Home standby generator maintenance schedule
The information provided below is for reference only. Specific maintenance tasks and schedules can be found in the generator owner's manual under the maintenance section. Owner's manuals for specific models can be found on the product information page on our website. See the How Do I Find a Copy of My Home Standby Generator Owner's Manual and Spec Sheets? article for more information. Performing the tasks outlined in the maintenance schedule on time is essential in prolonging the life of the generator and keeping it in good working order.
Environment
This article applies to:
- Generac Next Generation Series 10-28 kW air-cooled standby generators
- Generac Guardian Series 10-26 kW air-cooled standby generators (2017 to present)
Maintenance Schedule Table Example:
| Service | Daily If Running Continuously or Before Each Use | Every Year | Schedule A
Every Two Years or 200 Hours | Schedule B
Every Four Years or 400 Hours |
|---|
| Inspect enclosure louvers for dirt and debris * | • | | | |
| Inspect lines and connections for fuel or oil leaks | • | | | |
| Check engine oil level | • | | | |
| Inspect for water intrusion ** | | • | | |
| Perform fuel system leak test | | • | | |
| Check battery condition, electrolyte level, and state of charge | | • | | |
| Replace engine oil and oil filter † | | • | | |
| Replace engine air filter | | | • | |
| Clean; inspect spark plug gap; replace if necessary | | | • | |
| Inspect/adjust valve clearance (where applicable) ‡ | | | • | |
| Inspect/clean sediment trap | | See local codes and guidelines. | | • |
Important notes
- Home standby generators come shipped from the factory with oil in the engine. Do not change the engine oil before the break-in period is reached.
- The break-in period for home standby generators occurs after the first 25 hours of runtime. (The PowerPact 7.5kW is after the first 20 hours of runtime. See the owner’s manual for the maintenance schedule):
- Generators that operate in extremely hot or cold environments <40°F (<4.4°C) or >85°F (>29.4°C) will require an oil and oil filter change after every 100 hours of run time since last service, due to the strain that extreme environments put on the engine and fuel system: How Do I Change the Oil and Oil Filter in a Generac Air-Cooled Home Standby Generator?
Note: Next generation series generators (see above) incorporate hydraulic lifters, and do NOT require a valve clearance inspection or adjustment.
Maintenance Periods
A home standby generator has several maintenance intervals. Some intervals occur on a regularly scheduled basis, while others are dependent on the usage of the generator. Similar to an automobile, certain maintenance items occur after a set number of miles (in the case of generators, run hours), while others are dependent on time. The generators run hours can be found in Mobile Link or at the control panel. See How do I find out how many run hours are on my home standby generator? for more information.
"Break-in" Maintenance
The "break-in" maintenance occurs after the first 25 hours of runtime (The PowerPact 7.5kW after the first 20 hours of run time.) See How do I perform the break-in maintenance for a home standby generator? for more information.
Continuous Use Maintenance
When the generator is running continuously during an outage, continuous use maintenance should occur daily (every 24 hours). See Continuous use maintenance for home standby generators for more information.
Yearly Maintenance
Yearly maintenance is performed every 100 hours or every year, whichever comes first. See How do I perform the yearly maintenance for my home standby generator? for more information.
Schedule A Maintenance
Schedule A maintenance is performed every 200 hours or every two years, whichever comes first. See Schedule A Maintenance for more information.
Schedule B Maintenance
Schedule B maintenance is performed every 400 hours or every four years, whichever comes first. See Schedule B Maintenance for more information.
Sediment Trap Inspection and Cleaning
Sediment Trap inspection and cleaning should be done per local codes and guidelines. See How Do I Clean the Sediment Trap in a Generac Air-Cooled Home Standby Generator?
