Whether you own portable electric generators for your small business or use them in a factory, operating them should be a high priority. That’s why it’s important that anyone who uses electric generators have training in their safe operation and maintenance. You can usually finish training on smaller home electric generators within a matter of hours. However, larger diesel electric generators or hydro electric generators require longer, more specific training.

You can receive electric generators education and training for yourself and your staff from a number of sources. The local community college may be a good place to start. Electric generator vendors are another source of training. Wherever you receive your training you should expect to learn the following:

1. The correct way to set up portable electric generators.

2. Proper maintenance techniques for electrical generators.

3. OSHA safety requirements for the safe operation of electric generators.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find basic electric generators education and training

You can often finish this type of training in a short time. Finding someone to do on-site training for all your staff it would be the most cost-effective measure.

I recommend: Pacific Gas and Electric offers basic safety training and instruction on its website for portable electric generators. Get more detained safety training from the AVO Training Institute. In addition to safety training, it also offers courses in electric motor generator maintenance and testing. AVO offers on-site training, as well as professional training at remote locations.

Enroll in college training for electric generators

If you are responsible for maintaining a number of electrical generators, you may want to take advanced electrical courses to prepare you for the job. You can get training from either a local technical school or community college. You can also take undergraduate classes from a four-year college that would apply to an electrical engineering degree.

I recommend: Participate in college training in electrical generators through the Iowa Alliance for Wind Innovation and Novel Development. These courses particularly prepare you to operate a wind electric generator and turbine. Prepare for a career as an electric power generator specialist with General Electric. In addition to a degree in electrical engineering, you need to complete its electric generators education and training program.

Get electric generator training that qualifies you to work in a specific industry

Sometimes training comes in different packages than you may expect. Specialized industry training is on way to get the skills and safety training you need to operate an electrical generator.

I recommend: Take advantage of the electric generator training needed to become a movie grip or production assistant. The S3 Entertainment Group from Oakland Community College in Ferndale, Michigan offers such a course. Cummins Northwest also offers a number of classes that train you to use and maintain electric start generators.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  As you participate in electric generators education and training, always remember to wear your safety gear. This includes safety glasses, gloves and non-conductive shoes.

Electric generators have many uses in today's business world. Construction workers use portable generators on job sites. Businesses have a generator to avoid system failures during a power outage. Environmentally conscious business owners are looking for ways to use renewable sources to generate electricity.

Gasoline powered electrical generators are the most common type. If you want to ensure little or no interruption of electrical power during an outage, your best bet is a standby electrical generator. Many small businesses can use a stand-by generator designed for a home. Electric generator vendors can help you choose the right one for your business. There are generators powered by diesel fuel, natural gas or propane available for use.

Generators can be classified in several categories:

1. Recreational power generators go from tiny ones for use at a campsite up to medium-sized ones that might do for a cabin in the woods.

2. Emergency power generators and standby power generators are built in, wired to the power system and meant to kick in when power goes out.

3. Professional grade generators often overlap with the Emergency power generators listed above, and can generate anywhere from 3000 to 17,500 watts of power.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Select a portable electric generators for use on job sites

Portable generators range in size from small devices you can truly carry into the woods or to a remote job site, to ones with wheels meant to be towed behind another vehicle. Most of these type have a recoil starting system, though a few are electric start generators.

I recommend: Wise Sales.com has several new Honda models of portable electric generators. Electric Generators Direct has professional portable diesel generators and gasoline generators, several of which are electric start generators.

Install a standby electric generator to guard against power outages

Power outages can occur when you least expect it. Standby electric generators offer the best defense against loosing power and causing lose of computer data or alarm system failure. Protect your business interest during inclement weather or an unplanned loss of power.

I recommend: Purchase a natural gas powered standby generator or a diesel electric generator from Peak Power Tools. Check a watt chart to help you identify your wattage requirements at Distributed Energy.

Choose an electrical generator for computers and electronic equipment

Generators using inverter technology provide stable and reliable power for computers and other electronic equipment that is sensitive to interruption. Tractor owners may want PTO generators, which allow you to use a tractor's engine to produce electricity.

I recommend: Purchase inverter technology generators from Honda Inverter Technology. Purchase Small PTO Generators and Large PTO Generators from NoOutage.com.

Purchase electrical generators powered by alternative energy sources

You can get generator systems powered by the running water from a stream or river on your property, the wind, or solar power. These types are harder to find but are not out of reach if you want to go 'green.'

I recommend: Bitterroot Solar has residential and commercial grade hydro electric generator and wind electric generator systems for sale. Big Frog Mountain Corporation sells alternative energy generators, including wind electric generators.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Stockpile enough fuel to run your generator for a minimum of 48 hours if your goal is to be self-sufficient during a power outage, when you may not be able to purchase more fuel.
• •  Never run an internal combustion generator indoors. Place it outside with a minimum of 3 feet open space in all directions around it for safety.
• •  If your generator outputs over 4000 watts or if you plan to use it to run appliances or systems that are hard wired, have a licensed electrician install a power transfer switch or system.
• •  Never back feed electricity directly into your building's power circuits. You could accidentally electrocute power company employees working on nearby power lines.