Ready For Hurricane Season?
Hurricanes are destructive natural events, so being prepared is paramount. It is essential to set up and maintain your whole-home generator ahead of time to ensure you have a dependable supply of electricity during and after a storm.
Hurricane season lasts from June to November, with August to October being the most active. Tropical storms and hurricanes are more likely to form in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans during this time.
This page will help to answer some frequently asked questions regarding storm preparation and generators; as well as provide you with helpful resources. Being well-informed and taking these precautions can help minimize damage caused by these storms while ensuring yourself and those around you remain safe.
Hurricane Preparedness FAQS
Maintenance Questions
Refer to Kohler On-Cue for any abnormal unit conditions or actions required. Additionally, for any failed test starts, contact Empowered Global Inc. immediately to properly diagnose and take corrective actions to ensure that the unit is reliable and ready to serve you in a time of need.
When the generator is running, it is recommended to check the oil levels every 8-24hrs. Per Kohler’s operations manual every 8 hours for air-cooled units and every 24 hours for liquid-cooled units. Semi-annual maintenance performed by a certified technician is also required. This includes replacing the oil, oil filter, and air filter; inspecting coolant levels, belts, hoses, spark plugs, battery and software updates as well as gas leak checks.
Leave it to the pros! Maintenance should be performed by a trained and certified Kohler maintenance person.
Generators not being maintained while in use, or serviced annually, can cause premature or catastrophic failure of major generator components. Stay on top of your generator’s maintenance to ensure that your whole home generator is ready for you when you need it most.
Generator Monitoring Questions
If you are connected to the internet, your whole home generator can be monitored remotely using the Kohler On-Cue service. OnCue is a free internet-based service, however there are cellular-based monitoring services that require an annual fee.
Remote monitoring can relay information such as: communications with the server, serial number, and generator state (running, stopped, cooldown, standby, ATS exercise, etc.).
The Kohler On-Cue monitoring system allows the customer to monitor the unit remotely wherever they have service or are connected to the internet!
Remote monitoring aids in preparing for hurricanes by verifying that your unit has been performing successful weekly test runs, no abnormal conditions exist, and the unit is ready to automatically start upon the interruption of power from local utilities.
Fuel/Oil Questions
The oil level should be maintained within the minimum and maximum levels provided on the dipstick. Oil should be checked every 8-24hrs of operation and should be filled while the unit is not running to prevent it from overfilling. Per Kohler’s operations manual every 8 hours for air-cooled units and every 24 hours for liquid-cooled units.
The oil should be changed at approximately every 100 hours of operation.
For Kohler air-cooled and liquid-cooled units up to 38KW, use 10w 30 full synthetic.
For Kohler liquid-cooled units 48kw and above, use 10w 40 full synthetic.
Hurricane Maintenance/Preparedness Questions
Annual maintenance is scheduled by the Empowered Global Inc Team based on the Generator Maintenance Agreement. Please contact our office at 239.330.4520 regarding all other maintenance queries and availability.
Checking your generator’s oil level is essential for proper operation while running. Annual maintenance should also be performed by a certified Kohler technician. The semi-annual Generator Maintenance Agreement ensures the unit is available to run when you and your family need it most!
It is recommended to verify propane tank levels and have your gas provider fill the tank to maximize your generator’s run time.
Additional Resources
Prepare for Hurricane Season with a Home Generator
March 24, 2020 Spring is approaching, and it’s time to start looking ahead to the 2020 hurricane season. It may seem early to start preparing for hurricane season, but experts have made it clear that the earlier you start preparing, the better. The season starts June 1 and it is the most active in August and September. Here […]
Is Your Generator Ready For Hurricane Season?
May 15, 2020 Hurricane season is almost here and it’s time to start getting prepared. If we’ve learned anything since our last major hurricane, it’s that Southwest Florida often feels long-lasting impacts from big storms. In 2020, experiencing hurricane season while also going through a global pandemic makes hurricane preparation more important than ever. It’s essential to make […]
