DIY guideGenerator
Watch the standby generator's exercise run and log it
A standby generator tests itself on a schedule. Watch it run, check its lights, keep it clear and note anything odd. Servicing stays with a technician.
- 10 to 20 min
- 7 steps
- Every step animated
7 steps
Tap a step to watch it again.
It starts itself for a short test on a set day and time. Its screen, manual or app shows when.
Look at the lights on the unit: green means ready. Amber or red means it has a warning.
Keep plants, snow, leaves and stored things away from it, so air and exhaust can move.
When it runs, stay outside. It should start smoothly, run steadily and stop by itself.
Note the day, whether it ran, and any warning light or odd noise, on a card or in its app.
Oil, filters and its battery are a technician's work. Keep the cover closed.
Never reach inside: it can start by itself at any moment.A warning light, a missed run, a knocking noise or a smell of exhaust: ask Handyman for a generator technician.
Smell gas near it? Get away from it and call the gas utility from outside.
What you need
- A notebook or the maker's app
- A flashlight
Call a pro if
- A warning light, or a fault on its screen
- It missed its test run
- It knocks, smokes, or smells of exhaust or fuel
- It's due for its yearly service
Handyman says: Warning light? I'll find a generator tech.
Free for every home. Handyman asks a few questions, then books a pro it trusts.
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Rather have
a pro do it?