Generator maintenance that prevents the 2 a.m. no-start

Run it under load for 20 minutes every month. Ethanol-free gas or run the carb dry after every use. Oil change every 50 hours or yearly (most take 0.6 quarts of 10W-30; the low-oil shutoff will fake a "won't start" if it is a hair low). New plug yearly. Clean the air filter. Keep a spare plug, a quart of oil and a $20 carb for your model in a bag taped to the frame.

And test it with the actual loads you plan to run; a 3,500 W unit will not start a 1 HP well pump no matter what the box says.