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GUIDE

Storing Fuel for a Generator

Fuel is the part of a generator plan people forget. A generator without safe, fresh fuel is a heavy ornament, and fuel stored badly is a fire risk.

How much to store

Work it out from your generator, not a guess.

  1. Find the fuel use per hour at about half load in the manual.
  2. Multiply by the hours you want to run per day.
  3. Multiply by the days you want to cover.

Many households plan for a day or two and know where to refill. Check your local limits before storing more.

Use approved containers

Use portable fuel containers made for gasoline, with tight caps. Do not use food or drink containers. Federal rules require new portable gasoline containers to meet a safety standard (ASTM F3326) that covers child-resistant closures and leak resistance. Look for the standard on the label.

Fire codes commonly cap the size of a single portable container at 5 gallons. Check your local code.

Where to keep it

  • Outside the living space, in a detached garage or a ventilated shed. Not in the house, a basement or an attached garage.
  • Away from ignition sources. Gasoline vapors are heavier than air and can travel along the floor to a pilot light, a spark or a hot engine. Many fire departments advise keeping containers at least 50 feet from pilot lights and other ignition sources.
  • Out of direct sun and away from heat.
  • Out of reach of children.
  • Keep a fire extinguisher nearby.

Keep it fresh

Gasoline breaks down in storage. Fuel left in a generator's tank can leave gum and varnish that clog the carburetor.

  • Add a fuel stabilizer when you first buy the fuel, following the label.
  • Write the fill date on the can.
  • Use older fuel in a car and refill with fresh fuel, in a regular rotation.
  • Many fire officials suggest using stored fuel in a car after a storm and buying fresh fuel before the next one.

Fuel and the generator

  • Shut the engine off and let it cool before refueling.
  • Refuel outdoors, never indoors.
  • Keep fuel away from the generator while it runs.
  • Wipe up spills and let vapors clear before you start the engine.

Other fuels

Propane keeps for years in sealed cylinders, and many dual-fuel generators run on it. Store cylinders upright, outdoors, with the same care about heat and ignition sources, and follow your supplier's instructions.

What to do next

  • Read how to size a generator and how to use one safely.
  • Look up your local fire code on fuel storage, or call your fire department's non-emergency line.

Sources

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