The Do’s and Don’ts of Running a Generator: Essential Tips for Safe and Efficient Use

[@Hearthman1159]

I have to strongly disagree on running a generator anywhere near a building. Houses at grade level or below are often under negative pressure with respect to the outdoors. This means outdoor gases will infiltrate into the building through openings, seams, and even through drywall. A study in MN using tracer gas proved you must pull a car out of the garage and close the door just to warm it up. Generators should be located about 25LF from the structure with the exhaust aimed away. As a retired paramedic and now certified in CO, you don't want it anywhere near the structure. You guys running combustion engines indoors even with a garage door open is hazardous. While you may not be huffing lethal levels of CO all the time, there is a phenomenon known as chronic low level CO poisoning that is gaining recognition. OSHA allows 50ppm max over 8hrs. in the workplace while other stds. allow for only 9 ppm. Without an unlisted low level CO monitor you will not know what level you and your customers are breathing. Protect yourselves and everyone else. Not isolating a generator at your panel is a good way to kill a neighbor or lineman. Please learn how to hook up a generator before the storm. Love the channel Eric but this one gave me pause. Thx.

[@northernnewyorkparts]

Great add and something we need to hear. Very informative and I too am still learning every day. Thanks

[@jasonbusch3624]

@Hearthman1159 try telling that to Generac, they have their own set of guidelines for installing a generator and it is nothing like that.

[@jasonbusch3624]

@@Hearthman1159 Google "Generac generator placement guidelines"

[@curtgomes]

Thank you for this video. Although we live in California we have lost power on occasion, once for over two weeks. A few years back I had an electrician rewire the electrical panel to safely use a small generator. He installed a receptacle for the generator on the side of the house. In the garage he installed a separate panel that bypasses, and cuts off the power to those plugs and appliances we need. When these switches are in the generator position those items are completely isolated and work independent of the main power and use the generator only. I still shut off the MAIN BREAKER just to feel safe. We had low power damage during the prolonged power outage at our previous home by back feeding through a 220 receptacle. A lesson hard learned. Thank you for your tips and praying for those people suffering from recent hurricane damage.

[@northernnewyorkparts]

great add Curt, thanks

[@jasonbusch3624]

Generators can also run on natural gas. When running a generator, I always use the smallest generator I can for the situation. If you have a 10,000 watt generator and can't keep fuel in it to power a refrigerator,freezer, and a couple of lights that is no good either, it is a boat anchor at that point. A big generator can use 10 gallons of fuel a day. A small generator can run all day on 1.5 gallons of gas. If I just need to run the freezer and refrigerator I run a small Yamaha 2000 watt all day and shut it off at night before going to bed. If I need to run the furnace or well during the day I use a 5000 watt Kawasaki with a oil filter. I also have a kerosene heater for heat at night without running a generator. You are trying to produce emergency power, not light the Taj Mahal. Stay away from the small Honda suitcase generators because they are cheaply made and have a rubber timing belt. Look for a generator with pushrods and OHV or a Robin Subaru with OHC and a timing chain. The older flat head engine generators are not as fuel efficient as the newer generators also so look for a newer generator. They can use half the amount of fuel, especially an inverter style generator. Most people buy a generator and never change the oil, they need to be broken in and oil changed out after a couple of hours. I actually run for 1 hr then change the oil then run for 5 hrs and change a second time. After that the third oil change at 25 hrs. After that every 100 hours. Full Synthetic oil is better than Conventional oil, and heavier oil is better like a 5W40 5W50 or 20W50. Generators run hot so you don't want thin oil. A cord with two male ends is called a "Suicide Cord".

[@northernnewyorkparts]

thanks Jason, a lot of good info here

[@jasonbusch3624]

@@northernnewyorkparts your welcome