Generator maintenance

Generator and transfer switch maintenance in Edmonton: scheduled inspections, load testing, battery and block heater checks, repairs and records.

Backup that has not been tested is a guess

Generators sit idle most of their lives. When they fail during an outage, the cause is usually something simple that maintenance would have caught: a dead starting battery, a failed block heater, low coolant, a stuck transfer switch or a controller left in the off position.

Regular maintenance turns your generator from something you hope works into something you know works. For buildings with code-required emergency power, it is also an obligation, with records the authority and insurers may ask to see.

• Starting batteries that will not crank in the cold
• Block heaters that failed in summer and were never noticed
• Transfer switches with worn contacts or wrong settings
• Fuel that has degraded or gelled
• Controllers showing alarms nobody has read

The same applies to the equipment around the generator. A transfer switch that has not operated in a year, a battery charger with a blown fuse or an exercise timer that reset after a power blip can all leave a healthy engine unable to help.

What we check

Engine-side service such as oil, filters and coolant can be done by us or coordinated with your generator dealer. Our focus is the electrical system around it: starting batteries and chargers, controller settings and alarms, the transfer switch, and the connections between them.

Each visit ends with a written record: what was checked, what was found, readings such as battery voltage and load test results, and anything that needs attention. Over time, that history shows trends and helps plan replacements before failures.

Load testing

Many generators exercise automatically every week, but often with no load. That proves the engine starts, not that it can carry your building. Periodic testing under load, either by transferring your real loads during a planned test or with a portable load bank, proves output and finds weak parts.

For buildings where CSA C282 applies, specific inspection, testing and record requirements must be met. We follow those requirements and the manufacturer's schedule, and keep the records.

Load testing is planned with you in advance, since transferring real loads may cause a brief interruption. Where that is not acceptable, a load bank lets us test without touching building power.

Winter readiness

Before winter, we check the block heater and battery warmer, battery condition, fuel and anything that could block the intake or exhaust once snow arrives. A unit that struggles to start in October will not start at -30 C.

Spring is a good time for a second check on units that worked hard through the winter, especially diesel units that may have run many hours during outages or tests.

Plans and records

We set up maintenance plans by site, with visits scheduled to suit your generator, its use and any code requirements. Results, deficiencies and quotes for repairs are posted to our online job management system, so you always know the status of your backup power. Cost depends on generator size and type, the number of units and transfer switches, the visit frequency and whether load bank testing is included.

We can also maintain transfer switches and UPS systems on the same plan, so all your backup power is covered by one schedule and one report.

Questions we hear