Ours has been on the tongue of our food trailer since 2011, although our trailer fits in our garage but we use it all year long.
Protecting generator from rain/snow during use
- Thread starter Mainiac Mat
- Start date
Who are you asking?
Boilerhouse
Well-known member
Maybe depends on the make of generator. I am keeping mine covered.
This is direct from page 1 in my Coleman manual.
This is direct from page 1 in my Coleman manual.
- Units should not be operated or stored in wet or damp conditions
My view on needing to cover a portable generator when you are using it.
The fuel tank helps to keep the engine protected from the elements.
Notgrownup
Well-known member
If you lean a dry it when you’re done with it, it should be fine.
Two different approaches for me. My two car garage is full of machines so there's nowhere in the garage to keep it. Besides I wanted my wife to be able to get it up and running easily by herself if I wasn't around. She works from home and needs power and internet. So I built a gen shed for it. It's a dual fuel that I only run on propane. It's vented and has an exhaust fan since I'm in SW Florida. The gas cans don't live in there when the gen is running. My two small dual inverters can be paralleled and when they are running, giving the big one a break, and using less propane, they're on a cart under a pop up canopy. The little cart was modified after being sure the set up worked. This step up worked awesome after hurricane Ian.
hmbemis
Well-known member
Ugh, I have the 12kW version of that Westinghouse, bought in 2019, nothing but problems for me unfortunately.
From the get go the push button electric start doesn't work well -- you have to push the button hard and wiggle it a bit to get it to register the push -- not a big deal but it's annoying to occasionally not be able to electric start it locally w/o the RF remote.
To get it fixed they say I need to send/bring the generator to their repair facility, which is 200 miles away, so I don't bother figure I'll just live with it...
It lives in a dry shed, but everytime it needs to run in wet weather it fails me -- either won't start at all, deliberately shuts down 5 seconds after starting, or will randomly shut down 5-10 minutes of starting. I end up reverting back to a beat up 13 year old Champion that has been living behind the shed in the weather with no cover (but starts every time).
In the last 4 years I have had 3 occasions where I've really needed the 12kW and on all 3 occasions it has failed me, but the problems are intermittent enough that they can't be reproduced later, the damn thing is cursed!
Spud McGee
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2022
- Messages
- 405
My westinghouse generator is out in the elements 24/7/356. its faded and showing a little surface rust. But its been 8 years and still doing fine.
Bigbird
Well-known member
CJ7VFR
Well-known member
I use a Gen Tent for my Briggs and Stratton portable generator also. It is easy to put on, protects the electrical panel from getting wet, and keeps most of the rain and snow off of it so things don't rust.
I see people around me using their generators with nothing covering them during power outages from storms and they work. But every single one of those generators have rusted parts on them now. Some rusted so bad around the electrical panel that the panels are starting to fall off.
My Gen Tent looks just like the ones others have posted, only mine is tan colored. I opted for that color because it matches the color of my house.
Jim
I see people around me using their generators with nothing covering them during power outages from storms and they work. But every single one of those generators have rusted parts on them now. Some rusted so bad around the electrical panel that the panels are starting to fall off.
My Gen Tent looks just like the ones others have posted, only mine is tan colored. I opted for that color because it matches the color of my house.
Jim
