The water tank of a diesel generator set plays a significant role in the entire body of the generator set. If the water tank is not used properly, it will cause considerable damage to the diesel engine and generator. In severe cases, it may lead to the scrapping of the diesel engine. Therefore, how to use the water tank of a diesel generator set correctly has become a relatively important topic. Below, Beidou Power Generation Equipment Factory summarizes the following points for your reference.
1: Use clean soft water
Soft water usually includes rainwater, snow water and river water, etc. These waters contain less minerals and are suitable for use in engines. The mineral content in well water, spring water and tap water is high. When heated, these minerals tend to deposit on the radiator walls, water jacket and waterway walls, forming scale and rust, which reduces the engine’s heat dissipation capacity and easily leads to engine overheating. The water added must be clean. Impurities in the water will clog the waterways and accelerate the wear of components such as the pump impeller. If hard water is used, it must be softened in advance. The methods of softening usually include heating and adding alkaline solution (commonly caustic soda).
2. Do not start the machine first and then add water
Some users, in winter, in order to facilitate starting up or because the water source is far away, often adopt the method of starting up first and then adding water. This method is very harmful. After the engine starts dry, as there is no cooling water in the engine block, the engine components heat up rapidly, especially the cylinder head and the water jacket outside the fuel injector of the diesel engine, where the temperature is particularly high. If cooling water is added at this time, the cylinder head and water jacket are prone to cracking or deformation due to sudden cooling. When the engine temperature is too high, the engine load should be removed first and then the engine should be idled at a low speed. Only when the water temperature returns to normal should cooling water be added.
3. When the pot boils, be careful not to get burned
After the water tank boils, do not blindly open the tank cover to avoid scalding. The correct approach is: idle for a while first, then turn off the generator. Wait until the temperature of the generator drops and the pressure in the radiator decreases before unscrewing the radiator cap. When unscrewing, cover the box lid with a towel or car cleaning cloth to prevent hot water or steam from spraying on your face or body. Never look down at the water tank with your head directly facing it. After unscrewing it, quickly remove your hand. Wait until there is no hot air or steam before taking off the water tank cover to prevent scalding.
4. Heat water in winter
In the cold winter, it is difficult to start the generator. If cold water is added before starting, it is very likely that freezing will occur in the water tank’s drain chamber and the water inlet pipe during the water addition process or when the generator fails to start in time after adding water, causing the water to be unable to circulate and even causing the water tank to burst. Adding hot water, on the one hand, can raise the temperature of the engine to facilitate starting; On the other hand, the above-mentioned freezing phenomenon can be avoided as much as possible.
5. The antifreeze should be of high quality
At present, the quality of antifreeze on the market varies greatly, and many are inferior products passed off as good ones. If antifreeze does not contain preservatives, it will severely corrode components such as the engine cylinder head, water jacket, radiator, water-blocking ring, and rubber parts, and at the same time produce a large amount of scale, causing poor heat dissipation of the engine and leading to engine overheating faults. Therefore, it is essential to choose products from regular manufacturers.
6. Replenish soft water in a timely manner
After adding antifreeze to the water tank, if you find that the water level in the tank drops, as long as there is no leakage, only clean soft water (distilled water is better) needs to be added. This is because the boiling point of the commonly used ethylene glycol type antifreeze is high, and what evaporates is the water in the antifreeze. There is no need to replenish the antifreeze; only soft water needs to be added. It is worth mentioning that never add unsoftened hard water.
7. Drain the antifreeze in time to reduce corrosion
Whether it is ordinary antifreeze or long-lasting antifreeze, it should be drained in time when the temperature rises. This can prevent the corrosion of the machine parts from increasing. Because the preservatives added to the antifreeze will gradually decrease or become ineffective with the extension of usage time, and in some cases, no preservatives are added at all, this will cause strong corrosion to the machine parts. Therefore, the antifreeze should be drained in time according to the temperature conditions, and a thorough cleaning of the cooling pipeline should be carried out after draining the antifreeze.
8. Regularly change water and clean pipelines
It is not recommended to change the cooling water frequently. After a period of use, minerals in the cooling water have already precipitated. Unless the water is very dirty and may clog the pipes and radiators, it should not be replaced easily. Even if the newly replaced cooling water has been softened, it still contains a certain amount of minerals, which will deposit in the water jacket and other places to form scale. The more frequently the water is replaced, the more The more minerals precipitated, the thicker the scale will be. Therefore, the cooling water should be replaced regularly according to the actual situation. When replacing, the cooling pipeline should be cleaned. The cleaning solution can be prepared with caustic soda, kerosene and water. At the same time, maintain all the water release switches, especially before winter. Replace the damaged switches in time. Do not use bolts, wooden sticks, rags, etc. as substitutes.
9. When draining water, open the water tank cover
When draining water, if the water tank cap is not opened, although some of the cooling water can flow out, as the water volume in the radiator decreases, due to the sealed water tank, a certain vacuum degree will be generated, which will slow down or stop the water flow. In winter, if the water is not drained completely, the machine parts may freeze and be damaged.
10. Water should not be released immediately when the temperature is high
Before the engine is turned off, if the engine temperature is very high, do not immediately stop the machine to drain the water. First, remove the load and let it idle. Wait until the water temperature drops to 40-50℃ before draining the water. This is to prevent the outer surfaces of the cylinder block, cylinder head and water jacket, which are in contact with water, from experiencing a sudden drop in temperature and a sharp contraction due to sudden draining, while the internal temperature of the cylinder block is still very high and the contraction is small. It is very easy for the cylinder block and cylinder head to develop cracks due to excessive temperature differences between the inside and outside.
11. After releasing water in the cold winter, the engine should be idled
In the cold winter, after draining the cooling water from the engine, the engine should be started and let it idle for a few minutes. This is mainly because after draining the water, some water may remain in the water pump and other components. After starting again, the residual water in the water pump and other parts can be dried by the body temperature, ensuring that there is no water remaining in the engine and preventing the water pump from freezing and the water seal from tearing, which could lead to water leakage.
In the future, as the weather gradually turns colder, we kindly ask all users to keep a close eye on the changes in the coolant in the generator set’s water tank. Add antifreeze in time and drain the coolant promptly to prevent the water tank from freezing and damaging the diesel generator, which could cause irreparable economic losses.
For more questions about the generator set, please call the Beidou Power team. More than ten years of professional production and sales of power generation equipment experience, more professional engineer team to serve you, choose Beidou power is to choose rest assured, welcome on-site factory inspection.
Post time: May-07-2025