A robust system of preventive maintenance is essential to a standby generator’s reliability. An integral part of good maintenance practices is generator load bank checking. Performing annual load bank tests helps extend the engine life of the generator and ensure reliable operation during a power failure of the utility.

While we’ve extensively discussed load bank testing and its importance, there is also another type of testing worth discussing called no-load testing. Many generator owners exercise their unloaded standby generators regularly but don’t often test them with building loads, depending on the occasional loss of utilities to conduct the test. This can trigger “wet stacking” for generator sets powered by diesel engines. The engine may not achieve its optimal operating temperature while exercising a generator or running it for short-term outages while it’s not fully loaded. The unburned fuel accumulates when this is allowed to continue for long periods and can be detrimental to the performance and life span of the engines.

This update is by A&A Power Generators, a national company providing Dedicated Power Systems with global reach. Our mission is to meet emergency power needs by delivering dedicated power solutions and services for residential and commercial markets in ways that are economically and environmentally sustainable. We aim to be your sole choice for new Generac generator, Kohler power generators, natural gas, and diesel-fueled solutions as well as service and maintenance repair, with decades of power industry experience. For more information on Generac standby generators or other questions, please call 1-888-991-4500.