Your last generator Maintenance Run

[3930dave]

So in this vein.... when should I replace the battery in my generator? It is electric start portable. It is 5 yrs old at this point and has the original battery. Last maintenance run at thanksgiving it fired up like it was new. It is on a battery maintainer 24/7. However I don稚 want to tempt fate....

A neighbour (admittedly, with more $ than I) buys vehicles brand-new, then always replace the battery at 5 years old. He used to build stock-cars, so knows his way around machinery...... He said "That way, they always start, and alternators seem to last longer too". Some truth there.....

Alternately, if you have a good industrial battery supply place nearby, they should be able to load-test you present battery for you.

UR may comment on exact time-limits, but I know batteries on medical equipment get cycled out-of-service after not that many months on-line.

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

My generator auto starts once a week for maintenance, but a couple days ago the Mate kicked it on because my batteries were down to 75%. It would run for a minute then shut off, run a min and shut off, again and again.
Upon checking the Mate for error messages, it kept saying “low voltage” - 76 vac to be exact. I thought my generator was dying (only 3 yrs old), but my neighbor said to let it run a couple minutes before engaging the charger. Then it worked fine. It has been rainy and cold and he said the humidity was wreaking havoc with the electronics until it is warmed up. So I set the timer on my Mate to engage the generator after 2 minutes of run time instead of 30 seconds. Seems to be working fine now.

Interesting. I'm used to humidity-related issues with some things up here, not what I would have guessed, down your way.....

IIRC, my old/simple portable generators state in the Manual that you should run them for at least 2 minutes unloaded, before connecting the load. I believe they also suggest stopping the same way (no load, 2 minutes minimum).

Rgds, D.

 

[ultrarunner]

A neighbour (admittedly, with more $ than I) buys vehicles brand-new, then always replace the battery at 5 years old. He used to build stock-cars, so knows his way around machinery...... He said "That way, they always start, and alternators seem to last longer too". Some truth there.....

Alternately, if you have a good industrial battery supply place nearby, they should be able to load-test you present battery for you.

UR may comment on exact time-limits, but I know batteries on medical equipment get cycled out-of-service after not that many months on-line.

Rgds, D.

A lot of medical batteries outdate 24 months in service or 36 months from manufacture date...

Seems I am always buying or getting rid of batteries... one group of monitors used a $600 lithium battery... no way around it... I believe the company made a bundle on the battery side of things after the sale.

 

[ultrarunner]

Interesting. I'm used to humidity-related issues with some things up here, not what I would have guessed, down your way.....

IIRC, my old/simple portable generators state in the Manual that you should run them for at least 2 minutes unloaded, before connecting the load. I believe they also suggest stopping the same way (no load, 2 minutes minimum).

Rgds, D.

Our poor Diesel Hospital GenSets are required to sense power outage, start generator, rev up to speed and transfer full load in 10 seconds.... mine are consistent at 6 seconds... we do have a 15 minute cool down after load removed.

Never like the sound of starting a Diesel and then pedal to the metal with a 60 to 80% of rated load transfer...

On the plus side... we have block and oil heater even in sunny and mild California... so not 100% cold start.

 

[TheMan419]

A lot of medical batteries outdate 24 months in service or 36 months from manufacture date...

Seems I am always buying or getting rid of batteries... one group of monitors used a $600 lithium battery... no way around it... I believe the company made a bundle on the battery side of things after the sale.

Yeah but that is because it is life saving equipment and cannot not work. If my generator does not fire because the battery is dead I have a pull start option. However it is likely SWMBO would have trouble pull starting, but could get it done. If my back is out there is no way I can pull start it. So I am trying to reduce the odds of needing the generator and having the battery dead.

If worse came to worse and my back was out and SWMBO could not pull start I could get a friend/neighbor to come do it. Not the best solution, but it would work.

More than likely since the battery is 5 years old I will just replace it. It looks like maybe a $50 part and that is without me really shopping it yet. I am sure I can get it for less than that.

 

[nikdfish]

If you have a whole house generator & are getting heavy snow, don't forget to clear snow from around it as needed. I just took care of ours & the heat pump. The intake louvers on the genny were pretty much buried (we have gotten a bit over a foot so far & pretty good winds). The heavy wet snow, ice & wind are what cause most of the outages around here.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Last night the freezing rain got me to thinking how long it as been since I have even seen my generator.

Thankfully our grid was rebuilt after it totally failed in the 2009 ice storm and since then I think the max outage has been like 3 hours with only 3-4 outages total.

Thankfully we have a three phase part of the grid going past our house. In 2009 we were out of power for 65 hours. Neighbors on the single phase legs that branch off a 1/4 mile down the road where out for more like 14 days. Like they they location, location and location counts. If we ever move I want to be on the three phase part of the grid again since they get first attention in a outage.

 

[3930dave]

Our poor Diesel Hospital GenSets are required to sense power outage, start generator, rev up to speed and transfer full load in 10 seconds.... mine are consistent at 6 seconds... we do have a 15 minute cool down after load removed.

Never like the sound of starting a Diesel and then pedal to the metal with a 60 to 80% of rated load transfer...

On the plus side... we have block and oil heater even in sunny and mild California... so not 100% cold start.

They're designed for that kind of duty, but I'm totally with you there...... I don't like running any cold engine that hard.

Block Heater :thumbsup: .... but my kind of "cold" is different than yours

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

Yeah but that is because it is life saving equipment and cannot not work. If my generator does not fire because the battery is dead I have a pull start option. However it is likely SWMBO would have trouble pull starting, but could get it done. If my back is out there is no way I can pull start it. So I am trying to reduce the odds of needing the generator and having the battery dead.

If worse came to worse and my back was out and SWMBO could not pull start I could get a friend/neighbor to come do it. Not the best solution, but it would work.

More than likely since the battery is 5 years old I will just replace it. It looks like maybe a $50 part and that is without me really shopping it yet. I am sure I can get it for less than that.

Backups to the backups...... good stuff......

$50 battery...... at less than a $1/month, that's cheap peace of mind :thumbsup:

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

If you have a whole house generator & are getting heavy snow, don't forget to clear snow from around it as needed. I just took care of ours & the heat pump. The intake louvers on the genny were pretty much buried (we have gotten a bit over a foot so far & pretty good winds). The heavy wet snow, ice & wind are what cause most of the outages around here.

Good reminder Nik.

You had me double checking your signature...... a foot of snow in NC ! :shocked:

Roads must be be a mess.... guessing you don't have a surplus of highway snow equipment around.

Travel safe, if you have to.

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

Last night the freezing rain got me to thinking how long it as been since I have even seen my generator.

Thankfully our grid was rebuilt after it totally failed in the 2009 ice storm and since then I think the max outage has been like 3 hours with only 3-4 outages total.

Thankfully we have a three phase part of the grid going past our house. In 2009 we were out of power for 65 hours. Neighbors on the single phase legs that branch off a 1/4 mile down the road where out for more like 14 days. Like they they location, location and location counts. If we ever move I want to be on the three phase part of the grid again since they get first attention in a outage.

That's a good location for sure Gale....... will be a priority for local outage restoration work.

I think you have a few gen options about (RV ?)...... your comments had me thinking about the last BIG one.....

Northeast blackout of 23 - Wikipedia

Thought it was '06..... but twas '03. 55 Million people affected, 2'nd largest global outage at the time..... Even bigger than the '65 blackout.

Some interesting reading in that wiki listing....... For the Want of a Nail.......

Rgds, D.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

That's a good location for sure Gale....... will be a priority for local outage restoration work.

I think you have a few gen options about (RV ?)...... your comments had me thinking about the last BIG one.....

Northeast blackout of 23 - Wikipedia

Thought it was '06..... but twas '03. 55 Million people affected, 2'nd largest global outage at the time..... Even bigger than the '65 blackout.

Some interesting reading in that wiki listing....... For the Want of a Nail.......

Rgds, D.

I recently told my son before he gets married and moves out he as to help me find and get all our generators serviced and running well.

They are 21 now and can fend for themselves quite well. When they were small and we being as all electric home I would sweat bullets if I let them get cold.

In 2009 they were 12 and we were running out of gas for the generator. There was no cell service or even any news as to where there was places with power so I told the kids I was going south to look for several cans of gas.

My son asked me how far could I go on the gas in the PU and I said about 100 miles then he said after you go 40 miles come back home even without gas. I said why. He said because if we are going to be cold and in the dark we do not want you to be gone.

Then all we had were RWD vehicles but now with the Subaru and F-150 we can get out if need be most likely but thankfully in 2009 it warmed up the next day so the power lines and trees lost most of their ice but it sound like a war zone was the trees started to breaking up. It was really weird.

Last night it stopped raining before lines and trees started breaking.

 

[3930dave]

Spooky and dangerous after a major ice-storm..... stuff, that never should, breaks.....

In '98 up here, we ended up with HV transmission towers that looked like King Kong stepped on 'em..... nothing I ever want to see again......

Post up..... once you unshackle Son from the repair-bench in the garage :laughing:

Rgds, D.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

More than likely since the battery is 5 years old I will just replace it. It looks like maybe a $50 part and that is without me really shopping it yet. I am sure I can get it for less than that.

You can always "boost" it from your car or what ever else you have around there with a batt. in it.

You DO keep a GOOD set of jumper cables around, don't you?

SR

 

[nikdfish]

The whole house unit is getting a little more runtime - power dropped around 4PM. No word yet on restoration time. Letting it support the heat pump for now. If it was colder & the HP unit running a greater percentage of the time I'd turn it off (heat pump) & let the propane furnace run.

ETA: Although they had predicted restoration by 11:45PM, they beat that number & had it back on a bit after 6PM. Still, it was nice to continue making/eating supper with the grand-kids without interruption.

 

[3930dave]

Nice options in place there Nik..... makes for a smooth evening......

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

You DO keep a GOOD set of jumper cables around, don't you?

SR

I keep a decent set in each vehicle...... grew up with carb'd engines and -40 Winters, you don't have to school me twice .

I treated myself to one of these about a year ago.....

https://www.amazon.ca/NOCO-GB40-UltraSafe-Lithium-Starter/dp/B015TKUPIC

....... decent power density, ultra portable.... nice option when something dies in an awkward spot.......

Rgds, D.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

That should take care of any emergency batt. problems you many have with your generator...

SR

 

[4570Man]

Even cheap jumper cables will do the job as long as you are dealing with a battery that will take a charge. It just takes a few minutes since your really just charging the battery. I’ve jumped a stone dead truck with 12 gauge house wire.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I know it sounds a bit unimportant, but I just saw various LED head mounted gear really cheap. I can't say how valuable that might be if you are alone working in the dark trying to get something going. I could never get myself to put a germ infested flashlight in my mouth!