Can I Put a Tarp Over My Generator?
Not while it's running. A tarp over a generator sits against a very hot exhaust, and Energy Safe Victoria says don't cover one. You can still keep it out of the rain, and here's how.
Why a Tarp Over a Running Generator Is a Problem
Exhaust Heat and Fire
Energy Safe Victoria doesn't leave much room. Don't cover the generator, it says, because the exhaust is very hot and will burn any material in direct contact with it and cause a fire. A poly tarp that sags or blows onto the muffler is that contact.
Briggs & Stratton's Australian operator's manual says the same about storage covers. They could cause a fire, so don't put one over a hot generator, and let it cool for a sufficient time first.
Trapped Exhaust and Carbon Monoxide
Pull a tarp down over the sides and you've built a small enclosure around the exhaust. Westinghouse's Australian iGen manual says never operate the generator in an enclosed area, because engine exhaust contains carbon monoxide.
That puts anyone standing next to it at risk, along with the tent or van beside it. The warning signs are in can a generator cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
Overheating and Shutdowns
A generator cools itself with air. Welling & Crossley's manual for its 3200W inverter says don't allow any material to block the cooling slots.
GenTent, a US company that sells running covers (so weigh that), says tarps can trigger the automatic shutoff through lack of ventilation, are often flammable, and can leak or blow away in the wind.
Keeping a Generator Dry in the Rain
The manuals don't want it running wet either. Westinghouse says never operate it outdoors in rain, snow or any weather that could leave moisture on, in or around the generator. The Welling & Crossley manual says don't operate it while directly exposed to wet weather.
So the job is a roof, not a wrapper.
Open Canopy Shelters
Queensland's Electrical Safety Office gives the shape of it. Keep the generator dry, don't use it in rain or wet conditions, and protect it by operating on a dry surface under an open canopy-like structure. Firm, dry ground matters too, which we cover in what a generator should sit on.
Energy Safe Victoria suggests a spot sheltered from the weather, such as a carport, under the eaves or a veranda, as long as the exhaust isn't blowing onto anything flammable or back into the house.
Where Victorian Advice Disagrees
Victoria's health department says don't use a portable generator in a garage, carport or other enclosed or partially enclosed area, even with ventilation. So two Victorian government agencies land on opposite sides of the carport.
On carbon monoxide, go with the stricter advice, especially when the carport joins the house. We work through it in is it safe to run a generator in a carport.
Generator Covers for Outside While Running
If you want a generator cover while running, there are three sensible ways to go.
Purpose-Built Running Covers
A running cover, or generator tent, is made to sit over a working generator with room for air and exhaust. Popular Mechanics in the US says the storage cover that comes with most generators isn't suitable while it runs, and you want at least three to four feet (about a metre) between the generator and the cover.
Check the fabric is flame-retardant and the cover suits your model. Open-frame generators and enclosed inverter generators need different fits.
Remote start helps on a wet night. Our Westinghouse iGen3750S listing points out you can start it from inside the van when it's raining, rather than standing over it. The shelter still has to keep the generator dry.
A Raised Tarp With Open Sides
Owners do rig their own. One US owner in New Mexico, posting on Forest River Forums, sits their generator on a small pallet, screws uprights to all four corners and stakes a tarp over the lot, leaving open spaces for ventilation and exhaust. They say they've run it that way for 13 years. Another, in Florida, lowers the legs on a 10 by 10 foot shelter so blowing rain seldom reaches the generator while air still moves around it.
Both treat the tarp as a roof, never a blanket. Keep it well clear of the muffler and tied down, so a gust can't drop it onto a hot exhaust.
Storage Covers Once It's Cool
A fitted cover is fine once the generator's off and cold. Briggs & Stratton says store it in a clean, dry area under a protective cover that doesn't retain moisture, and let it cool first. Leaving it outdoors long term is covered in should generators be kept outside.
Outlet covers help too. The Westinghouse iGen2600 has two 15A outlets with IP44-rated covers for dust and splashes. That's splash protection, not a rain cover.
So can you put a tarp over your generator? As a raised roof with the sides open, yes. Draped over it while it runs, no. Keep the fabric off hot parts and the generator well away from the house, and don't dodge the rain by moving it inside, for the reasons in is it safe to use a generator in a garage with the door open.
If you're still choosing a generator, the generator finder narrows it down. Or talk it through with us on 03 7056 6732, or SMS 0476 330 590.
