EV Chargers, Generators and Backup
Standby generator repair and annual service in Grand Rapids
A standby generator that has sat idle all summer is the one that fails in the first ice storm. We service units on a schedule, and when one will not start or throws a fault, we find the reason and fix it.
Updated September 2026
- Answered 24/7
- Annual service visits
- No-start and fault calls
- Grand Rapids and Kent County
Quick answer
Generator repair and maintenance in Grand Rapids covers an annual service of the engine, battery, charger and transfer switch, plus repair calls when a standby unit will not start, stops mid-outage or shows a fault. Most no-start calls trace to a weak battery, a failed charger or a missed exercise cycle warning.
What this job is
Why a generator that never runs still wears out
A standby unit spends most of its life waiting. It starts itself once a week or so to exercise, and it only proves its worth during an outage, which is exactly when a dead battery or dirty oil shows up. Service keeps the engine, the starting system and the transfer switch ready for the night the lines come down, and repair covers the calls when they are not.
What is included
What an annual generator service covers
- Oil and oil filter change on the manufacturer schedule
- Air filter and spark plug inspection or replacement
- Battery load test and terminal cleaning
- Battery charger and controller check
- Fault log read and cleared
- Exercise cycle timing confirmed
- Transfer switch operation tested under load
- Enclosure, pad clearances and vents cleared
- Fuel connection and regulator inspected
What you notice first
Signs the generator needs a call before the next outage
It skipped its weekly exercise
No weekly run usually means a battery, charger or controller issue.
A red or amber fault light
The controller logged a problem it will not clear alone.
Cranks but will not start
Fuel, spark or a sensor shutting it down.
Runs, then shuts off in an outage
Overload, low oil or overheating on a long run.
House does not switch over
The transfer switch is not seeing the utility drop.
New noise, smoke or smell
Mechanical wear that gets worse under a long run.
The versions of this job
Annual generator service
A yearly visit keeps the unit ready for the outage it was bought for. We change the oil and filter on the manufacturer schedule, inspect the air filter and plugs, load-test the battery, read and clear the fault log, and run the unit through a real transfer so we know the house actually switches over. Most homeowners around Grand Rapids book it in early fall, before the first ice and wind events arrive and before everyone else calls at once.
Generator will not start
A no-start is usually the simplest failure with the worst timing. Weak or old batteries are the most common cause, followed by a battery charger that has quietly stopped charging, a tripped controller, a fuel supply problem or a sensor that shuts the engine down to protect it. We test the starting system first, then fuel and ignition, and replace the part that failed rather than a list of parts that might have. If the outage is still running, getting the house back on generator power comes first.
Battery and charger faults
Standby units rely on a small battery kept topped up by a built-in charger. When the charger fails, the battery drains slowly until the weekly exercise fails, often without anyone noticing. We load-test the battery rather than just reading its voltage, test the charger output, and replace whichever has failed. Batteries that are several years old are usually cheaper to replace at the service visit than during an outage call at night, when the unit is needed and every hour without heat counts.
Exercise cycle errors
The weekly exercise is the unit checking itself. When it throws an error, skips, or runs at the wrong time, the controller is telling you something: low battery, a failed start attempt, an overcrank, or a clock that reset after a power blip. We read the fault history, fix the cause, reset the schedule to a time that suits you, and confirm the next exercise runs cleanly before we sign the visit off. A clock that keeps resetting often points to a controller that needs replacing.
Local conditions
What we see around Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids has had outages in more than one season this past year: a late December 2025 storm with gusts over 50 mph left more than 30,000 customers without power, and freezing rain that same month put ice on lines across the region. Those long runs are what find weak batteries and overdue oil, which is why fall service matters here.
Cost factors
What moves the price on this job
Service is priced per visit; repairs depend on what failed.
Typical regional electrician labor runs $75 to $150 per hour, as a planning figure rather than our price.
- 01
Service or repair
A scheduled service is a fixed scope; a repair is not.
- 02
Unit size
Larger units take more oil and longer checks.
- 03
Parts needed
Battery, charger, plugs or controller boards differ widely.
- 04
Fault history
Intermittent faults take longer to trace.
- 05
Transfer switch work
Switch repairs add time and parts.
- 06
Access
Tight clearances or snow slow the visit.
- 07
Timing
An outage-night call costs more than a booked service.
How the job runs
How a generator service or repair visit runs
Tell us the symptom
Fault light, no start, or just due for service.
Read the controller
Fault history and exercise log first.
Test the starting system
Battery under load, charger output.
Service the engine
Oil, filters, plugs, fuel connection.
Run a real transfer
Utility off, house on generator, then back.
Log the visit
What was done and what to watch.
We service Generac, Kohler and Briggs & Stratton standby units.
Straight answers
Questions about generator repair and maintenance in Grand Rapids
Still unsure? Call (616) 699-4794 and ask a technician.
At least once a year, and on the maker's hour-based schedule if it ran long during outages.
Usually a weak battery, a failed charger or a controller fault; each needs a test to tell apart.
Yes. Call any hour; no-start and shutdown calls during outages are dispatched.
Yes. We service the common residential standby brands regardless of who installed them.
Early fall, before the ice and wind season fills everyone's schedule.
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