How do you keep your generator ready for use? Fueled up with a fuel additive? Or empty with fuel nearby?
Generator Readiness
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Grayfox
US Veteran
I keep mine fueled with a healthy dose of fuel stabilizer added. I also exercise it regularly. Don't just run it, load it down while it runs.
kozmic
Member
I keep my generator full with 91 octane gas with no ethanol. I add Sta-bil, start it up and then "choke" it to stall and turn off the gas when possible. I try to do that with all of my small engine equipment (both gas and 2-stroke) before storage.
BTW, That gas can next to it is full as well!
BTW, That gas can next to it is full as well!
BigBill
Absent Comrade
Filled with high test, seafoam as a stabilizer and carb cleaner.
OP
Same here, starts right up all the time.
Rusty Shacklford
Member
Hey, I used to work as a mechanic at a motorcycle dealership and we did quite a bit of work on various products, motorcycles, jet skis, generators, and atv's. Gas becomes a solid after time and will clog and then begin to consume a carburetor. Bikes will sit for long periods before they get used, weeks, months, even years. Sta-bil is popular especially with the boating crowd but am not sure how long this will prolong the life of the fuel. Gas tanks can however begin to rust if left empty for a long time. If the generator has a manual petcock I would suggest that you run the engine dry of gas by shutting off the petcock. Keep fuel in the tank but not in the carb. Keep some fresh gas handy. If you're like me the thing will sit for a long time till you need it, and you don't want to have to take the carb apart when you are sitting in the dark with the family. Fill the tank, run the engine dry, and if the gas in the tank sits for too long you drain it out, old gas has a specific nasty smell, you'll know it when you smell it.
I keep the tank about 1/8 full, with Stabil added to fuel. Run unit for 15 minutes every couple of months. I want it to start and run when trouble comes.............middle of the night...........cold stormy weather. I keep the fuel tank level low so all the gasoline can be run out. Stabil, Seafoam, or any other additive has a finite life, so I try to cycle it thru my machines. FWIW
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Same as Grayfox does.
smokindog
Member
I keep the tank full with Stabil, I shut off the supply and let the carb and lines run dry. I've also installed a natural gas/propane adapter from US Carb. After it chokes out from shutting down the gas, I run it on natural gas for a few minutes. I run it every 8-10 weeks like this. I've got one of the Costco 8K Champions with remote start, ....
Generator Conversion Kits to Propane and Natural Gas.
NOT exactly what I have - http://www.costco.com/Champion-7500...RB-50-State-compliant).product.100126410.html
Eventually I'll be installing a 20K Generac units.
Generator Conversion Kits to Propane and Natural Gas.
NOT exactly what I have - http://www.costco.com/Champion-7500...RB-50-State-compliant).product.100126410.html
Eventually I'll be installing a 20K Generac units.
i do what kozmic does and i run mine for about 30 min with 90 oct always keep them ready u just never know
Andy Griffith
Member
Propane is the only way to go on a generator.
It never goes bad, and you don't have to worry about gas again.
Best advice I can give is even if you use gas with an additive- keep an extra carb on the shelf- never know when you might need it.
It never goes bad, and you don't have to worry about gas again.
Best advice I can give is even if you use gas with an additive- keep an extra carb on the shelf- never know when you might need it.
Got rid of my gasoline powered, always having to look for a fuel source generator, and installed a propane unit.
Brian41
Member
I keep gas in my generator with a fuel stabilizer added. I just ran it the other day with a load and charged the battery. I do that every other month or so. I've had that problem before when I had to free up a stuck carburetor float before I could use it. Now I shut off the fuel cock and let the gas burn out of the line and carburetor.
Also spare parts are handy to have. Last year I was at the hardware after an extended outage buying fuel filter, spark plug and air cleaner. Would have been handier to have parts at hand and lucky the store had power and was open.
Also good to have proper tools on hand. I found my old generator used reverse torx screws to hold the carburetor in place. Not a common tool to have and I now have a set of them.
Also spare parts are handy to have. Last year I was at the hardware after an extended outage buying fuel filter, spark plug and air cleaner. Would have been handier to have parts at hand and lucky the store had power and was open.
Also good to have proper tools on hand. I found my old generator used reverse torx screws to hold the carburetor in place. Not a common tool to have and I now have a set of them.
Bozz10mm
US Veteran
For gas powered generators, or any other gas powered equipment as far as that goes, it's best not to let the fuel get too old, even with a fuel stabilizer.
Store it empty, run it 2 or 3 times a year, and replace the fuel in the cans annually. Put the stored fuel in your vehicles and buy fresh and add stabilizer.
The marine Stabil is more economical because you use only half as much as the regular Stabil for the same effect.
Store it empty, run it 2 or 3 times a year, and replace the fuel in the cans annually. Put the stored fuel in your vehicles and buy fresh and add stabilizer.
The marine Stabil is more economical because you use only half as much as the regular Stabil for the same effect.
I keep mine connected to my LP tanks and it runs weekly for about 12 minutes. LUV IT................
gdnagle
US Veteran
Propane has to be delivered gas and diesel you can pick up. My propane tank is usually very low by the time they make their automatic delivery and when I call to have it topped off I never see them until they fell like delivering. I like a diesel, fuel is easy to get around here. Now I just need the money to buy one as their not cheap.
I keep my generator with only a couple tea cups of fuel in the tank. I generally run it once a month. With the onset of late fall / winter I stock up about 20 gallons of gasoline.
If the power goes out I fuel the generator up and plug it in. I have power restored in 5-10 minutes. I do agree that propane or better yet, natural gas is an option I will be looking into.
LTC
If the power goes out I fuel the generator up and plug it in. I have power restored in 5-10 minutes. I do agree that propane or better yet, natural gas is an option I will be looking into.
LTC
sps282
Member
I keep Stabil in mine and run it on the first of every month for an 1/2 hour then top it off with fresh gas & stabil so the tank doesn't rust.
