Why does my generator keep shutting off all the time?
That’s a common refrain from homeowners who may not have enough electrical capacity to power their home consistently. This can happen for a variety of reasons, which we’d like to discuss in this post. Fortunately, Teague Electric can help you address this problem and experience no further outages.
Why Does the Generator Keep Shutting Off?
A lot of generator trouble stems from old or insufficient electrical components.
Is your home over 40 years old? If it is, and you’re still working with knob and tube wiring, low amp capacity, or a puny panel, then it’s time to think about rewiring and/or panel upgrades. However, if you have modern electrical equipment, we may need to investigate the generator itself for wear and tear.
Why Does My Generator Keep Shutting Off If My Home Isn’t Old?
What could be the problem if you have updated electrical equipment?
Here are a few generator issues that require cleaning, maintenance, adjustment, or replacement:
- Overloading
- You may be overloading your generator. When this happens, consider whether you have enough electrical service to handle every home appliance. We can detect this for you with a home safety inspection and recommend a larger generator if necessary.
- Low Fuel
- If your generator is low on fuel or the oil is old, then you’ll want to address those items soon. This is usually a quick and easy fix, though.
- Dirty Air Filter
- Whether it’s your car, HVAC system, or power generator, the performance will suffer if the filter is filthy. Most of the time, all you have to do is clean the filter to restore proper functioning.
- Broken Spark Plugs
- Broken spark plugs will shut down your generator. It’s also possible to experience trouble with dirty spark plugs, which you can clean.
Consider Purchasing a Backup Generator
One of the best ways to safeguard against this problem is to install a standby generator or purchase a portable one. This is something you can do in lieu of (or along with) augmenting your electrical capacity. A standby generator will automatically kick on when you experience a power outage, whereas a small portable generator can provide supplemental power for less cost.
Benefits of Installing a Backup Generator
- Whether there’s a manmade or weather-related outage, you’ll still keep the lights, heating, AC, and every other essential utility running.
- You’ll also be able to continue working from home with all your home office equipment if you lose power.
- Standby generators are extra convenient because they can detect that there’s an outage, activate automatically, and shut off once power resumes.
- This can also protect your appliances from wild voltage swings.
- Do you have an elderly relative who depends on an oxygen machine or dialysis equipment? Then having a backup generator will protect you from a potentially life-threatening emergency.
Contact Teague Electric for Comprehensive Service
So, as you can see, the backup generator can really safeguard you against unpredictable scenarios. Even the best home generators can fail if we suffer a huge snowstorm or thunderstorm. Teague Electric can help you foolproof your home against power outages with a dependable standby or portable generator.
Since you don’t want to trust electrical installation to a handyman or unqualified tradesman, call us for professional assistance. All of our guys are trained, licensed, and insured to perform electrical work on your Kansas City home. Don’t take our word for it either when you can check out over 1,000 positive testimonials for Teague Electric on GuildQuality or Google Reviews.
You’ll never have to wonder “why does my generator keep shutting off” again if you contact us for prompt and effective electrical service.
