How to Get Your Portable Generator Ready for Winter

Portable Generators

 

If you own a portable generator, you probably know by now that these devices require special treatment during cold winter days. This goes for both standby and portable models. And, people living in colder areas also know how dreadful it can be to lose power in the middle of winter and not be able to rely on your portable generator for backup.

To make sure this doesn’t happen to you, there are a few things you could do. The first is to subject your generator to regular maintenance.  This is important even if everything seems in order.  Proper maintenance will prevent unexpected malfunctions. The second is to properly winterize your generator. In this article, we’ll explain how.

Portable Generators

If you don’t intend to use your portable generator during the winter, you’ll need to properly winterize it so you can be sure it will be in working order once you need it again. To make sure it’s properly winterized, you have to make sure you are using a premium class fuel stabilizer.  Add the stabilizer to the fuel supply according to the label on the product.

Next, run the engine for around ten minutes so the stabilizer is evenly distributed. Drain the oil and replace it with a fresh supply. While you’re at it, replace the oil filter. With the engine running, add premium class fogging oil into the engine until it starts producing heavy smoke, then turn off the generator. This will help prevent condensation and moisture damage during the winter.

After that, take out the spark plug and use the same fogging oil to cover the hole of the plug. Make sure all nuts and screws are tight and that there are no damaged parts.

Standby Generators 

The same rules about protecting the generator during the winter apply to standby generators as well.  This will ensure they will be able to provide additional power even during the coldest months of the season. First and foremost, you should ensure that there’s no snow on and at least 5 feet away from the generator.  Check the battery to make sure it’s not low or dead. If the battery is low on power, you should recharge it. However, if the battery cannot hold the charge, you should replace it.

Use a battery warmer from a cold weather kit. It will make sure the temperature of the battery doesn’t drop under 40 degrees.  Diesel fuel tends to become gelatinous when the temperature drops, and there are several ways to make sure this doesn’t happen. You can add certain special additives that will prevent the fuel from becoming gelatinous or heat the fuel delivery lines.

The Necessary steps to service your portable or standby generators before cold snowy weather arrives.