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Learning to Beat the Cold Weather Blues
The year 2014 has sprung upon us with an artic bang. Talk of record lows and polar vortexes are common place, leading many to believe that the worst is yet to come.
If you’re one of the millions of Americans who have been affected, you’ve likely had trouble starting your vehicle, snow blower and possibly even your standby generator.
If you were one of the really unlucky ones in the path of the recent ice storm, then you just braved one of the coldest power outages in recent history.
As home standby generators are gaining popularity, so are the expectations consumers have of them. These units need to withstand all of the challenges that Mother Nature can muster, even sub-zero temperatures. What many home owners do not understand is that the natural gas or liquid propane (LP) vapors which fuel these units do not properly vaporize in such frigid conditions. Liquid propane is particularly susceptible to this, leading the generator to crank until faulting to an error code.
In order to combat such conditions and allow for reliable operation in this unique environment, manufacturers have developed a variety of cold weather kits. These kits vary from one brand to the other, but all share the same principal; Reliable, cold weather starts. Some of the more common components within these kits are;
Battery Warming Pads – Placed under the battery, these battery warming pads are thermostatically controlled to maintain an optimum battery temperature.
Crankcase Heater – Available in a variety of formats. This can be a small probe that is installed into the crankcase of select units, or as a sleeve that slips over the oil filter. This prevents oil from becoming too thick and allows the crank assembly to maintain a suitable temperature prior to starting.
Engine Block Heater – A more advanced warming method that is found on liquid cooled models. This system utilizes a heat pump that will cycle warm coolant into the motor block.
Carburetor and Breather Heaters – Used to warm the incoming fuel at or before the fuel intake manifold, these carburetor heaters will allow the incoming fuel to vaporize more efficiently and prevent the generator from starting in a lean condition.
Alternator Dryer –Similar to the battery warming pads. These are used to control moisture and prevent corrosion from accumulating within the generator head. Corrosion within the head can lead to erratic voltage.
We should mention that these kits are brand specific and therefore you will need to confirm the kit is intended for use with your specific home standby generator. Also, it is important to understand that cold weather operation, especially when using any of the above referenced equipment, will require a thinner viscosity oil.
Many generators are shipped with SAE-30 which is a thicker blend to prevent the oil from thinning on hot summer days. In the cold winter months, this is not suitable as the oil will begin to resemble tree sap. If you plan on using a cold weather kit, we strongly recommend replacing the oil with a 5W-30 Synthetic Blend.
Find a Cold Weather Kit for Your Generator.
The year 2014 has sprung upon us with an artic bang. Talk of record lows and polar vortexes are common place, leading many to believe that the worst is yet to come.
If you’re one of the millions of Americans who have been affected, you’ve likely had trouble starting your vehicle, snow blower and possibly even your standby generator.
If you were one of the really unlucky ones in the path of the recent ice storm, then you just braved one of the coldest power outages in recent history.
As home standby generators are gaining popularity, so are the expectations consumers have of them. These units need to withstand all of the challenges that Mother Nature can muster, even sub-zero temperatures. What many home owners do not understand is that the natural gas or liquid propane (LP) vapors which fuel these units do not properly vaporize in such frigid conditions. Liquid propane is particularly susceptible to this, leading the generator to crank until faulting to an error code.
In order to combat such conditions and allow for reliable operation in this unique environment, manufacturers have developed a variety of cold weather kits. These kits vary from one brand to the other, but all share the same principal; Reliable, cold weather starts. Some of the more common components within these kits are;
Battery Warming Pads – Placed under the battery, these battery warming pads are thermostatically controlled to maintain an optimum battery temperature.
Crankcase Heater – Available in a variety of formats. This can be a small probe that is installed into the crankcase of select units, or as a sleeve that slips over the oil filter. This prevents oil from becoming too thick and allows the crank assembly to maintain a suitable temperature prior to starting.
Engine Block Heater – A more advanced warming method that is found on liquid cooled models. This system utilizes a heat pump that will cycle warm coolant into the motor block.
Carburetor and Breather Heaters – Used to warm the incoming fuel at or before the fuel intake manifold, these carburetor heaters will allow the incoming fuel to vaporize more efficiently and prevent the generator from starting in a lean condition.
Alternator Dryer –Similar to the battery warming pads. These are used to control moisture and prevent corrosion from accumulating within the generator head. Corrosion within the head can lead to erratic voltage.
We should mention that these kits are brand specific and therefore you will need to confirm the kit is intended for use with your specific home standby generator. Also, it is important to understand that cold weather operation, especially when using any of the above referenced equipment, will require a thinner viscosity oil.
Many generators are shipped with SAE-30 which is a thicker blend to prevent the oil from thinning on hot summer days. In the cold winter months, this is not suitable as the oil will begin to resemble tree sap. If you plan on using a cold weather kit, we strongly recommend replacing the oil with a 5W-30 Synthetic Blend.
Find a Cold Weather Kit for Your Generator.