What this checklist is for
This is a form you can fill out when doing a periodic or pre-use walk of your home standby or portable generator. Fill in the fields on screen and download either a CSV or PDF file. Or download a blank version which you can fill out by hand. It includes the person signing off, the unit details, the status of each station (OK, Defect, N/A, or Done, Due, N/A on the service block), and any defect.
The location of your outdoor generator matters. Because they create carbon monoxide, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Ready.gov say that generators and fuel must remain outside. Position them more than 20 feet from any door, window, or attached garage. Direct the exhaust away from the home. Never operate a portable generator inside your home (such as a basement, carport, or porch).
Follow the OEM's pre-operation checks for the engine, oil, and air filter. These instructions comes from Champion, Generac and Honda. The form is based off NEC Article 702 regarding building connections and grounding. It's not a permit inspection or OEM sheet.
What it is not
- It is not a campsite or RV hookup form, not a generator-compartment RV install, and not a job-site construction log.
- It is not a light-vehicle station walk (see the published vehicle inspection checklist) and not a licensed electrical inspection or utility interconnect approval.
- It is not a CO ppm Pass/Fail chart. CPSC, Ready.gov, and EPA tell you where to run the machine and to keep working CO alarms in the house. They do not give this form a numeric indoor CO fail line. A generator CO shutoff (CPSC points to PGMA G300 and UL 2201; Champion calls its feature CO Shield) is not a substitute for indoor CO alarms.
- It is not a universal ground-rod ohm test. Honda says consult a qualified electrician, inspector, or AHJ before using the ground terminal. Champion describes a remote rod option on some units and still tells you to follow local code. Do not invent a resistance number this page does not list.
How to fill each block
Is it Home Standby or Portable? Mark that first. That will tell you which rows is active, and which ones is N/A. Then add the make, model, serial number, rated watts or kW, fuel type and hour meter reading.
A pre-use check is a look before you start. A periodic check is an hour- or calendar-based walk through for service. You check the same station, but with more attention to cords, water, and stale fuel after a storm or storage.
Check your fuel, engine, and other fluids. For units made by Honda, you have to check oil, air filters, fuel, and leaks but only when engine is OFF and the unit is on a level surface. For units made by Champion, always check the oil before use. For units made by Generac, you must check oil levels and battery condition. You must also check for fuel and oil leaks, enclosure louvers, water intrusion, and fuel-system leaks.
Always ensure that your generator has an air filter installed. If it's a gasoline-only portable, don't run it without one. If it's a cord-and-plug portable, it can't be piped for natural gas or LP. If it's a portable, you can't get a standby enclosure for it.
Connect appliances with heavy-duty extension cords. Use only outdoor-rated cords that can handle the required amperage (CPSC, NFPA, CDC, American Red Cross). All three prongs must be intact, and the cord cannot have any tears or cuts. Never plug into a wall outlet. Generator power should only flow into the home's electrical system from the generator.
Double insulated tools or grounded 3-prong cords is mandatory for Honda. Worn or frayed cords is prohibited on Champion generators. If a generator is powering your home, use a transfer switch installed by a licensed electrician. Honda GFCI manuals say test monthly, but Champion GFCI models require a monthly test and then a reset with a lamp.
Keep the generator dry. Do not run in the rain or while hands is wet. Never record a Pass/Fail result for the ground resistance test.
Run the generator outside ONLY. It should never be run inside your home, basement, garage, shed or crawlspace. Using open doors and windows for airflow is not enough. Position the generator at least 20 feet from windows, doors, and attached garages. Exhaust must point away from all building openings. Do not run it on porches, balconies, or carports.
According to Honda instructions, there must be 3 feet of fire and cooling clearance between the unit and walls and other equipment. That's in addition to the 20-foot CO distance rule. For Generac standby units, mechanical air intakes must be 10 feet horizontal from the enclosure and louvers 3 feet from shrubs.
Use CO alarms that is installed on every level and outside sleeping areas. Test them monthly. Refuel when engine is cool. Fuel storage should be outdoors in approved containers.
What varies
Mark the whole station N/A if using a portable generator only at the receptacles. Generator feeding building wiring must be isolated from utility. Backfeeding by plugging generator into wall outlet kills utility workers.
For standby connection, Generac must be installed by a licensed electrician. Never manually transfer under load. Walk to the generator to see that the MLCB is ON and AUTO is on. Verify exercise is set up. Optional standby grounding depends on transfer equipment. Your electrician and the AHJ make this decision, not this form.
Mark each with a record of its current status: OK, Defect, or N/A. Service intervals differ from model to model. For instance, Generac Schedule A (for 2 years/200 hours) calls for an inspection of battery, oil & filter. First oil/filter change is at 25 hours.
In continuous hot or severe cold operation, shorter intervals apply. Schedule B (every 2 years) covers spark plugs, air filters, valve clearance. Don’t use these hours for a portable Champion or Honda inverter. Check the manual and the plate on the machine.
Note all defects observed. Select the correct course of action. This walk’s inspector’s statement is NOT a permit; it is the check for safe operation. Time and sign the form. If this was a periodic walk, add a next-due date.
There are differences between standby and portable units. A standby unit is a permanently installed set located at the time of permit by code and the manufacturer. Portable on wheels is also on a patio and still has to comply with the 20-foot CO requirement. Perform the same checks as above, but do not move the standby unit 20 feet away from the house.
Leak and storage checks vary with fuel types: For dual-fuel Champion units, use an LPG hose; do a soap-bubble leak check. For standby NG/LP units, use the Generac fuel-system leak test. For diesel units, exhaust, filter and oil checks is still necessary. Gas-only rows should be marked N/A for non-gasoline units.
Grounding and bonding methods vary by model. Many Honda portable manuals say they have a floating AC neutral connected to receptacle pins. Champion manuals call it Neutral Bonded to Frame vs. Neutral Floating.
After you finish
Feeding a dwelling through a transfer switch is an NEC Article 702 and Article 250 problem for a licensed electrician. Code sections can be amended locally and at state levels. There is no mention of ohm readings, wire gauge, or rod length on this form.
Manufacturer specs, such as Honda’s 3-foot rule or Generac’s vegetation guidelines, do not override the Ready.gov/CPSC rule to place portable generators 20 feet outdoors. Champion says avoid obstructions near generators equipped with CO shutoffs.
Optional features include GFCI, CO shutoff, electric start and hour meters. If the hardware isn’t present, mark as N/A. Don’t fail a generator because it lacks a feature that the OEM didn’t install.
To get a copy of your filled PDF or CSV, download it here. Your answers will remain in this browser. The next user gets a blank form. Print a blank PDF for your walk
A Defect row means do not treat the unit as ready. Call an OEM dealer or licensed electrician, relocate, recable or repair.
If you take standby sets out of AUTO for this walk, put them back into AUTO with the generator disconnect closed. They won’t start in an outage if they aren’t. This is Generac’s post-service sequence.
Not a substitute for the OEM or a licensed inspection
The form is above this article. Below the form is the preview and the blank printable PDF. If you need to keep a paper trail in your shop or home, leave a copy with the owners manual. This doesn’t file itself at the building department, utility or fire department.
This is not legal advice. This is not a replacement for a mandated inspection, a licensed electrician, a CO investigation, or the manufacturer’s procedure. Don’t make up Pass/Fail limits not mentioned by the OEM manual, NEC Article 702, EPA, CPSC, Ready.gov. Use the book that came with the machine in your hands.