Starting a generator is straightforward once you've done it a few times, but the order matters, and so does what you check before you ever pull the cord. A minute of preparation prevents most of the frustration people have with hard starts, and more importantly it keeps you safe. Here's the routine, the checks first, then the start itself.
Before you pull the cord
Run through this quick pre-start check every time. It takes under a minute and it heads off most problems:
- The generator is outdoors, on dry level ground, well away from windows, doors, and vents, with exhaust pointed away from any building.
- There's enough fresh fuel in the tank, and the fuel valve is set to open.
- The oil is at the correct level (the low-oil sensor will block starting if it's low).
- Nothing is plugged in yet, you start with no load.
- You know where the engine shutoff is before you need it.
That last point sounds trivial until the one time you need to stop the engine in a hurry. Know the shutoff before you start.
Starting from cold: the sequence
With the pre-start check done, start the engine in this order:
- Open the fuel valve.
- Set the choke to the closed (cold-start) position.
- Turn the engine switch on.
- Pull the recoil cord slowly until you feel resistance build, then give it one firm pull. (On electric-start models, use the starter instead.)
- As the engine warms up, move the choke gradually back to the open (run) position.
- Let it run for a short warm-up before you connect anything.
The choke is the step people get wrong most often. Closed to start cold, then opened as it warms. Leaving it closed after warm-up makes the engine run rough or stall; not closing it for a cold start makes it hard to catch in the first place.
The first start, or the first after storage
A brand-new unit, or one that's been sitting with the fuel used up, needs one extra step so fuel can reach the carburetor. Turn the engine switch on and let it sit for fifteen to twenty seconds before you try to start, which gives the fuel time to work its way through. Then follow the cold-start sequence above. This small pause solves a lot of first-start head-scratching.
New units don't ship with oil and fuel in them, so add both to spec before that first start. If it still won't catch, Generator Won't Start: A Step-by-Step Checklist walks through the causes in order.
Connecting your devices, in the right order
Once the engine is running steadily and warmed up, then you connect loads, not before. Bring them on one at a time rather than all at once, starting with the largest, so a big startup surge lands on an otherwise unloaded generator instead of stacking on top of other draws. Staging like this is gentler on the unit and less likely to trip it.
When you're done, reverse it: turn off and unplug your devices first, let the engine run unloaded for a moment, then shut it down. Shutting off under a heavy load is harder on the machine.
Starting safely, the short version
If you keep one card by the generator, make it this:
- Outdoors, dry, level, exhaust aimed away, no load yet.
- Fuel valve open, choke closed for a cold start.
- Engine switch on; slow pull to resistance, then one firm pull.
- Open the choke as it warms; let it settle.
- Add loads one at a time, largest first, after warm-up.
- Shed loads before shutting down.
Questions people ask
Do I plug things in before or after starting?
After. Start with no load, let the engine warm up, then connect devices one at a time, largest first.
What position should the choke be in?
Closed to start a cold engine, then moved gradually to open as it warms. Leaving it closed after warm-up causes rough running or stalling.
Why won't my brand-new generator start?
New units ship without oil or fuel, add both to spec first. On a first start, turn the switch on for fifteen to twenty seconds so fuel reaches the carburetor, then start.
Should I let it warm up?
Yes, a short unloaded warm-up before connecting devices, and a brief unloaded run before shutdown.
Can I start it in the garage and move it out?
No. It runs outdoors only, from the start, because of carbon monoxide. Never run it enclosed even briefly.
Last updated: July 3, 2026 · Reviewed by: SIOKIUU Power Support