Your last generator Maintenance Run
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dragoneggs
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How do you best check for voltage under load?
dragoneggs
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Hey just thinking this might be a good place to remind folks to power up their outboard boat motor if it isn't used regularly too! 
. I am getting in the habit when I fire up the generator too. During the winter I look for an opportune weather day. I kind of enjoy hearing my Merc sitting in a bucket purr! Makes me think of summer and warmer sunny weather! :fishing:
. I am getting in the habit when I fire up the generator too. During the winter I look for an opportune weather day. I kind of enjoy hearing my Merc sitting in a bucket purr! Makes me think of summer and warmer sunny weather! :fishing:Best general low(er) cost solution is a good quality DMM, like Fluke. As a few people have posted here, and in other TBN threads, panel meters are nice to have in a permanent installation, but most are low cost enough that they should be verified against something like a Fluke DMM. Panel meters are great because they are always displaying, DMM strength is portability - checking voltages at remote points (line drops), not just at the immediate generator output.
If your generator has multiple outputs on its panel, then you can just probe the empty one, remembering there are 2 halves to check if it is 220vac capable.
Libraries around here used to loan out KillaWatt meters - another way to double-check cheap panel meters, and they will give you voltage, frequency, and wattage readings, at least up to one standard 120vac circuit's worth. (Can't remember their exact limits....).
Kill A Watt - Wikipedia
Even a low-cost DMM like Innova is better than nothing, I bought a 3300 on sale as a backup meter and it's been great for basic voltage troubleshooting. High accuracy is ideal (buying a mid-range Fluke is on my future budget list....) , but a lot of the time you mostly need to know Are we sitting near 115VAC, or 105, or 128 ?
Amazon.com: INNOVA 33 Hands-free Digital Multimeter (1 MegOhm): Automotive
Rgds, D.
daugen
Epic Contributor
I would have used a cheap multimeter I have, plugged into open receptacle, at no load and full load. The gen got substantially louder under full load; what was surprisingly quiet at idle, and particularly on the lower rpm idle setting.
But as load was increased, the exhaust got louder. Not sure I'd want that next to my rv all night but if the juice went out, I'd use it for sure. This is my portable backup unit in case I want to dry camp with my travel trailer or if the main gen conks out, which is pretty unlikely. Just my version of belt and suspenders. I have a sound level meter from Radio Shack (I owned a Radio Shack franchise for five years a long time ago and took some fun stuff home with me...) so I could actually run a noise level test next time.
These inverter gens are made to be quiet, and in this Champion's case it means hiding the oil fill area behind a plastic door. Does not make checking oil easier for sure...good thing it has a low oil level shut down. I did notice some new burning smells after half an hour at full load; to be expected as paint burns off. As long as the plastic case doesn't start to melt...
But as load was increased, the exhaust got louder. Not sure I'd want that next to my rv all night but if the juice went out, I'd use it for sure. This is my portable backup unit in case I want to dry camp with my travel trailer or if the main gen conks out, which is pretty unlikely. Just my version of belt and suspenders. I have a sound level meter from Radio Shack (I owned a Radio Shack franchise for five years a long time ago and took some fun stuff home with me...) so I could actually run a noise level test next time.
These inverter gens are made to be quiet, and in this Champion's case it means hiding the oil fill area behind a plastic door. Does not make checking oil easier for sure...good thing it has a low oil level shut down. I did notice some new burning smells after half an hour at full load; to be expected as paint burns off. As long as the plastic case doesn't start to melt...
I would have used a cheap multimeter I have, plugged into open receptacle, at no load and full load. The gen got substantially louder under full load; what was surprisingly quiet at idle, and particularly on the lower rpm idle setting.
But as load was increased, the exhaust got louder. Not sure I'd want that next to my rv all night but if the juice went out, I'd use it for sure. This is my portable backup unit in case I want to dry camp with my travel trailer or if the main gen conks out, which is pretty unlikely. Just my version of belt and suspenders. I have a sound level meter from Radio Shack (I owned a Radio Shack franchise for five years a long time ago and took some fun stuff home with me...) so I could actually run a noise level test next time.
These inverter gens are made to be quiet, and in this Champion's case it means hiding the oil fill area behind a plastic door. Does not make checking oil easier for sure...good thing it has a low oil level shut down. I did notice some new burning smells after half an hour at full load; to be expected as paint burns off. As long as the plastic case doesn't start to melt...
You should have good service from that Champion - nice backup unit, easily portable.
Still don't understand why a basic Harbor Freight generator will come with low-oil shutdown, but a $100k road vehicle does not.....
Rgds, D.
90cummins
Veteran Member
Hey just thinking this might be a good place to remind folks to power up their outboard boat motor if it isn't used regularly too!
I would discourage running it (or any motor/vehicle of value) unless you can actually warm it up.
Condensation from a brief run can cause rust in cylinders.
In cars it can cause the exhaust system to rot from the inside/out.
dragoneggs
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Yes good point. I make sure I run it good and warm. Cycle the fwd/rev a few times and turn up and hold the throttle.
kevinwak
Platinum Member
Been running on the Honda EU2000i for 29 hours now. Only stopped for fuel fills and oil checks. Power was out when I came home from work yesterday, huge snowstorm.
