1. Agitate the grate shaker handle for at least twenty seconds to shake down the charcoal from the previous operating period.

2. Open the ash cleanout port and remove the ashes from the generator housing drum.
Lubricate the threads of the cleanout port with high-temperature silicone, and close the cover of the cleanout port so that it is airtight.

3. Fill the hopper with wood fuel, and tamp the fuel down lightly. Either leave the lid completely off the fuel hopper, or adjust the opening around the lid to a 3/4-in. (or larger) clearance.

4. Close the carburetor’s air control valve and remove the cover from the blower exhaust on top of the filter unit. Start the blower, and let it run for thirty seconds to avoid explosion of residual gas in the system. Then, with the blower still operating, proceed with the next step.

5. Open the ignition port, and ignite a 12- by 12-in. piece of newspaper; with a long stick or wire, push the burning sheet of newspaper into the grate; see Fig. 3-2. Close the ignition port. If no smoke appears at the blower’s exhaust port, repeat the start-up sequence from Step (e). If repeated attempts fail, new charcoal should be added to the unit as described in Sect. 3.3, above, and the start-up ignition sequence should be repeated.

6. After a few minutes of smoky exhaust, test the gas at the blower exhaust by safely and carefully attempting to ignite it; see Fig. 3-3. When the gas burns consistently well, stop the blower and replace the cover on the blower exhaust.

7. Open the carburetor’s air control valve, adjust the engine’s accelerator, and start the engine in a normal manner. Let the engine warm up slowly (two to five minutes). If the engine fails to start or dies repeatedly, restart the blower and repeat the ignition sequence from Step (4).