Tips of Portable Electric Generator Safety
Portable electric generators offer great benefits when outages affect your
home. Below are guidelines for safely connecting and operating portable
generators.
Portable generator
Don’t connect your generator directly to your home’s wiring.
Connecting a portable electric generator directly to your household
wiring can be deadly to you and others. A generator that is directly
connected to your home’s wiring can ‘back feed’ onto the power
lines connected to your home.
Utility transformers can then “step-up” or increase this back feed to thousands of volts—enough to kill a
utility lineman making outage repairs a long way from your house. You could also cause expensive
damage to utility equipment and your generator. The only safe way to connect a portable electric
generator to your existing wiring is to have a licensed electrical contractor install a transfer switch. The
transfer switch transfers power from the utility power lines to the power coming from your generator.
Never plug a portable electric generator into a regular household outlet.
Plugging a generator into a regular household outlet can energize “dead” power lines and injure neighbors
or utility workers. Connect individual appliances that have their outdoor-rated power cords directly to the
receptacle outlet of the generator, or connect these cord-connected appliances to the generator with the
appropriate outdoor-rated power cord having a sufficient wire gauge to handle the electrical load.
Don’t overload the generator.
Do not operate more appliances and equipment than the output rating of the generator. Overloading your
generator can seriously damage your valuable appliances and electronics. Prioritize your needs. A portable electric generator should be used only when necessary, and only to power essential equipment.
Never use a generator indoors or in an attached garage.
Just like your automobile, a portable generator uses an internal combustion engine that emits deadly
carbon monoxide. Be sure to place the generator where exhaust fumes will not enter the house. Only
operate it outdoors in a well-ventilated, dry area, away from air intakes to the home, and protected from
direct exposure to rain and snow, preferably under a canopy, open shed or carport. A carbon monoxide
detector would be a good investment when using any combustion engines near the home.
Use the proper power cords.
Plug individual appliances into the generator using heavy-duty, outdoor-rated cords with a wire gauge
adequate for the appliance load. Overloaded cords can cause fires or equipment damage. Don’t use
extension cords with exposed wires or worn shielding. Make sure the cords from the generator don’t
present a tripping hazard. Don’t run cords under rugs where heat might build up or cord damage may go
unnoticed.
Read and adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions for safe operation.
Don’t cut corners when it comes to safety. Carefully read and observe all instructions in your portable
electric generator’s owner manual.
To prevent electrical shock, make sure your generator is properly grounded.
Consult your manufacturer’s manual for correct grounding procedures.
Do not store fuel indoors or try to refuel a generator while it’s running.
Gasoline (and other flammable liquids) should be stored outside of living areas in properly labeled, nonglass safety containers. They should not be stored in a garage if a fuel-burning appliance is in the garage.
The vapor from gasoline can travel invisibly along the ground and be ignited by pilot lights or electric arcs
caused by turning on the lights. Avoid spilling fuel on hot components. Put out all flames or cigarettes
when handling gasoline. Always have a fully charged, approved fire extinguisher located near the
generator. Never attempt to refuel a portable generator while it’s running.
Turn off all equipment powered by the generator before shutting down your generator.
Avoid getting burned.
Many generator parts are hot enough to burn you during operation. Keep children away from portable
electric generators at all times.
Kipor Sinemaster
Bought this generator in March 2006 to keep the fridge and some lights running during power outages, and it hasn’t let me down yet. I’ve run it for up to 4 days continuously in 100-degree heat with no problems. Even after sitting for several months it’s easy to start, and quiet enough to leave running all night without bothering neighbors (as far as I know). I like the automatic throttle (uses only as much fuel as needed for whatever load is attached). The fact that it’s safe for use with computers is the real highlight though– nothing worse than a power blackout combined with the feeling of being cut off from the outside world. I can’t really say how much gas it consumes, but it will go all night with just the fridge running, then fill the tank in the morning.