How to Prevent Generator Overloading

[Drew anderson]

Hi, I’ve had a few times when a generator started struggling after we plugged in more equipment than we probably should have. Since then, I’ve tried to keep track of the total load before connecting everything. Startup power from certain tools can also be higher than I expected. I’m curious what others do to avoid overloading their generators on the job. Do you have any simple tricks or habits that have worked well for you?

 

[Felipe Rances]

hi, one habit that’s helped me is adding up the load first and leaving a little extra capacity, those startup surges can sneak up on you fast!

 

[Jared Allen]

Another simple tip is to start high-demand equipment one at a time instead of powering everything up at once, it can help prevent those sudden overloads.

 

[b/builder2025]

Leaving a little extra capacity definitely helps.

Do you guys also check the generator’s load meter while running everything, or mostly rely on the equipment startup demands?