PPI AutoPre-Purchase Inspections951-267-8500
Inspection forms / Generator inspection form
PowerFill in · download the report

Generator Inspection Form

The generator pre-purchase checklist, ready to fill in at the generator. Pick the type, work through each section, and download the report when you are done.

Book a generator inspectionCall 951-267-8500

Generator inspection form. A pre-purchase checklist written for generators: 48 to 55 points across 9 sections. Mark each item Pass, Attention or Fail, add notes and readings, then download the report.

At a glance

  • Standby, portable, towable
  • Hours, load test, voltage and frequency, transfer switch.
  • Downloads as a PDF report or a CSV
  • Free, and nothing you type leaves your device
What the form covers
  • Data plate, hour meter and service records
  • Engine, starter battery and charger, and the fuel supply
  • Generator end: bearings, regulator, breakers and receptacles
  • A load test with voltage and frequency, loaded and unloaded
  • On a standby set, the transfer switch: transfer, retransfer and the exerciser
  • Enclosure, safety shutdowns, and the trailer on a towable unit

Want it inspected by someone who does this every day? The generator & power equipment inspection page explains what we check and how to book. Need a different form? Every one is on the inspection forms page.

Progress0 / 55
0Pass
0Attention
0Fail
0N/A

Generator and Inspection Details

Fill in what you know. Anything left blank prints as a dash on the report.

KeyPass, good conditionAttention, needs a closer look or a repair soonFail, needs repair before you rely on itN/A, not fitted or not tested
Data Plate and Records0 / 8
  • Model and serial plate: kW, voltage and phase
  • Engine serial number
  • Hour meter works
  • Manufacture date
  • Service records: oil, filters, valve adjustment
  • Install permit or inspection (standby)
  • Emissions label
  • Manuals
Engine0 / 11
  • Oil level and condition
  • Coolant and block heater (liquid cooled)
  • Leaks
  • Belts
  • Air filter
  • Spark plugs or glow plugs
  • Fuel lines and regulator
  • Diesel tank: water, sludge or growth
  • Exhaust and muffler
  • Starts cold
  • Starter battery and charger

Readings

Generator End0 / 8
  • Bearing noise
  • Brushes and slip rings, if brushed
  • No burnt smell from the windings
  • Voltage regulator (AVR)
  • Output breakers trip and reset
  • Receptacles and GFCI (portable)
  • Neutral bonding, floating or bonded
  • Terminals tight, no discoloration

Readings

Load Test0 / 7
  • Voltage and frequency with no load
  • Voltage and frequency under load
  • Voltage recovers when load is added and dropped
  • Frequency steady, no hunting
  • No smoke or surging under load
  • Runs 30 minutes under load without overheating
  • Phases balanced (three phase)

Readings

On a 60 Hz unit, expect close to 60 Hz under steady load. A load bank gives the truest test; house load works if you note what was running.

Transfer Switch0 / 7
  • Transfers when utility power is shut off
  • Retransfers when utility returns, then cools down
  • Exerciser schedule set and runs
  • Controller alarm history clear
  • Contacts and lugs, no burning
  • Load shed modules, if fitted
  • Enclosure and labels

Readings

Enclosure and Mounting0 / 7
  • Enclosure rust, doors and latches
  • Rodent nests
  • Pad level, clearances to windows and walls (standby)
  • Fuel sediment trap (gas)
  • Vibration mounts
  • Frame, wheels and handle (portable)
  • Fuel tank and cap
Trailer0 / 5
  • Trailer frame and coupler
  • Lights
  • Brakes and breakaway
  • Fuel containment, double-wall tank
  • Lifting eye
Controls and Shutdowns0 / 7
  • Control panel and display
  • Auto start
  • Emergency stop works
  • Low oil pressure shutdown
  • High temperature shutdown
  • Overcrank protection
  • Meters read correctly
Tires and DOT DatesAge from the DOT code

The last four digits of the DOT code are the week and year the tire was made, so 2319 is week 23 of 2019. Rubber ages whatever the tread looks like.

PositionDOT dateAgeTreadPSI
Left–
Right–
Left axle 2–
Right axle 2–
Additional Comments
Inspector Sign-Off

Generator professionally inspected and reported by

Download the Report

Every item, note and reading goes into the report. Download opens it ready to save as a PDF or print. Your answers stay on this device until you clear them.

Common questions
Is the generator inspection form free?
Yes. Fill it in on a phone or a laptop and download the report as a PDF or a CSV. Nothing you type is sent anywhere; it stays on your device until you press Clear all.
What if an item does not apply?
Mark it N/A. N/A means the part is not fitted or could not be tested, and the report says so. Pick the type at the top first: sections that do not apply drop out of the form, the count and the report.
Can someone inspect the generator for me?
Yes. Book a generator inspection and a PPI Auto inspector checks it where it sits and gives you a written report. Call 951-267-8500 or send the request form on this page.
One call gets it done

Want us to fill it in?

Tell us the generator and where it is. We handle the rest.

951-267-8500Call now

Request a generator & power equipment inspection

Send the details and we call you back.

Details

No payment now · We confirm scheduling before any work

Need a generator & power equipment inspection?

Certified, unbiased, anywhere in the country.

Call 951-267-8500