On average, electricity customers in the U.S. endure approximately five and one-half hours of electricity interruptions each year, according to the Energy Information Administration. From extreme weather events to animal interference to vehicles colliding with utility equipment, uptime threats continue to magnify.
Organizations with a low tolerance for downtime understand that when a power outage strikes, they must have a solid contingency plan in place. For most companies, this includes investing in an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and/or a backup generator. But what happens when the lights go out and for reasons unknown, your backup power source fails to kick on? This unpleasant scenario warrants an emergency service call.
Undeniably, a power outage is the worst time to discover that your UPS or emergency generator requires maintenance. Yet all too often, this is unfortunately the case. When every second counts, you need to ensure you are dialed into a service organization that can provide rapid response time and industry expertise.
When to Call for Emergency UPS Support
The best time to discover that there may be a problem with your critical backup solution is before a blackout or other utility supply issue occurs. That’s why it is important to be aware of any unusual UPS activity. Four telltale signs that you should schedule an emergency service call include:
• Your UPS seems noisier than normal. A UPS running on battery power might produce a loud buzzing sound for non-problematic reasons, such as an inverter or a cooling fan running at high speeds. However, the sound could also point to problems like an old or faulty battery that is just waiting to drop the critical load if power is cut.
• Your UPS in in alarm mode. Usually indicated by a red or yellow light on the display, an alarm usually alerts you to the fact that the UPS is on battery power, the capacity is overloaded or the battery is low.
• There is a rotten egg-like smell. The root cause of this odor is hydrogen sulfide gas, which is produced when sulfuric acid in the battery breaks down. This gas has a distinct smell, similar to rotten eggs, and can be harmful to humans if inhaled in large quantities. This issue should not be ignored, as it could lead to potential dangers, including leaks or explosions.
• The UPS didn’t return to Normal mode after an outage. Anytime your UPS stops working, even if after an outage, it’s a good idea to have a technician look over the unit. Restarting a faulty unit can have catastrophic results, resulting in longer downtime and possibly even safety issues.
Signs You Should Schedule Emergency Generator Service
Like UPSs, generators emit certain indicators that signify emergency service may be warranted. Some of those signs include:
• Power fluctuations during operation. This is a problem that should be promptly diagnosed by a professional, as fluctuating power can damage electrical equipment and also be a sign of a more serious underlying issue.
• An internal or external leak. Leaking oil, gas or coolant can result in generator failure or even spark a fire. If you notice any leaking, immediately shut off your generator and call a qualified service technician for emergency generator service.
• Strange noises. While generators make noise during normal operation, any abnormal noise ― such as loud clanking, banging, or squealing ― indicates there may be a problem. Schedule a service call if you notice an odd noise coming from your system.
• Unusual odors. If a generator emits a strange odor, there could be a fluid leak in the system. Specifically, a burning smell can indicate an electrical system issue, which can be extremely dangerous if the unit remains in operation. If you detect any unusual odor, it is important to immediately shut down the generator and call a service specialist to inspect it.
• Overheating. If your generator has been overheating, it’s a sure indicator that professional service is needed. Overheating can result from a variety of issues, but it is generally a sign that parts of the engine are working harder than normal to function. If the issue isn’t promptly addressed, your system can experience irreparable damage.
• Worn out components. Generator parts require regular maintenance and replacement. Attempting to repair or replace these electrical components yourself can be dangerous, so it’s important to leave this task to a professional service organization that provides emergency generator repair.
What to Expect During an Emergency Call
As a national, one-stop UPS and emergency generator repair provider, Unified Power understands how much your business relies on your critical power systems. With that in mind, we respond to all UPS, battery, and generator service and repair needs 24/7/365 through our professionally staffed dispatch facility. Committed to getting you back up and running quickly, you can count on our team of certified field engineers to diagnose and remedy the issue promptly.
The optimal approach to emergencies is to avoid these calls altogether. That’s why Unified Power offers a wide variety of preventive maintenance services, designed to help your facility avoid unplanned downtime and potentially costly generator repairs by providing the opportunity to catch potential issues early on. For example, engaging in standby generator annual maintenance ensures the inspection of transfer switches and paralleling gear, checking of connections, removing dirt and dust, replacing contacts where required, and verifying that the system controls will operate as intended. In addition, a fuel quality test must be completed at least annually to ensure that the fuel is not degrading, with routine fuel polishing necessary to effectively clean stored fuels and restore them to their former efficacy. We offer preventive maintenance services for industrial generators utilizing diesel fuel, natural gas or propane. In addition, a test of transfer switches should be completed monthly, as well as a load test to ensure the system remains operational.
UPS systems also benefit greatly from regular preventive maintenance. In fact, research has shown that the mean time between failures (MTBF) is more than 20 times better for UPSs that receive preventive maintenance twice a year over those that do not. To keep your facility operating as it should year-round, Unified Power offers an extensive range of UPS and battery preventive maintenance services, completed by technicians who have been professionally trained on all manufacturers’ power protection equipment.
Because it’s possible that even the most meticulously maintained equipment will experience an unforeseen issue, the Unified Power team is also ready to respond quickly and efficiently if you require emergency service. We provide fast response times to help ensure your system is up and running as soon as possible, minimizing productivity and revenue losses. Along with generator repair, we also offer retrofit and upgrade services to replace or upgrade either the entire unit or individual components.
Industrial generator maintenance plans and repair services give you peace of mind that your electric devices, equipment, and computers will remain protected during a power outage. No matter what type or brand of generator you have at your facility, Unified Power is prepared to handle all your power requirements. To meet the varied needs of organizations, we offer maintenance service plans on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual basis.
Why Call Unified Power?
While there are many UPS and emergency generator service companies from which to choose, all organizations are not created equal. When your critical power solution fails to operate as expected during a power outage, you need immediate assistance. When calling for help, the last thing you want to experience is a long wait time; getting trapped in an endless automated phone system cycle; or worse yet, having your call go straight to voice mail.
Unlike many competitors, Unified Power maintains a staff dedicated to answering emergency calls, including after-hours support. This assures that you will receive assistance from a staff member who is highly knowledgeable about critical power equipment ― not a customer support representative tasked with simply answering the phone.
Even more, we are proud to extend our 15-Minute Rule to all of our customers. Once we arrive on site, within 15 minutes we will gather information about your facility and power equipment, let you know exactly what we plan to inspect and repair, how long we anticipate the work will take to complete, and any potential risks involved. During this initial conversation, we will also establish your expectations for our visit, answer any questions you may have, and inquire if there are any other concerns you’d like us to address while we are on site. Once our work has been completed, we will spend another 15 minutes with you to review the job and our findings, including any follow-up items or areas of concern. Our technical team will then review the inspection results and forward a detailed report to you within three business days.
With our technicians strategically located across the country, you never have to wonder, “Is there standby generator maintenance near me?” Unified Power is able to guarantee a four-hour response time in most areas. In addition, because Unified Power supports numerous regional offices, we have parts stocked locally for service calls, as well as a large parts inventory within our main office in Terrell, Texas. This central location enables us to ship parts quickly to any state in the nation. We also maintain working agreements with all OEMS, so accessing parts is never an issue.
Count on Unified Power for Emergency Support Services
For more than two decades, companies under the Unified Power brand have been providing critical power equipment and service maintenance to customers across the country. In addition to offering high-quality power solutions customized to fit the needs of any business ― including UPSs and backup generators ― we are a leading UPS and emergency generator repair company and provide preventive maintenance to more than 6,000 customer sites nationwide. We also offer an extensive range of complementary services, including remote monitoring, battery services, rental equipment and more. Contact us today to schedule an appointment!
