YES. This is absolutely the #1 thing you must do with a manual generator. I toss in a little gasoline (like a cup) and run it dry. I also have an old space heater that I connect to load-test it while it's running.

It's not a factor for gear made after about 2006 or so...

Tens of thousands of customers in the Northeast. Perhaps hundreds of thousands of individuals. In my area, which is "rural" (in a limited sense) there's STILL plenty of people who, despite having well water, septic systems and being totally dependent on electric, have no fireplace/ability to heat the home.

I hope you meant MONTH not YEAR.

I filled mine when I started it for the first time and run it monthly then I add a little when I'm done for the day. My thinking was that I did not want to have the added step of adding gas to the gen when I need it.

The manual with my generator says different: it says to run it every 14 days under load (I also use a space heater) or to follow the long-term storage procedure, which is basically an oil change, draining fuel from the fuel line and carb bowl, squirting some oil into the cylinder and turning it over a couple of times.

What are your thoughts on that?

I always followed that method (the manual long storage) and the only problem was when I didn't refill the oil enough to get past the "low oil" cut off on the genie. It looked full to me. I just had to add about an ounce of oil and it kicked off on the first pull.

Lets add to this convo.

Kerosene Heaters or Propane?

Candles or Oil Lamps or Propane Lamps or Electronic Lamps?

Books or handheld video games?

A grocery store blackout during a snowstorm is a great scenarion for considering what to EDC on you. I ALWAYS have a light on my person, for example. (A photon around my neck.) It's convenient for unexpected darkness somewhere unfamiliar.

Our house gets chilly fast during a power outage, so the basement becomes HQ. It's the warmest room in the house (underground) and most of our dedicated emergency supplies are stored there, including blankets, sweaters. (No washroom, just a wash tub and faucet, so that requires a trip upstairs.) Lighting is an issue down there too, so we've have a combination of candles, candle lanterns, oil lamps and battery-powered lighting.

Though we have books AND handheld devices, I suspect the electronics would win until the batteries ran out. We've also stocked a art supply kit and have several activity books, puzzles, lego and board games down there for the kiddo.

Frisket...kind of a repeat, but I've switched to propane (3) 25# bottles, and away from the Coleman mantle type lamps to refined kero in a couple of Dietz lamps and an easy access LED table light...

with the bulk propane tanks I refill 1# bottles for a 2 burner camp stove or single burner camp stove...or use the adapter hose
Trangia for back up

for heat (2) Mr Heater infra red and (2) Coleman catalytics

Sanyo AA Eneloops with charger and Goal Zero 7w photo voltaic/Goal Zero 10 pack for LED Minimag, Grundig radio,Black Diamond headlamp and power source for cell phone

(2) 12v car batteries for vent fans and digital portable TV

I currently EDC a Fenix E01 with lithium cell

I can usually laugh out loud when I read something by Carl Hiaasen