Service areas · Johannesburg
On-Site Generator Repairs and Servicing in Randburg
We repair, service and maintain generators on site across Randburg: shops and offices in Ferndale and Cresta, homes on the Northcliff hillsides and in Linden and Blairgowrie, the workshops of Strijdom Park and Kya Sand, and the complexes of Northriding and Olivedale. Tell us what the generator is doing, and a technician comes to find the fault and quote before any work starts.
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
Generators in Randburg
Randburg runs from the older shopping streets of Ferndale and the Randburg CBD in the south to the townhouse belt of Northriding and Olivedale in the north, with the Northcliff ridge to the south-west and industry in Strijdom Park and Kya Sand. That spread shows in the generators we see: portable petrol and inverter units in homes and flats, small silent diesel sets behind shops and offices, three-phase sets in workshops and factories, and body corporate generators that keep gates, intercoms and common lighting going in the complexes.
Each group tends to fail in its own way. Portable units suffer from stale petrol and old oil between outages; shop and office sets from flat start batteries and chargers that nobody checks; workshop sets from motor starting loads; and complex generators from unclear responsibility, where nobody books a service until the gate stops opening. Supply here comes from the municipal network or from Eskom, depending on the suburb, and outages range from scheduled load shedding to cable theft, substation faults and storm damage that can last much longer than a load-shedding slot.
Problems we look for on Randburg sites
| Symptom | Likely causes | Repair route |
|---|---|---|
| Portable unit surges or dies under load after months unused | Likely causesStale petrol gumming the carburettor, a blocked fuel tap or filter, a low oil level tripping the oil sensor, a worn spark plug | Repair routePetrol generators |
| Shop or office set does not start when the power goes | Likely causesFlat start battery, failed battery charger, controller left in manual, a mains-sensing fault | Repair routeGenerator not starting |
| Workshop set stalls or trips when a compressor or welder starts | Likely causesMotor starting current beyond the set’s capacity, unbalanced phases, fuel starvation, a slow governor | Repair routeShutting down or tripping |
| Set in a side passage or under a deck shuts down hot | Likely causesHot air drawn back in, blocked radiator fins, low coolant, a slipping fan belt | Repair routeOverheating |
| Lights flicker or gate motors struggle on generator power | Likely causesAVR fault, a loose sensing connection, dips as motors start, single-phase loads piled onto one phase | Repair routeVoltage problems |
Hillside homes
Generators on steep and small stands
Many homes in Northcliff, Linden and Blairgowrie sit on sloping or compact stands, so generators end up in narrow side passages, under decks, in outbuildings or on a terrace below the house. A generator needs room to breathe: the canopy draws cool air in and pushes hot air out, and when the hot air has nowhere to go the set takes it back in and overheats. The exhaust must point away from windows, doors and vents, and never into a garage or a covered area where people sit.
Access matters as much. A set on a terrace down a flight of steps still needs its oil, filters and battery changed, and one boxed in with garden furniture or stored items on its canopy cannot be cooled or serviced properly. If you are adding a standby set, the changeover is fitted at the main distribution board and the generator can stand some distance away, provided the cable is sized for the length of the run so that voltage drop does not starve the load. See generator installation.
Workshops and light industry in Strijdom Park and Kya Sand
Workshops and small factories load a generator in ways homes and offices never do. Before a set is trusted to keep production going through an outage, these points need checking:
- The starting current of the largest motor: a direct-on-line motor draws several times its running current for a few seconds as it starts
- Welders and plasma cutters, which load the set in heavy, uneven bursts
- How single-phase loads are spread across the three phases, because a badly unbalanced set runs hot and gives uneven voltage
- kVA against kW: motor loads with a poor power factor need more kVA than their kW rating suggests
- Fuel kept in drums or a site tank, where water and dirt collect between outages
- Dust from the yard, which clogs air filters and radiator fins faster than in a suburban garden
For sizing, see the kVA sizing guide and single vs three phase. For factory sets, see industrial generator services.
Repairs, servicing and nearby areas
- Generator repairsHow we find and fix engine, fuel, alternator and changeover faults on site.
- Generator servicingWhat a service covers, from oil and filters to a test run under load.
- Generator maintenancePlanned services and test runs for shops, complexes and workshops.
- SandtonEast of Randburg: office towers, hotels, business parks and large homes.
- RoodepoortWest of Randburg: established suburbs, estates and light industry.
- FourwaysNorth of Randburg: estates, complexes and smallholdings.
- All of JohannesburgThe inner city and every other part of the metro.
Coverage
Where we work in and around Randburg
- Ferndale and Randburg CBDShops, offices, flats and small businesses
- Cresta and BlackheathA large shopping centre, homes and offices
- NorthcliffHillside homes around Northcliff Ridge
- Linden and BlairgowrieEstablished suburbs with homes, restaurants and small businesses
- Fontainebleau and BordeauxResidential suburbs and small office parks
- Robindale and WindsorResidential suburbs with flats and townhouses
- Strijdom ParkLight industry, workshops and trade suppliers
- Kya Sand and BloubosrandAn industrial area and the neighbouring suburb in the north-west
- Randpark Ridge and SundownerFamily homes and townhouse complexes
- Northriding and OlivedaleTownhouse complexes and estates to the north
- Bromhof and Jukskei ParkResidential suburbs in northern Randburg
Service areas
Other areas we cover
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do you cover Northriding, Olivedale and the north of Randburg?
Yes, all of Randburg, from Ferndale, Cresta and Northcliff to Northriding, Olivedale, Bromhof and Kya Sand. We come to you on site.
Can you repair the generator at our shop without closing?
Usually. Many repairs can be done while you trade on mains power. If the work needs the power off, or a test that moves the shop onto the generator, we agree a time outside trading hours.
Our complex generator powers the gate and common areas. Who should arrange servicing?
Normally the body corporate or managing agent, so it should be clear in the minutes who books it. A maintenance plan keeps services and test runs on schedule, so the gate and intercom do not fail at the next outage.
Will our generator run the compressor and welder in our workshop?
It depends on the set’s kVA, the starting current of the largest motor and how the loads are spread across the phases. We can check the loads on site and tell you whether the set copes or what it needs. See the kVA sizing guide.
Our generator sits in a narrow side passage. Is that a problem?
It can be, if hot air or exhaust has nowhere to go. We check airflow, exhaust clearance and access during a service and suggest changes where the position is causing overheating or a fume risk.
Related pages
Related services
Who we work for
Need a generator technician?
- 24/7 operations
- We Arrive Within 1–2 Hours (usually within 1 hour)
- Free callouts and quotations