Read the manual thoroughly and understand all of the instructions, cautions, and warnings before using this equipment. If any section of the manual is not understood, contact your nearest authorized dealer, or contact Generac Customer Service at 1-888-436-3722 (1-888-GENERAC), or www.generac.com with any questions or concerns. 

 

Factors influencing generator run time

Air-cooled home standby generators are designed to run for extended periods during power outages, requiring a shutdown and inspection after every 24 hours of continuous run time. Having a sufficient natural gas or propane fuel supply allows permanently installed home standby generators to run for longer periods of time than portable generators. 

 

That said, during extended outage scenarios, the maintenance schedule outlined in the owner's manual should be followed. This includes required shutdown and inspection every 24 hours. To keep track of run hours, see: How do I find out how many run hours are on my home standby generator?

 

• If you are currently in an outage, see: Running your generator for extended periods during a major outage
• If you are preparing your generator to run for extended periods of time, see: What should I do to prepare my home standby generator system for an outage event?

 

The below links summarize the most important tasks and considerations when preparing to run a home standby generator continuously during extended outage scenarios.

 

Environment

This article applies to Generac air-cooled standby generators that are approaching or exceeding 24 hours of continuous use. The links below provide guidance on the most important maintenance tasks to consider in these scenarios.

Maintenance

After every 24 hours of continuous operation, it is crucial to safely shut down your home standby generator so that it can cool down and a series of operational checks to be performed. Before any maintenance can be completed, the generator must be safely removed from the home's electrical load and shut down appropriately.

1. How Do I Shut Down My Generator When It’s Powering My House (During an Outage)?
2. Continuous use maintenance for home standby generators

If needed, reach out to a service dealer in your area: How Can I Find a Generac Service Dealer in My Area?

 

Fuel & oil levels

Fuel supply and oil levels are crucial factors that influence a generator's performance and run time.

• How Do I Check the Oil Level in My Home Standby Generator?
• How Do I Change the Oil and Oil Filter in a Generac Air-Cooled Home Standby Generator?
• How Much Fuel Does My Home Standby Generator Use?
• Factors affecting fuel consumption and power output in generators
• What is the oil capacity of a home standby generator?

 

Additional considerations

• If the home standby generator is fueled by natural gas, increased strain on the natural gas fuel supply grid may result in a decrease of available fuel to the unit, which may trigger the 1902 error code: What Does It Mean When My Generator Displays an Error Code: Undervoltage, Code 1900 or 1902?
• If the home standby generator is fueled by liquid propane, the minimum tank size is 250 pounds. This ensures adequate fuel pressure will be supplied to the generator: What Is the Minimum Size of Propane Tank that Can Be Used with a Home Standby Generator?
• Home standby generators that are fueled by liquid propane may experience fuel supply issues if additional high demand appliances are drawing fuel simultaneously from the same tank. If possible, consider removing some of the loads fueled by the propane tank to resolve the issue. See: How Much Fuel Does My Home Standby Generator Use?