Hurricane time. Is the Stand-by Generator Ready?

Hurricane Season Is Here: Is Your Emergency Generator Ready?

The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, and if you are in a hurricane-prone region, your emergency generator could be your lifeline. But when the grid goes down, will it power up—or fail when you need it most?

Now’s the time to find out.

Fluid Failure: The Silent Generator Killer

Routine maintenance matters year-round, but hurricane season brings specific threats—flooding, wind-driven rain, and sudden surges in load demand—that can expose hidden weaknesses in your generator. The chief among them is contaminated or degraded fluids.

Engine oil, diesel fuel, and engine coolant are often overlooked, yet they are the most common culprits behind generator failures during storms. Without proactive machine fluid testing, you will not know what’s lurking in those systems until it is too late.

Diesel Fuel: Water Is the Enemy

Water is the most common threat to deteriorating diesel fuel performance—and hurricanes bring plenty of it. It can sneak into tanks via leaky seals, vent lines, or even from condensation during temperature swings. Once water is in, problems begin quickly:

• Microbial Growth – Bacteria and fungi thrive at the fuel/water boundary, creating sludge and clogs.
• Corrosion – Water accelerates rust inside tanks and lines, sending particles into injectors.
• Lubricity Loss – Diesel lubricates your fuel system and water does not, which aggravates equipment wear issues.
• Fuel Breakdown – Water can trigger a chemical change in the fuel, forming acids that damage engines.

A  quick visual inspection is helpful, but a lab analysis is the extremely useful safeguard—checking for water content, microbial activity, and other contaminants.

Engine Oil: More Than Just Lubrication

During extended outages, your generator’s lubricant is under extreme stress. Without oil analysis of a diesel engine, you are running blind. Here is what to look for:

• Water Contamination – This will cause oil/water emulsification and acid formation.
• Soot Levels – Too much soot thickens the oil, clogs filters, leading to abrasive wear.
• Viscosity Shift – High temperatures can thin or thicken oil, hurting performance by weakening a lubrication regime or increasing operating temperature.
• Additive Depletion – Oil additives degrade over time. Testing shows whether they are still performing as designed.

Coolant: Your Generator’s Thermal Shield

Glycol-based engine coolants are often neglected or poorly maintained, but it is critical to engine performance. In the article, Preventing Premature Engine Failure with Coolant Analysis – Machinery Lubrication (by Elizabeth Nelson), the author estimates that 50% of engine failures are associated with problems in the engine coolant system. When corrosion inhibitors break down or contaminants enter the system, internal components can suffer severe damage.

An engine coolant test will reveal:

• Correct Glycol Mix – Protects against both freezing and overheating.
• Inhibitor Levels – Corrosion protection depends on them.
• Contaminants – Oil or exhaust in your coolant signals a serious engine issue.

Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late

Once a storm is on the radar, it is already too late to fix hidden problems. Sampling your generator’s fluids at an organized frequency is a simple, proactive move that could prevent failure when it matters most. We offer efficient and accurate lab testing for fuel, oil, and engine coolant. Please inquire with us.