By
eHow Home & Garden Editor
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Step1
Check the battery. The most common cause of generator malfunctioning is battery failure. This problem is generally due to sulfation building. This occurs when sulfur molecules in the battery acid are discharged to the point that they cover the battery's lead plates. When a great deal of the plate is covered in sulfation, the battery is not able to provide a strong enough current. It then needs to be replaced.
Step2
Consider that the battery failure might be caused by an improperly functioning charger breaker. This occurs when it is open or tripped, which is often the result of human error not complete charger failure.
Step3
Look for a coolant leak. This is the most obvious cause for a low coolant level. Inspect the emergency generator weekly, and look for puddles of coolant around the unit. Depending on the manufacturer, the coolant can be a variety of colors. Check the oil for a change in the color or a milky texture. Inspect the hoses for crusty decaying, which is a sign of coolant leaking and drying up at the connection. This is commonly related to a high coolant temperature shutdown circuit.
Step4
Look for "not in auto" messages. These are the result of human error. This occurs when the main control switch was turned to an off/reset position. The most common time for this to happen is after the testing or servicing of the emergency generator. Check the unit yourself after maintenance has been performed.
Step5
Reset the controls if the unit is still not working properly. There may be several positions on the control switch that need to be reset. This could cause the emergency generator not to work even during a power outage. The control panel on the emergency generator must be reset when it shuts itself down for any reason.
Step6
Check to see that the emergency generator has not run out of fuel. The mechanical fuel level gauges may not always be accurate. They might get stuck in place until vibrations from movement set them free.
