Portable and standby generators

[Auto Doc's]

Is anyone servicing generators before cold or bad weather hits?

I'm curious because they never seem to be thought about until an emergency arises.

Don't people plan ahead anymore?

 

[ILENGINE]

The short answer is NO. Standby NG or LP generators on concrete pads are one thing that are almost forgotten, and for the most part are not real demandng. Now the small portable generators are the thing that I say most people don't need. They will get worried about an incoming storm, Go buy a new generator, take it home and add fuel and oil, and start it to make sure it runs, and then shove it into the corner of the garage for the next 5 years, where they will drag it out and think I need to get this running, So into the repair shop it goes, and the shop gets it running, The customer picks up the generator, pays the bill and then goes home and shoves the generator into the corner of the garage again for the next 5 years where the cycle repeats.

 

[Hammermechanicman]

The short answer is NO. Standby NG or LP generators on concrete pads are one thing that are almost forgotten, and for the most part are not real demandng. Now the small portable generators are the thing that I say most people don't need. They will get worried about an incoming storm, Go buy a new generator, take it home and add fuel and oil, and start it to make sure it runs, and then shove it into the corner of the garage for the next 5 years, where they will drag it out and think I need to get this running, So into the repair shop it goes, and the shop gets it running, The customer picks up the generator, pays the bill and then goes home and shoves the generator into the corner of the garage again for the next 5 years where the cycle repeats.

You nailed that one. Pretty much every generator, snowblower and tiller come in with that story.

 

[ILENGINE]

You nailed that one. Pretty much every generator, snowblower and tiller come in with that story.

I put pressure washers for the people that might use them once a year, and water(trash) pumps into that category also.

 

[Rivets]

Agree, plus when they all come in it’s an emergency and they need it now!!!

 

[Auto Doc's]

Fortunately,

I am just happy most of my older customers listen to reason when I tell them to only use non-Ethanol fuel in their carbureted equipment, especially generators. For those that prefer to also use Stabil with it, it does not present any problems in my area of South Texas, unless the fuel sits for several years unused.

For the few that still think they are saving money by buying budget Ethanol blend fuel, they get what they deserve.

Ethanol blended (white gas) fuel was developed years ago to reduce carbon emissions (pollution) and for fuel injection vehicles with in-tank electric fuel pumps that could keep the fuel constantly churned in the tank. It was also made for very short-term storage and high use rates.

All fuels break down eventually, but Ethanol blended breaks down the quickest.

 

[Ozcub]

I check my generator before the "Hot" weather as all the Climate people tell me we will have major blackouts and you have got to have "Cold Beer" during a blackout
Yesterday , Saturday 6/12/2025 was 37c or 98f and "cold beer" tastes good

 

[Auto Doc's]

Hi Ozcub,

Plenty of Food, Cold Beer and fresh fuel on standby for the generator... Everything else can wait until the conditions get better. I have outages in my area of South Texas at random all throughout the year.

I run my 15 KW Generac once a month for an hour regardless, and I keep it topped off as needed.

Sounds crazy, but I also have a smaller 5500-Watt portable generator sitting beside my larger one. When heat or AC is not needed for any extended period of time. It's all about having a proper 30A to 50A cord adapter. I just cut off the larger breakers in my house power box. It saves a lot of fuel use and excess wear and tear on the larger generator.

Both generators get full oil service twice a year regardless.

I grew up in some "hard times" when a power generator of any kind would have been a good thing to have in my younger years growing up with ice/snowstorms and bad weather in Virginia. At the time we only had a tin wood heating stove along with kerosene lanterns, weak flashlights and candles. Cooking on a wood heating stove was a normal thing during the winter months.

 

[sgkent]

probably depends how reliable their power is. Like here, a long outage is two or three hours, and that might be once every 5 to 7 years. A whole day out is a once in a 25 - 30 year event. But someone in the foothills might see 10 shutoffs a year for two or three days at a time when the wind is blowing strong and there is fire danger.

 

[StarTech]

I check my generator before the "Hot" weather as all the Climate people tell me we will have major blackouts and you have got to have "Cold Beer" during a blackout
Yesterday , Saturday 6/12/2025 was 37c or 98f and "cold beer" tastes good

Could pipe some that hot air my way. Woke up to freezing fog this morning. And glad would share some my cold air.