Your last generator Maintenance Run

[RoyKing]

Info for Florida or other storm prone areas. Turned in the permit for a ATS generator hookup and they wouldn't issue it without certified storm rated base. Which means you have to a have state certified engineer run the wind calculation for your unit and base at your wind zone. See the attached pdf. So if building your own configuration of genset and homemade base you will to hire an engineer

 

[3930dave]

serviced the little Champion 3100 inverter gen.
First I dug out the mud wasp work, for the third time, even under the factory cover.
Had run carb dry last time. Not doing that again...
Pulled ten times. Nothing. Pulled another five. Nothing. Sprayed a small amount of starter fluid in the intake area, before the filter,
and it started right up and ran perfectly. Ran a 1500 watt heater on it for about fifteen minutes, then changed oil.
Stuck on new label saying 10/30 Syn Aug 2019
Next time I'll change the plug, or rather inspect it and I'm sure it will be pretty clean.
We throw away so many spark plugs today for no reason, not like the old days
where your big buy from JC Whitney was a spark plug cleaner.

Nicely done d. I prefer wet storage, full tank, properly stabilized Efree fuel....... but, there are plenty of examples on here of guys who are successful with many different approaches.

I scooped up some of the fine-wire (EZ start) versions of the RJ19LM while they were still available, that's what I'll be using next change. Though, short of the China Specials plugs that come in offbrand gens, most any name brand plug today will give good service in most of our applications.

I still have my spark plug cleaner, that I haven't used in "a while". I know if I throw it out, within the next month, I will be diagnosing something that has a rare plug, that can only be ordered online, with a multi-week delivery...... me an 'ol Murph go back a ways.....

Between mice and mudwasps, it almost seems worth designing an equipment storage enclosure sealed with window screening.,...

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

Info for Florida or other storm prone areas. Turned in the permit for a ATS generator hookup and they wouldn't issue it without certified storm rated base. Which means you have to a have state certified engineer run the wind calculation for your unit and base at your wind zone. See the attached pdf. So if building your own configuration of genset and homemade base you will to hire an engineer

Not living in a hurricane or tornado zone (on your scale), that's something I hadn't considered. Good info.

I expect they are chasing the Engineer's signature.... the old Transfer Liability Game..... but I'm wondering if you can elect to just use the Worst Case requirement, and pour for that ?

Rgds, D.

 

[RoyKing]

We asked can't we just pour a 4 inch pad, and answer was no wind report no permit.

 

[3930dave]

We asked can't we just pour a 4 inch pad, and answer was no wind report no permit.

Hard to see how that would be more of a potential threat, than what many people have randomly stored on their property w/o any permit needed.

The building officials who are regulating this have no idea what Wind Zone you are in ?

I Know Nothing - YouTube

Rgds, D.

 

[RoyKing]

Each county gets to decide the year of the standards book they will work from, and the wind codes were just updated. Miami was upgraded to 185mph from 150mph, same with which year of NEC code book. The wind formula was tweaked also. Too many road signs and traffic lights blew down. The rules are not retroactive and point is to make the new stuff better

 

[daugen]

My gen is a little big/awkward for me to get in an enclosed bag, so figured I'd cure mud wasp problem (3rd time...) by using duct tape
for yet another task. But...leaves a residue after a while, so I wondered, what tape do I have that will leave the least glue residue on the unit?
The shiny hvac tape? Six inches of tape and it's all covered.
perhaps there is a better idea...though the bag will absolutely work.
Maybe I could roll it back into a 33 gallon bag.
Have a bunch of physical issues so horsing this thing around or picking it up is off the table.

 

[daugen]

I scooped up some of the fine-wire (EZ start) versions of the RJ19LM
never heard of this "option". Does finer wire wear out faster?
sounds like a good cold weather plug.

 

[farmer2009]

Try some wide electrical tape. Especially covering up the plugs.

 

[3930dave]

The rules are not retroactive and point is to make the new stuff better

10-4.

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

Try some wide electrical tape. Especially covering up the plugs.

Having a donated roll kicking around (from a contractor friend), I'd be trying wide elec. first. Shiny Hvac tape might hold sharp corners better though....

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

I scooped up some of the fine-wire (EZ start) versions of the RJ19LM
never heard of this "option". Does finer wire wear out faster?
sounds like a good cold weather plug.

Discontinued, so I had trouble looking it up on Champion's site. Actually, their search engine wouldn't do much for me period (2 different computers, different browsers)...... odd

Sparkplugs.com used to have more info posted about fine-wire with that part, not sure where it went...... internets give, internets take away.....

Link reference won't post directly; just go to sparkplugs.com and search for RJ19LM and the EZ start version is listed. (Just a bad tech day overall , I'm now going to work on something mechanical that needs attention...... :thumbsup

I think fine-wire in this class of plug came out of the 2 stroke world, to help with anti-fouling. I only stumbled across that Champion version not long before they discontinued it. Wasn't really advertised much.

Done right, that centre electrode material gets upgraded to match lifespan. The only posted info I can find on that 5861 is on sparkplugs.com, and they list it as nickel. Will give 'em a spin in mine next change..... not too worried about erosion, as I run relatively low hours on my small engines.

If somebody has a hard starting engine, these might be worth a try. May still be available as old stock.

Rgds, D.

 

[Blaszer]

Wow that's lot of fuel how big is that unit, my 10k eats less gallon a hour, what is your load

It is a 70 Kw Katolight diesel, but it runs the full house on an ATS. It is installed in the corner of our shop.

 

[grsthegreat]

It is a 70 Kw Katolight diesel, but it runs the full house on an ATS. It is installed in the corner of our shop.

I personally could care less how much fuel is used in outage...I love my creature comforts

 

[shaeff]

Just ran my genset for 12hrs straight, then another 5 hours. Problem free. Non E fuel, Heet in the tank. Ran problem free the entire time. Burned some fuel though. 20hp Honda motor, 10k continuous/20k surge unit. Runs the whole house.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Ran my Onan/Kubota 7.5KW for an hour and a half last nignt putting 5KW into my Hot Tub, as well as light house loads. Discouraged that after that time Hot Tub Temp had only gone from 81 to 83 F. Basic Physics! Makes one appreciate the Utility Power!

I know it depends on temperatures and humidity levels, but I wonder how long it take to dry out a Rotor/Stator. I mean, running it for an hour and a half, did I do anything useful except burn some Diesel Fuel?

 

[aczlan]

My gen is a little big/awkward for me to get in an enclosed bag, so figured I'd cure mud wasp problem (3rd time...) by using duct tape
for yet another task. But...leaves a residue after a while, so I wondered, what tape do I have that will leave the least glue residue on the unit?
The shiny hvac tape? Six inches of tape and it's all covered.
perhaps there is a better idea...though the bag will absolutely work.
Maybe I could roll it back into a 33 gallon bag.
Have a bunch of physical issues so horsing this thing around or picking it up is off the table.

If you want tape that leave little or no glue residue, you want gaff tape.
it's not cheap, but it's what they use for professional audio and video cables to take them down when you don't want to leave crud on the cables.
if you rent audio and visual cables, most places will charge you a cleaning fee if you use duct tape and they have to clean the goop from the duct tape off.

Aaron Z

 

[3930dave]

Just ran my genset for 12hrs straight, then another 5 hours. Problem free. Non E fuel, Heet in the tank. Ran problem free the entire time. Burned some fuel though. 20hp Honda motor, 10k continuous/20k surge unit. Runs the whole house.

Nice setup, and surely appreciated lately !

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

Ran my Onan/Kubota 7.5KW for an hour and a half last nignt putting 5KW into my Hot Tub, as well as light house loads. Discouraged that after that time Hot Tub Temp had only gone from 81 to 83 F. Basic Physics! Makes one appreciate the Utility Power!

I know it depends on temperatures and humidity levels, but I wonder how long it take to dry out a Rotor/Stator. I mean, running it for an hour and a half, did I do anything useful except burn some Diesel Fuel?

Probably warmed it up somewhat, at 2/3 load or better :thumbsup:

Rgds, D.

 

[RoyKing]

Now I see why so much fuel is your load anyway near that much that must be like 80hp diesel that isn't turbo charged.