Whether you’re in the shop for a new automatic backup generator or you’re a seasoned owner of a reliable, considering a few helpful accessories can save you from potential headache later down the line. Accessories that locate online will range from pure-maintenance use to pure-aesthetic purpose, so figuring out exactly what you desire/ are looking for in an accessory can be totally subjective to the buyer. We’ve laid out the most common accessories, dabbling in both the aesthetic and the practical, to try and help you pinpoint exactly what you may want to consider tacking on to your automatic standby generator purchase or grabbing to help your already-installed backup generator.
Extra Oil Filters
Clean oil is a crucial element to any well-maintained automatic generator. As time rolls on, your current filter will begin to dirty due to a variety of reasons that could honestly make up their own separate article. A dirty filter means bad news for your engine. At first the filter will be less and less effective at separating different contaminates from your engine that make their way into your oil. This can cause damage to the engine over a long period of time. When the filter gets dirty enough, it will become clogged and limit the oil that can get to your engine when it needs it. This can do serious damage to your backup generator and warrant extra cost for repair.
Extra Air Filters
If it hasn’t become clear yet, the engine coupled in a backup generator is maintained very similarly to an automotive engine. You’ll see many of the same terms mentioned regarding both. When an air filter is blocked with contaminants, airflow and clean oxygen intake is decreased significantly. Without clean oxygen to mix with the fuel, your engine cannot use the gas you provide it as efficiently as it would like, and the engine begins to experience a significant amount of stress. This stress, over time, can cause unbeknownst damage to your generator. Having an extra air filter on hand means that you will be able to stay on top of generator maintenance instead of being purely reactive to issues when they come up.
Fascia
These are purchased for more aesthetic reasons than any, but also provide some practicality. Purchasing some fascia that fits together around your unit will give it a sleeker, smoother look than the clunky, box-like look it most likely has now. This will allow your generator to look a lot more natural sitting in your yard with the rest of your landscape. For anyone, including small children, running around in your yard, fascia can prevent them from getting any nasty scrapes or wounds while passing by the corners of the generator during play.
Touch Up Paint
Despite how it may sound, touch up paint is in fact not used for aesthetic purposes. As much as we’d love to tell you that you can spray paint your generator that neon-green you’ve always wanted, touch up paint is actually used to prevent future corrosion on your generator. You simply spray it on current scratches and other signs of wear and tear on your generator, and the spray will prevent any corrosion from building up in those spots. This can be particularly useful for seasoned generator owners who haven’t checked for corrosion in their generator yet, and need a quick way to stop it from growing or prevent any more from happening.
Maintenance Kits
For any standby generator, and to a much larger extent any engine in general, routine maintenance is a must. The consensus for maintenance on a standby automatic generator is at least once a year. Exposure to the outer elements, dust, or even salty air can cause long-term issues with your generator if not maintained properly. Luckily, many generator suppliers, including Generac, offer maintenance kits that make your generator upkeep as easy as possible.
Most commonly a maintenance kit will include:
- Fresh oil that is compatible with your generator
- A new oil filter to replace the old one in your system
- A new air filter to replace the old one as well
- A pre-cleaner
- An oil funnel
- New spark plugs
- Chamois
- A reminder sticker
All of these items are essential for that yearly tune-up that your generator requires. Kits are priced around the $50-$100 range depending on the make and model of your generator as well as the contents of the kit.
Cold Weather Kits
If the temperature surrounding your generator regularly dips below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, it may be in your best interest to consider a cold weather kit. Colder climates can affect everything in your generator from the oil itself to the battery. The longevity of your generator, as well as the efficiency at which it runs is put at serious risk in cold temperatures.
Most cold weather kits include:
- Fresh oil
- An automatic battery warmer
- A crankcase oil heater
- An automatic thermostat that functions in tandem with the crankcase and battery warmer
In cold/sub-zero temperatures your battery longevity is reduced and your oil becomes more Jello-like than smooth liquid. Getting the warmers attached to your generator will help prevent these detriments while keeping your generator healthy and functioning. All of these accessories can be found at most generator providers’ websites, including Generac’s!
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