Common Fault Problems And Solutions For Diesel Generator Sets

Diesel generator sets have been running for a long time, and failures are an inevitable phenomenon. There are many reasons for the failure of diesel generator sets. The following are some common diesel generator set maintenance problems and solutions organized by Jiangsu Starlight Electricity Equipments Co.,Ltd. for you.

1. Low coolant level alarm/stop.

The most obvious cause of low coolant level is external or internal leakage. Although many industrial diesel generators are equipped with this alarm, few generators have a dedicated alarm indicator for insufficient coolant. Usually, this alarm will be related to the shutdown of the coolant temperature is too high. If the generator is equipped with a "close to high coolant temperature alarm" or "high coolant temperature pre-alarm", you can determine the fault that caused the shutdown.

2. Cylinder block heater.

The block heater actually heats the coolant circulating around the engine block. Keeping the engine block warm can prevent the oil from becoming too thick at low temperatures.

A common misconception is that the engine does not need a heater in warm climates. The block heater not only helps the engine start in cold weather. Due to the different metals used to make the engine, accelerated wear may occur during the start-up process. Pistons are usually made of aluminum, which expands faster than iron cylinder liners. This rapid expansion of the piston causes wear of the piston skirt.

Cylinder block heaters alleviate most of this wear by maintaining the temperature of the cooling system and keeping the cylinder liners in expansion.

3. Low coolant temperature alarm.

The low coolant temperature alarm is mainly caused by the failure of the heating block. These heaters are in operation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and they regularly fail. However, the integral heater will never cause the engine to stop running. The extreme temperature inside the body heater is the cause of the coolant circulating in the system. Sometimes, you can hear the sound of the coolant boiling in the cylinder heater.

4. Leakage-oil, fuel or coolant.

You can prevent leaks by performing routine maintenance. In most cases, oil spills are not actually leaks, but the result of "wet accumulation". Wet accumulation is the accumulation of carbon particles, unburned fuel, lubricating oil, condensate and acid in the exhaust system.

The most common coolant leak occurs in the cylinder heater hose. Due to the extreme temperatures generated by the block heater, it will cause the heater hose to fatigue faster.

The most common service call for fuel leaks is caused by overfilling the base tank. This is usually caused by human error or pump system failure. In order to prevent this from happening, it is always recommended that you let a well-trained professional fill up your industrial diesel generator.

5. Non-automatic control.

Industrial diesel generators have a control panel. This panel controls all aspects of the setup, operation and shutdown of industrial diesel generators. It displays all critical engine and alternator information, and displays any "faults" that caused it to shut down the generator. 99% of generator control service calls are "non-automatic" as a direct result of human error.

The obvious reason is that the main control switch has been placed in the "off/reset" position. The control switch may have several positions, such as "off/reset" and "cooling", which will cause industrial diesel generators to fail to start during power outages. These locations should sound the alarm.

Alarm not reset, circuit breaker opened, switch gear not reset, and emergency stop button activation are all examples of non-automatic faults. Several generators are set up to short-circuit the main circuit breaker during emergency shutdown. When the industrial diesel generator shuts down on its own (for any reason), someone must physically reset the control panel to clear the alarm.

6. The fuel returns to the fuel tank / the generator fails to start.

This is a common problem with newer engines that are not used regularly. To meet today's emission requirements, the tolerances within the fuel system are smaller, making the fuel system more susceptible to air that affects the ability of the generator to start. This is not common in older generators. Older industrial diesel generators that encounter this problem may leak in pipelines or check valves, which cannot properly hold the fuel in the engine.

7. The engine runs out of fuel.

Mechanical fuel level gauges may not always be accurate. Unlike vehicles that move and use a higher percentage of their fuel tank capacity, the generator fuel tank does not move, resulting in fuel stagnation. Mechanical meters may also be fixed in a certain position until vibrations disengage them. Some industrial diesel generators are equipped with "low fuel level shutdown" or "critical fuel level shutdown". When the fuel is about to run out, the control panel will turn off the generator to prevent the fuel system from drawing in air.

8. The circuit breaker not related to the generator trips.

This service call is usually "We have a power outage and the generator did not start". First, make sure that no one accidentally pressed the remote "emergency power off switch".

The state of the automatic transfer switch should be checked during power failure. The ATS should have some kind of light or display to show the switch position and signal source availability. If you do not know how to operate it correctly, do not try to manually operate the automatic transfer switch.

The above are some common problems and solutions of diesel generators explained by Jiangsu Starlight Electricity Equipments Co.,Ltd.. If you have any questions about diesel generators, please contact Jiangsu Starlight Electricity Equipments Co.,Ltd. immediately.

Jiangsu Starlight Electricity Equipments Co.,Ltd. is a manufacturer of professional generators, diesel generator sets, non-moving generator sets, Cummins generator sets, Volvo generator sets, etc. It has 64 sales and service departments across the country, providing users with design, supply, debugging, and maintenance at any time. Welcome customers to come to consult and visit. Looking forward to your inquiry, please send email to us for details sales@dieselgeneratortech.com