses a lead-acid storage battery, have a technician check its performance at least once every two months; if you use a water-based battery, check fluid levels every week and top up if needed.
- Every six months, clean the battery’s power terminals to remove corrosion.
- Have the UPS battery sensor recalibrated once a year so that it adapts to the battery’s declining storage capacity.
- To maximise battery life, do not drain it completely; turn the UPS off when the battery power is diminishing.
– Syed Wajeeh-ul-Hassan Naqvi
First published in the ADBUZZZZ Section of The DAWN National Weekend Advertiser on May 4, 2014.