Do you keep your Genny full of fuel?

[Gadgetmonster]

Keep it topped off with gas and run it every few months or keep it bone dry?

 

[rebarguyindy]

Full of fuel with Stabil added. I run it every few months and add fresh fuel with Stabil in it.

 

[lonehoosier]

I keep mine dry for storage because it is only gets used 1 to 2 times a year. After every uses I suck out most of the fuel but leave about a half gallon in. I put in some fuel stabilizer and fuel conditioner in the tank with the remaining fuel. I then run the generator out of fuel. The reason I put the fuel stabilizer and conditioner in is because I know not all the fuel will be out of the system. There will always be some fuel in the fuel line, fuel pump and carburetor. When I need to use the generator I fuel it back up. Before I start it up I prime it first. Leave the ignition switch to off, slowly pull the start cord or bump the starter switch a few times. Then turn the the ignition on and start it up. I do this with all my seasonal gas power tools too. I have 8 gas power tools and not one of them has ever needed carburetor repairs. My olds one is 23 years old and my newest one is 4 years old.

 

[spencer rifle]

Full of fuel with Stabil added..

This.

 

[bobjones223]

Stabil is my best friend...(don't tell my brother).

But I will deviate from the above in that I use the Marine blend. I have a few boats and found it easier to use this blend in all. It says it is geared more towards moisture rich environments.

 

[x10]

Full of fuel with Stabil added. I run it every few months and add fresh fuel with Stabil in it.

I have to do this, in my area we loose power pretty much every bad storm

 

[churchmouse]

4 gennys. all of them topped off and stabilized as I do not want to mess around in an emergency getting them up and running. What a wast of time and energy.
2 have 5 gal. tanks 1 has 4 gallon and the little clean power is maybe half gallon. If you keep them serviced and stabilized you will be fine. Usually run mine every season change. Usually.

 

[Brandon]

Full, run it once a month for about 10-15 minutes, top off maybe every 2 months. Starts first pull.

 

[churchmouse]

Stabil is my best friend...(don't tell my brother).

But I will deviate from the above in that I use the Marine blend. I have a few boats and found it easier to use this blend in all. It says it is geared more towards moisture rich environments.

I have considered this but the availability of fuel (convenience) kept me on my current program.

 

[Sailor]

Full, stabilized fuel, I turn the gas line off and let the motor continue to run all of the gas out of the carb each time I use it.

 

[cosermann]

I keep it wet with stabilized fuel. Any time I've every had trouble with an engine over the last 30 years, it has been one run dry.

 

[Sailor]

I keep it wet with stabilized fuel. Any time I've every had trouble with an engine over the last 30 years, it has been one run dry.

Lol that's the exact opposite of why I run it dry. Everytime I have let any fuel sit in a carb stabilized or not for a period of time I have trouble with them.

 

[nate77]

Recently bought a bigger generator, I went with a dual fuel, gas and propane. Propane lasts forever, and doesn't gum up the carb like old gas. Picked up 5 used propane tanks on craigslist, had them filled, I should be good to go for at least a week. I don't plan to, but I can also run gasoline in a pinch.

 

[bwframe]

How many years ago was the massive ice storm in eastern Indiana? My folks were without power for 3ish weeks, in town. Rural folks had issues longer than that. A whole lot of generators were bought and used for that event. Generators were nonexistent in most regular locations all over the state due to demand.

2ish years later there was another shorter, but still noticeable, power outage. Dad said 80-90 percent of those generators would not start after sitting without maintenance.

 

[Butch627]

Fill the tank with stabilized fuel and run it several minutes and then shut the fuel off and run it dry. Have done it to over a dozen engines over the last 35 years with no ill effects.

 

[rvb]

genny full. no stabil. start it every 30-ish days or when I remember and allow it to run for 15 minutes.

every fall I drain the genny and my extra tanks into my pick up. Then refill the genny and all the tanks with new gas.

coming up on 10 yrs of doing this. Genny still starts first pull.

-rvb

 

[rvb]

How many years ago was the massive ice storm in eastern Indiana? My folks were without power for 3ish weeks, in town. Rural folks had issues longer than that. A whole lot of generators were bought and used for that event. Generators were nonexistent in most regular locations all over the state due to demand.

2ish years later there was another shorter, but still noticeable, power outage. Dad said 80-90 percent of those generators would not start after sitting without maintenance.

Dec 2008. My son was born pre-mature that summer. He spent 3 months in the NICU and had just come home that November. He was still on O2 and heart/apnea monitors. We had just got the genny because we were worried about all his equipment. We weren't w/o power all that long, maybe 8-12 hrs (suburbs w/ underground utilities, so didn't take long to bring our area back up). We were glad we had the genny as we had limited 02 tanks and battery backup for the rest.

My genny still going strong as described above.

-rvb

 

[obijohn]

full with stabilized fuel. Run them a few times a year, UNDER A LOAD, then fill with fresh stabilized fuel. If you run your genny's without load, all you are exercising is the engine.

 

[churchmouse]

full with stabilized fuel. Run them a few times a year, UNDER A LOAD, then fill with fresh stabilized fuel. If you run your genny's without load, all you are exercising is the engine.

I was just going to post up "Under a load" for at least 15 minutes. Get it hot. Clear up the oil.

 

[Gadgetmonster]

Thanks for the replies.

How much load? I had a fan and two vacuum cleaners and a pedestal grinder on it and did not seem to show hardly any signs of being under load. Is that enough load?