Preventative maintenance plans can be purchased through most dealers of power generation equipment.
These plans follow the maintenance schedules recommended by generator manufacturers. Most manufacturer warranties can actually be voided by damages resulting from owner neglect. Therefore, it is especially important to schedule preventative maintenance visits when purchasing a new generator. This should not overshadow the fact that preventative maintenance plans are incredibly valuable to owners of every type of unit, including both new and used generators. In fact, before reputable dealers allow used generators to be place on the sales floor, those units are put through the same rigorous inspection process that your generator would receive as part of a preventative maintenance plan. This way, dealers can make sure that used generators marked for resale have been completely refurbished—any faulty or worn down parts will have been replaced and all systems will be operating like new. Likewise, as a customer with a preventative maintenance plan, you can be sure that generator keeps running like new throughout its lifetime.

When it comes to generator upkeep, there is no substitute for the expertise of a trained technician. While maintenance plans differ slightly from dealership to dealership, similar steps are always taken to ensure that customers can continuously rely on their generators. The primary task of a maintenance technician is to inspect all the components and systems of your generator. Inspections involve checking fluid levels, testing and cleaning batteries, and verifying control panel readings. Your technician will also administer a gravity test and a load test in order to verify that all of your generator’s electrical and mechanical operations are working properly. Following the inspection, it is the technician’s job to analyze technical data. Data from the inspected generator is compared with manufacturer standards and also with data from that generator’s previous inspections. This way the technician can be sure that your generator is performing both optimally and consistently. Finally, the maintenance technician will provide you, the customer, with a comprehensive inspection report. This report will inform you of any deficiencies in your generator and it will provide a quote for any suggested repairs and replacements.

Regarding inspection reports, there are two things that customers should remember. First, if you are purchasing a used generator, you should ask to see any available inspection reports. You should be provided with a report that informs you of the generator’s history (any repairs and replacements that were made) as well as a current inspection report which will verify that everything is in proper working order. Secondly, keep in mind that loyal customers (i.e. those enrolled in preventative maintenance plans) are likely to receive better quotes on repairs from dealers. This is just another way in which a maintenance plan can save you money, on top of the insurance against breakdowns that could lead to very expensive replacements.

While regular inspections help a customer avoid generator breakdowns, there are parts to every unit that require special attention. Batteries, coolant, coolant hoses and v-belts (which drive a generator’s fans) are the most important things to maintain. Of course these parts are checked during each inspection, but it is also recommended that they be replaced every three years. Preventative maintenance is especially important in regions that experience very high or very low temperatures, as extreme heat or cold can have detrimental effects on a generator’s battery. If you live in an especially hot or cold region, you should be sure to have your battery regularly tested for voltage and to follow the recommended schedule for battery replacement.

The preventative maintenance plan offered by Worldwide Power Products is an excellent example of a comprehensive plan that takes into account all of the maintenance issues we have discussed thus far. WPP’s preventative maintenance consists of four annual visits. Three of these visits are standard quarterly inspections. WPP technicians will perform a rigorous seventy point check on your generator and provide you with detailed results as well as recommendations and quotes for repairs if necessary. The fourth annual visit will entail the same inspection, but will also include oil and filter change. Diesel generator engines operate very similarly to automobile engines and, as such, they require the same periodic oil and filter changes in order to run properly. In addition to these quarterly visits, WPP provides a special third-year service. At this time they will make all the necessary tri-annual replacements: battery, coolant, coolant hoses and v-belts.

Enrolling in a preventative maintenance plan like the one offered by Worldwide Power Products will extend the life of your generator and limit the likelihood of failures in its parts and systems. Plans can be purchased along with a new or used generator; they vary in price depending on the type of generator and its kilowatt size. Despite the extra cost, generator owners who pay for preventative maintenance are almost sure to save money over time. Without proper maintenance, generators (like all heavy machines) will experience problems and failures that can lead to extremely costly repairs or even, in the worst cases, complete premature breakdowns. Still, the most obvious consequence of non-maintenance is the possibility that you will be left without power when you need it the most. People purchase generators to ensure that they have a reliable source of power so that they may avoid financial losses and safety hazards; it is for these same reasons that generators must be properly maintained. As WPP’s own Ron Bernucho says, “If you rely on your generator for backup power, you should rely on us for maintenance.”

If you are interested in quality new and used generators available for purchase or rent, or if you would like any additional information on this topic, please call us at 713-434-2300 or e-mail us at info@wpowerproducts.com.

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The simplest explanation of a generator’s function: it provides electrical power. Why is this so valuable? It is valuable because electricity is the lifeblood of contemporary society. Virtually every business and every home–everything we rely on in our daily lives–requires a steady supply of power in order to function. Still, electrical power is a commodity that is often taken for granted. Massive power grids make electricity readily available to every home and business located in civilized areas. However, that primary power supply is vulnerable to failure due to factors such as inclement weather, computer malfunction or human error. Also, some businesses such as mining outfits or new community developments must operate outside the realm of the power grid. Such problems illuminate the primary functional advantage of a generator: a generator independently provides a steady supply of power.

How is a generator able to provide power all on its own? In order to understand the mechanics of the power generator with ease, we need only take a broad look at the properties of energy that govern the world around us. Everything that moves, glows or hums–whether organic or manmade–does so by converting one type of energy into another. The human body converts food and nutrients into physical energy. A radio converts electric currents into sonic energy. Even the vast supply of electricity that is available to the public is generated from other sources; for example, the Hoover Dam converts the gravitational pull of water (hydropower) into electrical power for the entirety of Las Vegas and its surrounding areas. A common generator works under the same principle–it generates electrical energy from mechanical energy.

The manner in which a generator operates is very similar to that of an automobile, and the mechanical components work in much the same fashion. Like your everyday car, a generator uses a heavy-duty, recharging battery to initiate and maintain its basic level of energy. The generator is also equipped with a fuel tank that supplies its engine with the needed resources to produce mechanical power. Many generators even run on the same fuels used in automobiles, although there are more options available. Smaller household varieties often operate on gasoline, but larger industrial generators typically have diesel engines or natural gas engines. Regardless of its fuel type, the engine works in concert with an alternator. This alternator houses electrical conductors which react to the engine’s mechanical energy and convert it into useful electrical power.

A generator’s output of electrical power is measured in kilowatts. This is another term that is familiar but struggles to convey any concrete meaning to most people. So what exactly is a kilowatt? In order to understand clearly, we must simplify the measurement:
1 kW = 1000 watts
1 watt =1 joule per second
Reducing this even further:
1 joule = 1 ampere passing through 1 ohm for 1 second
Still confused? Unless you are a physicist there is no reason to feel ashamed. In plain terms, an ampere is a measurement of electrical charge and an ohm is a measurement of resistance; a joule is the amount of work it takes for a charge to pass through the particular level of resistance. To conceptualize this measurement of energy, it may be helpful to envision tiny bolts struggling to push through a magnetic field. In a generator, the mechanical energy entering the alternator causes an electromagnetic reaction, resulting in an alternating current (AC) which is released as electricity (this is why the plugs on household electronics are referred to as “AC adaptors”).

As you may have deduced, the more charges (amperes) that are able to pass through the field of resistance (an ohm) per second, the more powerful a generator will be. This is why industrial generators are quite large–they allow for a great number of kilowatts to be generated in order to supply the necessary amount of power to large buildings or heavy machinery. It is imperative that people shopping for a generator, whether it is intended to be a backup or a primary power source, make sure they choose a product large enough to fit their individual energy needs.

Power generators can be an invaluable investment. They ensure that you will have a reliable source of electricity whenever and wherever you need it. Power outages and brownouts inevitably result in substantial losses for business owners and corporations. Such damages can be avoided by securing the private power supply of a generator. Industrial generators are extremely durable and each is almost guaranteed to produce savings that will exceed its purchase price over time.

Hopefully, having read this article, you now have a clear idea of the mechanics and the benefits of a generator. Remember that electricity is perhaps the most important resource in today’s world. Don’t get caught without it.

If you are interested in quality new and used generators available for purchase or rent, or if you would like any additional information on this topic, please call us at 713-434-2300 or e-mail us at info@wpowerproducts.com.

(1) Determine the daily dollar amount of your business that is reliant upon electricity. (If your business operates completely on computers or telephones this may already account for your entire revenue!)

(2) Add up the total value of assets that would be damaged or destroyed in the event of an outage—this could include perishable goods, sensitive software or machinery, or even long-term client relationships (due to the perception of unreliability).

(3) Account for any extraneous electricity costs that will be incurred from having to reboot powerful computer equipment or restart heavy machinery.

(4) Total the amounts of items 1-3; this is the lost revenue you can expect from a single day without power.

Of course, a single-day outage would be the best-case scenario if a severe storm were to strike. In many cases, areas affected by hurricanes go several days, weeks, or sometimes months without power. This will drastically compound the losses to your business. Still, even more importantly, people’s (perhaps employees’) lives can be endangered by a power loss during a natural disaster. A sudden outage can immediately put people in harm’s way: aborted machine cycles could cause heavy components to come tumbling down upon their operators or failed lighting could impair the balance of individuals walking down staircases. During a long-term outage, people remain in further jeopardy; essentials such as air flow, hot water, visibility and emergency communication can be compromised by the lack of electricity.

These dangers can be avoided by using a backup power generator. If your business is located in an area that is prone to hurricanes, you would be wise to consider purchasing a new or used generator. Although this is a somewhat expensive investment, the equipment will doubtlessly pay for itself in the long run by enabling you to avoid financial losses from power outages. You can roughly calculate the amount of time it will take to see a return on your investment by using the formula, outlined above, for outage losses:
(1) Multiply the amount of daily losses by the average number of annual outages in your area.
(2) Divide the price of your generator by the result of item 1 (your potential annual savings); the result is the length of time it will take to recover the purchase price.

In some cases, the purchase price of a generator can be recovered within a single year or even within the timeframe of a single severe outage. Plus, permanent backup power ensures continuous preparedness. A backup generator will be wired into a business’ main electrical panel via a transfer switch, so that when a loss of primary power occurs the generator source will immediately take over without any interruption. According to the National Hurricane Center, hurricane season lasts a full six months (June 1 – November 30), so a permanent backup generator can be an invaluable safety net for businesses in at-risk areas.

Some businesses simply do not have the available capital to purchase their own generators; others may take a calculated risk to avoid the substantial purchase because they operate in an area that is less prone to devastating storms. Nonetheless, it is wise for any business that relies on electricity to have a contingency plan in case of an unforeseen outage, particularly during hurricane season. In 2008, after ravaging the Gulf coast, Hurricane Ike continued to blow northward through the mainland, causing power outages as far north as Ontario; in total the storm caused over $30 billion in damages. Prior to that, business owners in the Midwest most likely never imagined that they would need insurance against hurricanes.

Luckily, for those who are caught unaware (or under-budgeted), emergency generators can be acquired as contingency rentals. A savvy business owner should become familiar with generator sets available for rent and have a power generation company contact on standby in case of an unexpected outage. If you find yourself in need of a contingency rental, you can once again calculate the difference between your savings and expenditures by using the outage-loss formula: this time, simply compare your daily losses to the daily cost of the rented generator. Keep in mind that less than reputable companies will try to capitalize on disasters by charging exorbitant “emergency fees;” this is one good reason to research and decide upon a rental provider prior to an actual emergency. When dealing with contingency generators, fair rental agreements should have a fixed rate and allow for unlimited use.

Hurricane season is quickly approaching, so make sure you are prepared. Having access to a backup power generator is the only surefire way to avoid the potential financial losses and personal endangerment caused by disastrous outages.

If you are looking for quality new and used generators available for purchase or rent, or if you would like any additional information on this topic, please call us at 713-434-2300 or e-mail us at info@wpowerproducts.com.

In contemporary society, electricity is a staple relied on nearly as much as water or gas. Electricity is depended upon in nearly every aspect of peoples’ lives, ensuring that our day to day routines run smoothly. Businesses, in particular, depend greatly on the availability of energy. The consequences of power loss are somewhat different for various types of businesses, but they are quite costly in every sector. The manufacturing industry may have the greatest dependence on power. In the event of an outage, manufacturing lines are likely to stop; such a stoppage would result in extravagant losses in production time, and could also cause expensive damages to material and machinery. Financial corporations also face immense losses due to outages. Loss of power could cause these companies to lose millions of dollars per minute, as they would be unable to trade stocks and assets with their computers rendered useless. On the subject of computers, consulting and IT services account for another business sector that is particularly susceptible to losses. These firms would lose countless billable hours and development time; potential losses of data and interrupted communications could lead to an abundance of time wasted for damage control with clients and systems. Data centers, entertainment venues, businesses relying on refrigeration, and control centers for transportation, utilities and telecommunication are other businesses that would suffer greatly from disruptions in power. Control center crashes would not only yield monetary losses, but could put millions of people in danger, because so many rely on those control services for everyday safety and convenience. Hospitals and nursing homes are other businesses in which many lives could be lost due to a single outage. In every case, modern businesses are bound to suffer financial losses and people will be endangered by electrical outages.

It is important to remember that these outages could occur due to many different factors. Storms are the most common culprit behind electrical disturbances, but there are many other dangers that are often taken for granted. Outages can also be caused by flooding, earthquakes, snow, ice, lightning, hail, wind or dust. Power losses can even be brought on by heat or cold, because increased usage of air conditioning or heaters within an area can overload the power grid. Beyond those natural causes, power can be interrupted due to traffic accidents, digging around underground wires, short circuits, scheduled utility maintenance, or simple human error.

Looking at all of the potential causes of power outages and the dire consequences that are likely to follow, you can see how important it is to maintain a steady supply of energy. The primary way to ensure this is by owning a generator. Businesses in remote locations such as mining outfits might use generators as a continuous power supply, but most businesses are interested in having a backup or standby generator on hand to supplement their electricity in case of emergencies. These generators are wired to the business’ main electrical panel via a transfer switch; so when a sudden drop or outage occurs in the main electrical supply, the electrical panel automatically switches over to the backup generator as its power source, ensuring that there is no loss of electricity. It is important to realize that this backup power supply is not only useful in cases of full-on outages, but it also protects against drops in power strength, otherwise known as brownouts. Depending on the type of equipment a business is using, brownouts can result in system failures and damages that are costly in much the same way as outage effects are.

You have many choices when shopping for a generator and you should make sure to purchase the product that best fits your needs. One important decision is whether to buy a diesel generator or a natural gas generator (the two most common types of industrial generators). Natural gas generators are relatively inexpensive to purchase and maintain, and are easy to install; in addition they burn clean fuel, making them extremely environmentally friendly. The only risk is that you must rely on your area’s natural gas supply, which could be cut off during specific types of disasters. If you live in an area prone to earthquakes, for instance, diesel might be a better option. Diesel generators still provide great value; they use half the amount of fuel and last much longer than standard gas generators. Also, diesel is safer, cheaper and easier to store than gasoline. Once you have decided upon the type of generator you would like to purchase, an electrician can calculate the exact amount of power that you will need to run your business. Now you can find a generator with the size and power that fits your needs precisely. Although generators become more expensive with greater size and power, you must be sure to purchase a generator that meets the minimal needs of your business, otherwise the supply of energy will not be sufficient enough to combat outages. New or used generators can cost several thousands of dollars, yet you can rest assured that your purchase will be worthwhile. You can calculate the approximate savings a power generator will provide by adding up the daily revenue of your business that is dependent upon electricity. Next, add in the price of potential losses of materials or perishable goods, plus the expected costs of start-up/shut-down and damage control time. Divide the purchase price of your generator by this amount; this will show you how many days without power it will take to make up for the price of the generator. Because of the incredible durability of most power generators, you are almost sure to see great returns on your investment during its lifetime.

If you are looking for quality used generators or if you would like any additional information on this topic, please call us at 713-434-2300 or e-mail us at info@wpowerproducts.com.

Worldwide Power Products

So, a buyer may be asking, what are the benefits of purchasing a new generator? And are there risks in buying a used generator?

The primary benefit of purchasing a new generator is that it will be covered by a manufacturer’s warranty. Such warranties usually last one or two years and ensure that the owner will not be financially responsible for any unforeseen mechanical problems; the extent of a warranty’s coverage varies between manufacturers and often hinges upon the intended use of the generator. As with any expensive purchase, this kind of insurance policy can provide great comfort to the buyer. However, it is possible to find used generators for sale that are still covered by the original manufacturer’s warranty and, furthermore, many companies that deal in used generators will provide guarantees on their own refurbished products. If you are considering purchasing a used generator, be sure to ask the seller if any sort of warranty or guarantee is included. If it is included, this should increase you buying confidence significantly.

Most used generators, though, will not be insured to the extent that new one would be. Therefore, it is imperative that the buyer learns the usage history of any generator he is considering buying. The fewer hours on the engine, the less likely you will be to have problems with your purchase. Inquire about the generator’s previous employment—if it was used primarily for standby power or only as an emergency backup, it probably has far less wear and tear than if it was continuously powering heavy machinery or a vast electrical system.

This is an area in which shopping for used generators can become worrisome. As with any used product, the buyer must rely on the seller’s word and a dishonorable seller could bend the truth about the history and condition of his goods. Avoiding such potential deceit is another reason why one might feel more comfortable buying a new generator. However, people shopping for used products can be fairly confident that they will not be swindled as long as they deal with reputable companies. Veer away from individual sellers and makeshift stockyards. Look for an established, professional dealer with a good sales history—you can assume that customers are satisfied with their products if the company is succeeding.

It is all the more important to buy from a reputable company, because many used generators and diesel engines need to be repaired or completely rebuilt before they are sold—this is a complex process that requires the technical expertise of professionals. Also, regardless of the need for repair, professional sellers put all of their used generators through a rigorous testing process. These tests are critical; they allow the buyer to know the condition and functioning level of every part of the product he intends to buy. Often, machines come with a verification certificate, detailing all of the test results—this can be an invaluable tool for deciding whether or not to make a purchase.

One final, and perhaps crucial, benefit of buying a used generator is that, in all likelihood, you will receive your purchase immediately. The availability of brand new generators is often limited and manufacturing distributors have long waiting periods as well. Companies that sell used generators usually have them ready for immediate (and often free) shipping. So if you need to make a timely purchase, a used machine is definitely the best option.

New generators are certainly attractive due to the confidence the buyer is given by inviolate machinery and protective warranties. They might be ideal purchases for larger companies that value security, can abide a lengthy wait and, most importantly, have a generous amount of money to spend. However, for many buyers concerned with cost-efficiency, used generators might be the better option. If you take the time to learn about the company you are dealing with and the condition of the generator you are buying, you are likely to be very satisfied with the value you receive. Also, if you still have reservations about buying a used product, remember that generators are built to be reliable over the course of time; although it is advisable to learn about the particular generator you intend to buy, the chance that any one of them will break down remains slim.

If you are looking for quality used generators in Houston or if you would like any additional information on this topic, please call us at 713-434-2300 or e-mail us at info@wpowerproducts.com.