RV Generator Maintenance: How to Keep Your Power Running Smoothly

Getting an RV generator was a game changer for my family. Suddenly we could power anything in our rig, no matter where we happened to be!

It was magical to have so much freedom, but having a generator also meant taking on some new responsibilities. After all, RV generator maintenance is pretty important if you want to keep your RV generator up and running smoothly for as long as possible. 

Not sure what you need to do to maintain your generator? Here are the things you need to know about RV generator maintenance. 

Read the Owner’s Manual

Before anything, consult your generator’s manual. It contains model-specific instructions on maintenance intervals, oil type, and procedures, and will ensure you know what you’re doing to maintain the generator in your RV specifically.

I recommend taking note of when you are supposed to do certain maintenance tasks and adding them to a program like RV Life Maintenance so you never miss a task. 

Change the Oil Regularly

Like any engine, your generator needs regular oil changes in order to run smoothly. Generally speaking, you’ll want to change the oil after the first 20–30 hours of use (break-in) and then every 100 hours or annually. Staying on top of this is key, so don’t forget!

How-to change the oil in your RV generator:

1. Warm up the engine for a few minutes.
2. Shut it off and remove the drain plug.
3. Drain old oil into a pan.
4. Replace with the recommended oil (usually SAE 30 or 15W-40).
5. Replace oil filter if applicable.

Replace the Air Filter

You’ll also need to change the air filter regularly in order to ensure the engine is able to get enough air and doesn’t get clogged with dirt and dust. Usually, this is a task you’ll do every 150–200 hours of runtime.

That said, if you spend time camping in dusty environments, you may need to change the air filter more frequently. To be safe and to make things simpler for myself, I usually change the air filter when changing the oil.

Inspect and Maintain the Battery

While your RV generator does provide power to the rest of your rig and charges the battery once it is running, it does require some power in order to get started. This is where your RV house battery comes into play. To put it simply, if the house battery is dead or isn’t working properly, you won’t be able to start the generator.

In order to keep your RV battery in tip-top condition, do the following:

• In the case of flooded batteries, never let the battery die completely, keeping it at least 50% charged at all times. 
• Keep fluid levels topped up on flooded batteries. 
• Check for corrosion on terminals and clean with a mixture of baking soda and water.
• Ensure tight connections.
• Test voltage regularly; charge or replace as needed.

Check and Replace Spark Plugs

Worn-out spark plugs will cause issues with your generator for sure. After all, you need a good spark for the engine to run. For this reason, it is important to clean or replace your spark plugs at least every 300 hours or once a season.

This is another task I like to do every time I change the oil, even though it isn’t strictly necessary to do so that often. 

Clean the Generator

It’s not exactly in plain sight, so it can be easy to forget to clean your generator. That said, because of where onboard generators are located, they do tend to get dirty, and all of that dirt and debris can actually block airflow and cause overheating.

For this reason, it is important to regularly clean the generator, making sure to remove debris, dust, and bugs from vents and surfaces.

Use Clean, Fresh Fuel

Old or dirty fuel isn’t good for any engine, including your RV generator. For this reason, it is important to use clean, fresh fuel for the generator every time you run it. If you’ll be storing your generator for a long time, use a fuel stabilizer to ensure the fuel in the tank doesn’t go bad, or empty the tank completely and refill the fuel tank when you’re ready to run the generator again. 

Exercise the Generator Monthly

One of the more common mistakes generator owners make? Forgetting to run the generator regularly. RV generators should be run at least once a month for at least half an hour under a 50% load. This helps prevent carbon buildup and keeps seals lubricated. It also helps make you aware of any issues the generator may be having before you head out on your first trip of the year. 

This is another one of those tasks that we recommend putting into some sort of calendar so you have a reminder to take care of it each month. 

Keep a Maintenance Log

Keeping up with RV generator maintenance is super important, and if you keep track of the maintenance you do, it can actually help improve resale value. Record all oil changes, all hours run, all filter changes, and all inspections, and keep the log with your RV owners manual and other important RV-related paperwork so you can 1) reference it when needed and then 2) pass it along to the next owner later. 

Common Mistakes to Avoid

It’s also good to know which mistakes are most commonly made when using an RV generator so you can avoid them. Below are the top four RV generator mistakes. Avoid these and you’ll be doing pretty good. 

1. Letting the generator sit unused for months. As mentioned above, this is a very common mistake that often leads to a generator that won’t start. 
2. Skipping oil changes. It’s easy to forget to change the oil on your generator, and this can cause issues. This is why reminders to yourself are crucial. 
3. Using the wrong type of fuel or oil. Make sure to check and double-check your owner’s manual so you know exactly what kind of oil and fuel to use. 
4. Overloading the generator. Understand how much power your generator has to offer and what that means for you in terms of what you can run. Overloading a generator is never a good idea and is easy to do if you don’t know what you’re doing. 

Final Tips

I do have a few more tips to offer for using your RV generator correctly. These will help you take good care of your generator, so make sure to put them to good use!

• Use a surge protector to protect appliances.
• Invest in a fuel shut-off valve to make draining easier before storage.
• Store in a dry, ventilated area during long-term non-use.
  

There you have it, everything you need to know to keep your RV generator in good shape. Stay on top of these maintenance tasks and you can have power wherever you roam for miles to come!

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