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.  

Powering down a portable generator under load

When a portable generator is running under load during a long-term outage, it is vital to safely shut the generator down every 6-8 hours. This allows the generator to cool down, and provides owners an opportunity to do a brief visual inspection of the unit, perform required maintenance, refuel, check oil levels, and add more if necessary. 

Environment

This article applies to Generac portable generators. For information about powering down a home standby generator under load, see the How Do I Shut Down My Generator When It’s Powering My House (During an Outage)? article.

Removing power

Note: this shutdown process applies to most portable generator models. For the shutdown procedure specific to your generator, reference the owner's manual: Where can I download a user manual for my Generac portable generator?

1. Shut off all appliances connected to the generator.
2. Unplug all electrical loads from generator panel receptacles. 
3. Let engine run at no-load for several minutes to stabilize internal temperatures of engine and generator. 
4. Move STOP/RUN/START switch to STOP 

Before performing maintenance of any kind (i.e. refueling or checking oil level) allow the generator to cool for 5-10 minutes.

My generator has breakers, can't I just flip or push those instead of unplugging my appliances?

• Breaker types vary across generator models, which often have a combination of switch and push button-style breakers. While switch-style breakers can be used to disconnect appliances, the push button breakers only disengage when they pop.
• This means breakers alone cannot be used to remove 100% of loads.
• Additionally, if the breaker is faulty for any reason, the owner risks damage to the generator and their appliances. Manually powering off and removing the appliances is always the safest recommended method.