Your last generator Maintenance Run

[Williy]

Well ya can't always believe what ya read!

More info: "To Freeze The Balls Off a Brass Monkey" | Origin and Meaning

willy

 

[3930dave]

Well ya can't always believe what ya read!

More info: "To Freeze The Balls Off a Brass Monkey" | Origin and Meaning

willy

Constant learning...... keeps us young......

Once saw a big guy walking in a shopping mall..... Tshirt said "I'm only here, because my Flux Capacitor is busted".

Now, if I could just find my Tardis..... I'd pop onto a few wooden warships !

Thermal co-efficients..... fun....... esp. when they tried aluminum house wiring here years ago.....

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

I thought it was interesting and humorous!

So more slight thread drift must be in order.

I worked for a company for several years that did nuclear research and made some reactor products that were consumables. But had long lasting effects to personnel exposed to the products in production. We had some similiar results in the reproductive area that you discussed previously. Except the swimmers in this case were sterile. So no boys or girls from this workgroup.
The product was radioactive and used in the generation of electricity.

So That's Why ! ..... they want us Going All Electric !

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

I watched this one on lunch-breaks this week.... it's for all you vintage Gen fans......

Once Upon a Tyme..... Honda built a Promo Generator...... then went on to build "a few" more gens....

Rgds, D.

 

[bdhsfz6]

Still have my old Honda EX650 from the 1980's.

One pull and it runs like a top. Great for camping since it can barely be heard 50' away.

 

[3930dave]

Still have my old Honda EX650 from the 1980's.

View attachment 1951532

One pull and it runs like a top. Great for camping since it can barely be heard 50' away.

Magic machine, and obviously well taken-care of .

Rgds, D.

 

[Popgadget]

Still have my old Honda EX650 from the 1980's.

View attachment 1951532

One pull and it runs like a top. Great for camping since it can barely be heard 50' away.

I had one for years that I gave to a friend when I got the EU2000i. The astounding thing is that the 650 was heavier.

 

[bdhsfz6]

I had one for years that I gave to a friend when I got the EU2000i. The astounding thing is that the 650 was heavier.

Yes, I've got a EU2000i as well. It is indeed heavier but much quieter.

The 650 is so compact, my brother may take it to use as a backup to charge his EV if he ever gets stuck on the road. In an emergency, he figures a tankful of gas in the generator and a couple of hours charging time could get him to the next charging station.

Interesting concept but it remains to be seen just how far it would get him.

 

[grsthegreat]

Yes, I've got a EU2000i as well. It is indeed heavier but much quieter.

The 650 is so compact, my brother may take it to use as a backup to charge his EV if he ever gets stuck on the road. In an emergency, he figures a tankful of gas in the generator and a couple of hours charging time could get him to the next charging station.

Interesting concept but it remains to be seen just how far it would get him.

Ya, thats cleaner than gas engine

 

[LouNY]

Yes, I've got a EU2000i as well. It is indeed heavier but much quieter.

The 650 is so compact, my brother may take it to use as a backup to charge his EV if he ever gets stuck on the road. In an emergency, he figures a tankful of gas in the generator and a couple of hours charging time could get him to the next charging station.

Interesting concept but it remains to be seen just how far it would get him.

It would be a long wait to be able to travel much. My wifes Equinox does between 3.6-2.4 miles per kwh. The lowest charge rate is 8 amps of 120 volt which would equal 0.960 kwh after an hour.
If I'm reading correctly the little Honda 650 genset only puts out 4.6 amps or 0.552 kwh per hour of run time. I would be surprised if the charging circuit wouldn't over load the 650 and kill it.

 

[3930dave]

EVs have their place, and can suit certain people's local needs, but the Run Till Dry approach some people used with ICE engines creates bigger problems - in fact, with large (commercial) applications, if the battery pack is run-down below a certain level, it can void the warranty.

A guy @ work knows an MD, who drives a Tesla, and her daughter drives a second one the mother paid-for. He said they are often on a tow-hook - I asked what failed, the answer was "Just a run-down battery". He said he wasn't surprised @ the spoiled daughter doing that, but was a little surprised that his friend the doctor kept doing the same.....

Yep, hard to beat the immediate utility of a can of 5 gallons of gas or diesel..... in an engine that burns it...... Consciously or not, many people have been conditioned by that ^ fast Life-Line present in ICE engines.

Rgds, D.

 

[Racer4]

Yesterday, the generator at my mom’s didn’t start when the power went out. 3F and the battery was shot. Jumped it with my truck to get it going, then picked up a new Die Hard Silver at advance. Went up today and swapped that out. Changed the oil and filter too, as I didn’t get it done this fall. 2 quarts of Mobil 1 and an oem generac filter. Should be good for another 2 years.

Generator worked fine earlier this month when the power went out, but it wasn’t as cold. Not sure how old the battery was. Possibly the original from 2012? I don’t remember ever changing it before. If it was, it was way overdue.

 

[grsthegreat]

Yesterday, the generator at my mom’s didn’t start when the power went out. 3F and the battery was shot. Jumped it with my truck to get it going, then picked up a new Die Hard Silver at advance. Went up today and swapped that out. Changed the oil and filter too, as I didn’t get it done this fall. 2 quarts of Mobil 1 and an oem generac filter. Should be good for another 2 years.

Generator worked fine earlier this month when the power went out, but it wasn’t as cold. Not sure how old the battery was. Possibly the original from 2012? I don’t remember ever changing it before. If it was, it was way overdue.

A generac air cooled should only take 1.7 qts of oil. Dont overfill it

 

[3930dave]

Yesterday, the generator at my mom’s didn’t start when the power went out. 3F and the battery was shot. Jumped it with my truck to get it going, then picked up a new Die Hard Silver at advance. Went up today and swapped that out. Changed the oil and filter too, as I didn’t get it done this fall. 2 quarts of Mobil 1 and an oem generac filter. Should be good for another 2 years.

Generator worked fine earlier this month when the power went out, but it wasn’t as cold. Not sure how old the battery was. Possibly the original from 2012? I don’t remember ever changing it before. If it was, it was way overdue.

Time does Fly, doesn't it .

A quick Save for Mom, and a useful Holiday present !

Best Wishes to All for the Holidays.

Rgds, D.

 

[Racer4]

A generac air cooled should only take 1.7 qts of oil. Dont overfill it

1.9 quarts for the 17kw. 2 qt. is close enough. Measures just right on the dipstick.

 

[grsthegreat]

Thats strange, i service over 300 air cooled generators and there either 1.1, 1.7, or 2.2 qts. But as long as it shows ok on dipstick your good to go.

 

[Racer4]

Thats strange, i service over 300 air cooled generators and there either 1.1, 1.7, or 2.2 qts. But as long as it shows ok on dipstick your good to go.

I have serviced a bunch over the years. Mostly generacs. Even the older steel enclosure 12kw & 16kw were always happy with 2 quarts. The Briggs powered Cummins/Onans were something like 80 oz.

One of my customers just had a Taylor 30kw installed. Perkins turbo diesel powered. Not hooked up yet, just sitting in place. It’s in a special room in the crawl space. This Taylor replaces a Kohler unit from the 80’s that developed a smoke problem. He threw parts at it to the tune of 10 g’s before deciding to replace. That one had a 4239 Deere engine. It was a noisy beast.

 

[3930dave]

I have serviced a bunch over the years. Mostly generacs. Even the older steel enclosure 12kw & 16kw were always happy with 2 quarts. The Briggs powered Cummins/Onans were something like 80 oz.

One of my customers just had a Taylor 30kw installed. Perkins turbo diesel powered. Not hooked up yet, just sitting in place. It’s in a special room in the crawl space. This Taylor replaces a Kohler unit from the 80’s that developed a smoke problem. He threw parts at it to the tune of 10 g’s before deciding to replace. That one had a 4239 Deere engine. It was a noisy beast.

Ouch.... just Parts today runs up a bill fast; sad when it doesn't play-out.

Sounds like you are fine on Oil. When I got my 7kw Briggs, it was the first one I've had with a screw-in dipstick. The delta is minor, but to help me sleep @ night , I labelled it, as you can be off by the height of the threads.

Automotive electronics (modern) can get funky with batteries much older than 5 years, at least in this climate here. We had a chat in this thread a while back...... can't recall exactly, but I think grs's ballpark on typical Generac battery's life was near there...... any which-way you play it, In-Service Date on a battery is Good To Know !

Rgds, D.

 

[daugen]

what would it cost to have a real dipstick instead of the screw in cap?
if the unit isn't perfectly level, readings are not very exact
I miss a dipstick.
I also miss an oil pump and an oil filter.
current setup to me not very robust.

 

[Robin Veerman]

I’m sure that setting a generator level, corner to corner to corner, is imperative whether equipped with a dipstick or screw cap/dipstick.
Yes, a fully pressurized lube and filter system would add significant cost to a small engine. But if Honda GX small engines can last for thousands of hours with regular maintenance, why bother?! It proves that quality design and build really matters…