[John Mercier]

Over the years selling them, we have seen some major problems with the portables.

People don't connect them correctly and leave an open circuit, so when the line is powered up from the other end the wave doesn't sync and the generator gets fried - the motor runs, but no electricity flows.

The second item is simply lack of maintenance.
Saw one run for over three days straight with just the break-in oil, saw others that ran a week without an oil change - they don't realize that running them 24 hours is going to mean an oil change rather rapidly.

The last is not checking them before the season starts, realizing that it has old gas and carb varnish while you are in the middle of the dark and working with a flashlight - or worse - no flashlight because they were unprepared.

I even had one couple show up during Sandy in a classic '67 Mustang. They had escaped to NH, but on their return to Connecticut decided they better grab a generator because the stores would be out down there.
To get it in the Mustang, the wife had to sit in the back with the other supplies. He had may take out the passenger seat, wrap it in plastic to protect it, and place the generator on the passenger floor.

I did as told. But wondered when they got back to Connecticut if any gasoline or oil for an oil change would be available.