Start gas generator regularly?

[gzecc]

My know it all neighbor says you're supposed to start a gas generator every 6mos, even if it had all the fuel taken out of the bowl and tank?
Is this true?

 

[peakbagger]

IMHO , I see no benefit. I base my opinion on my 6 KW generac that was bought on sale after Y2k. Its run twice, both times I drained out the fuel. Everytime an engine is started its going to have some blowby into the crankcase oil and following the neighbor's suggestion they should change the oil.

 

[thewoodlands]

My know it all neighbor says you're supposed to start a gas generator every 6mos, even if it had all the fuel taken out of the bowl and tank?
Is this true?

Ours is an electric start, we've been told that monthly is good but start it once a week, we leave it running for five minutes and then shut the fuel off and burn the gas out of the carb so it shuts off.

I "wood" do it monthly but the boss wants it started every week, not a big deal.

 

[gthomas785]

If you're going to start it, make sure to leave it running long enough to get the oil fully up to operating temp and drive out any moisture... that could be as much as 30 minutes.

 

[gzecc]

Ours is an electric start, we've been told that monthly is good but start it once a week, we leave it running for five minutes and then shut the fuel off and burn the gas out of the carb so it shuts off.

I "wood" do it monthly but the boss wants it started every week, not a big deal.

Mine is pull start.

 

[thewoodlands]

Mine is pull start.

We still have a Craftsman 4500 watt generator pull start we bought just before the 1998 ice storm hit, it still starts right up.

Even though we have our electric start on a battery maintainer, we like starting it weekly especially in the winter.

 

[johneh]

My whole house gen exercises once a week but it does it all by itself
only tells me if there is something wrong.
My 2 portables a Yahama 5300 and a Hondia 10000 are started once a month
and tested . There is nothing worse than getting the genie out, filling it with gas
and it refuses to start or worse won't produce any power Ask me how I know

 

[peakbagger]

My Kubota Diesel is a backup to 55KWH of led acid batteries so it does not get run very often.

 

[Highbeam]

Don’t just run the engine regularly but put a load on the generator. It’s just as important.

I use propane on my dual fuel gensets because it’s cheaper but also because it doesn’t contaminate the engine oil as quickly.

I go 30 minutes a month at 50% load. Honestly, it’s every couple of months. I’m not terribly worried about a strict schedule here.

 

[zrock]

i used to start mine monthly and let it run for 1/2 hour or so with a load, shut the fuel off and let it run out.. Never had a problem with it when i did this. I quit doing this as i moved the gen where i could not see it and forgot a year later the fuel went bad and the thing ran like crap.. Ended up cleaning it and getting rid of it since i never used it, when/if i replace it with a smaller one i will go back to the same routine.

 

[3650]

I have a few small generators. They sit in the garage until needed. I just make sure the fuel bowls are filled with seafoam. They fire first pull usually.