Transporting Your Generator Safely

Using a portable generator is sometimes necessary when you’re working with heavy construction equipment. Generators turn fuel like propane, diesel or gasoline into electricity that can power your machines so you can get your work done. When transporting your generator to and from the work site, though, you’ll want to take some precautions to prevent any accidents or damage to the generator.

This guide to safely transporting your generator is by Synergy Equipment. We have locations throughout Florida and Georgia to best serve our customers, so come to us if you need to rent a generator!

Prepare For Transit

Make sure your generator is ready to move before you load it up. Check that the fuel valve is off, which it should be if the machine isn’t running. You don’t want to leave it on since fuel will enter the crankcase and dilute your engine oil.

If you’ve recently run the generator, you should give it about twenty minutes to cool down before moving it. Use provided handholds on the machine and keep it upright, since turning it over may do some real damage in addition to spilling fuel onto the ground.

Every generator is different and has its own safety procedures and suggested maintenance tasks. Read your owner’s manual so you know what your particular model needs and when.

Transporting

You may be loading your generator onto a trailer or securing it to the bed of a truck. Either way, you will need to cover it to protect it from damage. Place it upright and secure it with bungee cords or tie-down straps to prevent it from moving during transport. Lock the wheels so the generator doesn’t roll around. Don’t set anything on the generator. Make sure you’re driving at an even speed and that you aren’t braking so hard that it falls over in your truck bed or trailer.

Storing & Moving Fuel

Your generator will either need propane, gas or diesel to serve as fuel. Each of these is a potentially volatile liquid that needs to be handled with care. Secure the caps on containers as well as any ventilation so that fumes don’t leech out. You also want to make sure the container is properly labeled with the appropriate hazardous material stickers on it.

Place the fuel in your truck bed upright and secure it in place with bungee cords or a truck box so it doesn’t shift or tip over during transport. While the container might be small enough to fit inside your vehicle, you don’t want to sit in close quarters with it as the fumes could overwhelm you.

General Tips

Carry a spill kit with you at all times to address any fuel leakage or spills, either during transport or when the generator is at the site. This should include gloves, funnels for fuel dispensing and absorbent materials for soaking up any spills. Place drip trays beneath the generator and its hoses while refuelling.

If your generator has a built-in bund, ensure that this is empty before you move the machine so it doesn’t spill. When renting a generator with a bund, make sure it does not have any holes drilled into it.

Keep your generator out of standing water and prevent it from getting wet with a cover when not in use. Don’t allow it to remain outside in poor weather conditions.

We hope our list of tips helps you to safely transport your generator and its fuel from place to place. Want to rent a generator to make your construction work easier? Come by one of our many dealerships. We offer rental equipment near Miami and provide generators for rent in Florida. Synergy Equipment also has locations in the state of Georgia, and we welcome our customers coming down from South Carolina to see what we have for rent or sale!