# How to maintain a geneator



## Dirk (Mar 4, 2015)

After the flood of our house 4 years ago, we got a generator as at that time there was no electricity. Finally after not using it for 4 years i asked a company to check and service it. Once serviced i wonder how to maintain it. I assume for example run it every 2 month or something. Also run it till it is out of petrol. It is a small 3kw portable generator. Any suggestions how to maintain it?


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

I had a 3000 watt Generac unit for about 20 years. My instruction book said to run it every month for an hour under 1/2 load. They want to heat up the generator coils to dry them out (per their customer service. Running it was easy, figuring out how to put a 1500 W load on it was another trick. I ended up connecting my radial arm saw to it plus a small electric heater. Finally had an electric heater big enough to do the job by itself. Was great during the winter in ILLannoyed, I kept the generator in the garage and it was warm enough to get it started outside and ran HD cord inside the garage to the 2000W heater. I always ran the carb dry (had a fuel shut off valve) and then drained the fuel back into a small can for use in lawn mower or snow blower. Never had a problem starting it, except for once when the low oil pressure sensor failed. Since it was removing a ground connect to the control circuitry when it had low oil pressure, all I had to do was jump the sensor wire to ground and it was good to go. After that I kept a spare (factory part)and needed it in about 2-3 years. Went with and after market sensor and never had another problem in 10+ years. My Onan generator in my RV had the same basic instructions, but in winter, I couldn't exercise it, but didn't have any real problems except for bad 12VDC ground to the generator causing the electric start to not want to work. Oh, for the RV unit, I always used Sta-Bil in the fuel tank for the 6 months I didn't use it.


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## alterego (Jan 27, 2013)

I have had a Honda 5500 es now for 16 years.
I always keep spare spark plugs labeled with a marker.
I change the oil once a year.
I put a contractor trash bag over it.
I always keep it totally filled with 92 octane gas.
I run it a few times a year on a mid power draw.

I hate to admit this but it is a bitch to pull start. So after I intentionally ignition off pull start to prime. I just touch the eather to it and it will be running after setting for an extended time and the gas gets flat.

I know you will all poo poo me on this. But if done right it is the easiest way to get it running in supper cold weather. If you don't know what you are doing and are not willing to suffer your own consiquence dont. But if the power is out and it is zero degrees it will help get it going.

Just a little not a lot.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

Dirk,
I guess you will never worry about freezing weather there.
If your generator has a fuel shutoff valve, turn off after using the unit and let it burn the fuel remaining in the system.
Add stabilizer to the gas, your temps will accelerate its deterioration.
If no valve, put in an inline valve. Change the gas filter when doing the valve.
Change the gas out very year, drain and use in your vehicle.
Change oil every year, run with load once a month to burn off moisture.
During the monsoon season, run it every week. keep it dry as possible during that time.


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## Dirk (Mar 4, 2015)

Indeed, here there is no freezing. Min temp in the mountains at my bug out place is maybe 50 F. Have to check here about this stabilizer stuff. I have never seen it here but didn't look for it either.
Since I have my BOL and the house on it is being constructed. I believe I will need the generator once and a while as there is rather frequent a power cut there. So that would be good as anyway. And the left over of the fuel I can use for my bush cutter.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

I have three gensets that are on standby for usage. no automatic changeover.
I do have three pilot light indicators on the incoming side of the panel,
they are to verify all three legs are there. 
Three phase motors can be destroyed with a leg dropping out.
The secondary purpose is to indicate when power is back up.

Back to gens, every Sept the oil and gas gets change out even if it was run a month earlier.
The diesel gen just gets oil change along with the propane one.
They are run for about 15 mins. then drained of their oil.
After change out they are run to dry, checked for leaks.
Here where the temps can get to well below zero F, the generators must work for many reasons.
The snow blower also gets the same treatment.
Log splitter is done the same way before being put up for the winter, along with the chainsaws.
No two cycle gas is stored, if conditions dictate a need for it, such as downed blocking trees, it will be mixed for usage.


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## csi-tech (Apr 13, 2013)

Gasoline that has been sitting will destroy fuel lines, meatal parts varnish everything else. Put Stabil in or run it dry.


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## Dirk (Mar 4, 2015)

This is Thailand. They just serviced the thing for 40 USD. When I am back in the north will see how it runs


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## Medic33 (Mar 29, 2015)

get manual and learn small engine repair.
that's what I did for lawn mowers.


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## Medic33 (Mar 29, 2015)

or do it the old fashion way and pick up some broken non running ones and fix them so they do run and presto you got some spare generators.


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## Dirk (Mar 4, 2015)

Indeed, have to have a look into how these things work myself.


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