• Never overfill gas.
• Don’t use stale or contaminated gas.
• Avoid getting dirt or water in fuel tank.
• Turn fuel valve off when transporting or storing generator. This keeps fuel from diluting engine oil and damaging engine.
• Run generator at least once a month. This lubricates the engine, recharges the battery (if there is one), and lets fresh gas through carburettor.
• When storing a generator for more than two months, drain fuel and add fuel conditioner to top it off, following directions on the label.
• Change oil regularly, according to your model’s manual.
• Change filter regularly, according to your model’s manual.

Safety tips 

• Never run your generator in a garage, carport, crawl space shed or porch. Place it outdoors but under cover to prevent electrocution if the unit gets wet. Be sure the generator is not positioned outside an open window, which can allow fumes into the home.
• Use a carbon-monoxide alarm that’s battery-operated or has a battery backup.
•    Never feed power from a portable generator into a wall outlet. This can kill linemen working to restore power or your neighbours who are served by the same transformer. It also can damage your generator.
• Don’t use power cords that are frayed, torn or cut. This can cause a fire or shock. Be sure all three prongs are intact and the cord is outdoor-rated. The cord’s wattage or amps must not be smaller than the sum of the connected appliance loads.
• Store fuel and generator in a ventilated area and away from natural-gas water heaters. Vapours can escape from closed cans and tanks, travel to the pilot light and ignite.
• Never use wet hands when operating a generator. Never let water come in contact with the generator.
• Make sure you have the right cords and connectors, or the generator will be useless. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission says you should not use an auxiliary tank.
• Most starters use rope pulls. If yours uses a battery, make sure you keep it charged.
• Always turn the engine off before refuelling and let the generator cool.
• Don’t spill fuel. It can ignite.
• Even in the off-season, your portable generator can become just that, at the hands of a thief. Permanently bolt it down or at least secure it with a strong chain and lock.

Powering up 

• All generators operate differently, but these guidelines should work with most.
• Check fuel level. If you must add fuel, turn the generator off first and make sure it is cooled down.Do not overfill.
• Check oil level.
• Check filter.
• Check voltage selector to make sure it matches the type of appliance you are connecting to. (Choose between ‘120-volt’ and ‘120-volt/240-volt’.)
• Move generator outside, far from windows, doors, vents, air-conditioning units, and other openings. Place on a firm, level, dry surface.
• Connect a heavy duty, outdoor-rated power cord to generator, or connect appliances directly to generator.
• Turn generator’s circuit breaker off.
• Turn power switch on.
• Pull cord.
• Let generator warm up before turning circuit breaker back on.