Welcome to the CK Family, here for you from cradle to grave

A good family supports each other, always. 

And we consider every customer a part of our CK Power family. That includes the owners of all 4,000 CK Power standby generators in the field today, as well as our irrigation pumps, marine equipment and primary power units.

That’s why we refer to our service model as the cradle-to-grave policy.

No matter the age, make or model, our technicians offer service and advice to keep your units running for years to come. If you need a part for a 23-year-old generator, we won’t stop until it’s found. If you need us to drive out at 1:10 a.m. to make a repair, we’re ready with our boots on.

Some of our clients have been with us for more than 20 years. As their companies grow, we help upgrade their equipment so they’re ready to keep advancing. We also offer advice as issues arise so they know all their options.

The life of a generator

The cradle-to-grave policy has been a part of our company since the very beginning. It exemplifies our company mission and has become a fundamental part of the culture at CK Power.

But what do we mean when we talk about cradle-to-grave service?

The cradle

A generator reaches what we refer to as the cradle in the planning stages, before the customer makes a purchase.

A prospective client tells us what they need from a generator. We discuss the best system for their operations, then design and build a unit around their needs.

Our service experts begin their relationship with the client during the installation and startup phase. 

Once it’s up and running, we’re dedicated to making sure that piece of equipment operates properly until the end of its lifecycle. 

Our technicians use the company plan and fly across the country at a moment’s notice to get customers going. They’ve already flown as far as North Dakota and Florida. Wherever else we need to go, we’ll be there.

Our knowledgeable service providers also perform regular system checkups every 250 hours to keep generators out of the graveyard.

The grave

The lifecycle of a well-maintained generator is generally determined by technological advancements and the changing needs of our customers, but we try to keep units healthy and out of the grave (scrap pile) as long as possible. 

We provide customers who have outgrown old units with alternative solutions, whether it’s upgrading old equipment to give it new life or finding a more recent model that better suits their long-term needs. 

We’ve worked with one customer since the year 2000 and helped replace and upgrade equipment they’ve outgrown over the past two decades. We’ll continue to offer our expertise to help them be successful for the next 20 years.

So if you’re not ready to pull the plug on your unit, we’re here to help extend the life of the equipment.

For example, owners of older diesel generators can take advantage of our Engine Replacement Program to remain EPA compliant. This gives customers an EPA-compliant unit for a fraction of the cost of purchasing a new generator.

Always on call

CK Power technicians work on doctors’ hours — always on call. 

Our larger customers receive a dedicated technician who will get to know them and their power system. If a service call goes out in the middle of the night, we’ll be ready to jump out of bed and address the problem with full knowledge of the system and why it’s important. That means a person you know and trust will be there when it matters most.

Our technicians’ timely reaction was crucial when a nighttime ice storm caused catastrophic standby power failure at a critical health care data center. 

We knew lives were at stake the moment the call came in.

Medical professionals need this data to understand their patients’ medical history and decide how to best offer treatment.

Our technicians hit the ground running, assessed the problem and quickly connected a portable backup generator. Nothing about this job could wait until morning. So the team stayed through the night, connecting the unit and getting the center’s computer system back online.

And that example isn’t an outlier — it was far from our first winter storm emergency, and it won’t be our last. 

In 2006, a blizzard rolled through St. Louis, shutting down the city beneath almost a foot of snow and half-inch of ice. There were major power outages throughout eastern Missouri. Standby power units were put to work, and so were our service and maintenance technicians. 

Our general service manager didn’t make it home for two weeks after that storm. Luckily his wife was willing to regularly bring him a change of clothes.

These nighttime or week-long calls are just a part of the job for our technicians. Like many of our friends in health care, every day is a little different, but we’re on call 24/7 to offer service and support. Our schedule depends on your needs.

The advice you need

We offer expert knowledge to help assess your generator and how it could better serve your operation.

Our technicians are trained and certified on every piece of equipment CK Power provides, as well as that of other companies, so we can service practically any generator in the field today. And every customer is treated the same, no matter what brand name is on the machine.

Workers on the ground operating your equipment may not have the time to obtain the training and know-how necessary to take full advantage of a system’s capabilities. This is especially true for Final Tier 4 generators, which do not run efficiently when underloaded and can be damaged by light loading.

Our purchasing process includes some tips to avoid any preventable mishaps. When we install a new system, our technicians work side-by-side with the customer’s team to teach them best operating practices, service and maintenance. We also supply manuals and guide books to share with their personnel so the information is retained as different employees come and go. 

Legacy equipment

We’ve been in this business for a long time now, which means we have a lot of older but still useful products in the field. We’re just as committed to keeping our well-used equipment running as our new units.

Even if you don’t purchase the equipment directly from us, we’ll help you make use of it.

A gentleman from Montana called us after purchasing CK Power irrigation pumps at an auction. The pumps were produced back in the 90s and wouldn’t start. He had the basket cases off and wires strewn all over but couldn’t get it back together without a wiring diagram.

Fortunately, he saw our 800 number on the product tag and gave us a call. 

He didn’t expect us to have information on an older piece of equipment. We offered it free of charge. 

Our product support manager dug through the records to find the wiring diagram, and the gentleman got the pumps started without any additional assistance. 

We soon heard from him again for some spare parts. Our product support manager offered to source parts in his home state, but he wanted to buy them from us out of appreciation for our service. 

Home service

Our nightmare scenario is when someone purchases a unit from another provider that doesn’t produce enough power for their application.

For example, we often see homeowners purchase a 75-amp model for a home with 200-amp service. Your generator should be matched to your utility service, so the generator should also be capable of handling 200 amps. 

If a household tries to go about their lives with a model that doesn’t meet their power needs, it’s going to fail, and the electricity will be out again.

We can match backup generators with your utility service or customize a unit around the exact needs of your home. We’ll also be there to offer expert service and support so you’ll know the unit is ready when you need it.

Need advice or service?

We could all use a little help now and again. If you could use some expert power generation advice or service, give us a call at 314-868-8620 and we’ll transfer you to the nearest service department at one of our nine locations. You can also contact us by filling out this online form.