Generator brands · Portable and small diesel
Repairing and Servicing Kipor Diesel, Petrol and Inverter Generators
Kipor generators, from KDE silent diesels such as the KDE19STA to Kipor petrol and inverter units, are repaired and serviced where they stand: we come to you anywhere in Gauteng. The small diesels suit home and small-business backup because they use less fuel than a petrol set of similar output, but they need bleeding after running dry, oil changes by running hours and clean cooling air. We find the fault, quote, and in most cases repair it on site.
Established 2006
20 years of experience
24/7 operations
We Arrive Within 1–2 Hours
(usually within 1 hour)
Free callouts and quotations
One-year warranty
Qualified and certified technicians
We Service & Repair All Generator Brands
All generator makes and models
1 kVA–20,000 kVA capability
Under the canopy of a Kipor KDE silent diesel
A KDE silent diesel puts the whole generator inside a steel acoustic canopy: the diesel engine, the alternator and its AVR, a fuel tank, a starter battery, and a control panel behind a window. On the set in this photo, the window shows the control screen, the starter switch and a fuel gauge, with a sticker beside it that reads “ventilated places use only”. Some KDE sets also connect to an automatic changeover panel.
Kipor builds KDE sets with both air-cooled and water-cooled engines. The KDE19STA pictured at the top is water-cooled: the sticker on its door asks for the cooling water to be checked periodically. Either way, the canopy that keeps the noise down also traps heat and dust.
Air-cooled or water-cooled: what changes in the care of a Kipor
| Area | Air-cooled engine | Water-cooled engine |
|---|---|---|
| How it cools | Air-cooled engineAir from an engine-driven fan passes over the cylinder fins and leaves through the canopy | Water-cooled engineCoolant runs through the block to a fan-cooled radiator |
| Usual overheating cause | Air-cooled engineDust-packed fins or a blocked vent | Water-cooled engineCoolant loss, a loose fan belt, a sticking thermostat or a clogged radiator |
| Extra service items | Air-cooled engineFin, fan and duct cleaning | Water-cooled engineCoolant condition, hoses, belt and radiator core |
Which one you have is on the engine plate. The coolant and radiator guide covers the water-cooled side, and overheating explains the shutdown.
Kipor diesel symptoms and their usual causes
| Symptom | Likely causes | Repair route |
|---|---|---|
| Turns over but never fires | Likely causesIt ran dry and drew air into the fuel system; a choked filter; water in the diesel; an injector fault | Repair routeGenerator not starting |
| Will not crank, or only clicks | Likely causesFlat battery, a charging fault, a loose starter cable, the emergency stop pressed in | Repair routeBattery not charging |
| Stayed off when load shedding started | Likely causesController not in auto, a weak battery, or a fault in the changeover panel or its cable | Repair routeChangeover and ATS problems |
| Stops with the oil warning on | Likely causesOil level down, a failed oil switch, or genuine pressure loss inside the engine | Repair routeLow oil pressure shutdown |
| Engine runs, sockets dead | Likely causesOutput breaker, AVR, brushes or alternator windings | Repair routeRunning but no power |
| Speed hunts and the lights pulse | Likely causesGovernor or fuel supply problems, or a load at the top of its rating | Repair routeFrequency and speed problems |
Load-shedding hours on a small diesel
A small diesel suits load shedding: it runs for hours on a tank, and diesel keeps far longer than petrol. But a schedule with several outages a day piles on running hours, so oil and filters come due much sooner than a once-a-year habit allows. Book the service by the hour meter on the controller.
Light loading is the other problem. A set that spends most outages running lights, the fridge and the Wi-Fi router runs too cool to burn all its fuel, and soot and unburnt diesel collect in the exhaust and the oil. That is wet stacking. It is prevented by giving the set a reasonable share of its rating whenever it runs, and an engine that has already built up deposits needs a longer run on a heavier load to burn them off.
A Kipor diesel service, step by step
- 01
Identify the set
Set and engine plates, and the hours from the controller, so the right oil and filters go in.
- 02
Oil, filter and valves
Oil drained warm, filter changed where fitted, the specified grade put in, and valve clearances checked when due.
- 03
Fuel
New fuel filter, water drained, lines and return pipe checked for leaks, then the system bled.
- 04
Air, cooling and battery
Air element renewed or cleaned; fins and vents, or coolant, hoses and belt; battery and charging tested.
- 05
Run under load
Voltage and frequency checked at the output with load on. Any defects go on the report with a quote.
Before you call, read the panel
Kipor petrol and inverter generators
Stale petrol and carburettor varnish: Petrol generators
Petrol left standing gums up the jets: hard starting, surging, or needing the choke to keep running. Drain or stabilise fuel before storage.
Spark plug and ignition
A fouled plug or a failed coil gives a weak spark or none.
Low-oil shutdown
The engine stops, or will not start, when the oil switch senses a low level. Top up on level ground first.
Inverter module and overload: Portable and inverter generators
An overload light is protection: remove load and restart. One that stays on at light load, or no output at all, suggests a failed inverter module or winding.
Parts for Kipor generators
Each part is looked up from the set and engine plates. Where the original part can be had, we fit it; otherwise a quality equivalent of the same specification, and your quote names which. Warranty repairs are a matter for the seller, so check a new unit’s warranty first. We also repair similar small diesels from Mac Afric and sets built on Yanmar engines.
Independent service
We Service & Repair All Generator Brands
Onsite Generator Repairs is an independent generator specialist. We repair, service and maintain Kipor equipment as part of our work on every make of generator.
Manufacturer warranty claims go through the manufacturer’s own network. If your generator is still under warranty, check the warranty terms before arranging work by anyone else.
Brand names and trademarks belong to their respective owners. Onsite Generator Repairs is an independent service and repair company.
Service areas
Where we work in Gauteng
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Why will my Kipor diesel not start after it ran out of fuel?
Air got into the fuel system, and it must be bled from the filter, injection pump and lines before the engine will fire. That is fuel-system work for a technician, and cranking on and on in the meantime only flattens the battery and strains the starter. See fuel system repairs.
Why does my Kipor smoke black when the kettle or geyser goes on?
Heating loads draw a lot of power, and black smoke at that moment means the engine is at its limit or short of air from a dirty filter. Most homes keep the geyser off the generator circuit for that reason; the kVA sizing guide shows why. If it smokes at light load too, the injector needs testing. See generator smoke.
What is the ATS socket on my Kipor for?
It is a control connection. The cable from it runs to an automatic changeover panel (ATS), which watches the mains, signals the generator to start when the power fails and moves the load across; the power itself runs through the panel’s own wiring. That panel must be installed by an electrician. If the set stays off when load shedding starts, see changeover and ATS problems.
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Need a generator technician?
- 24/7 operations
- We Arrive Within 1–2 Hours (usually within 1 hour)
- Free callouts and quotations