Your last generator Maintenance Run

TheMan419 · Mar 25, 2020

3930dave said:
Points for rolling up your sleeves, and getting dirty. Extra points for asking for suggestions ahead of time

Not sure how many hours are on your gen (you did need to change the plug, so maybe a few....). I'm not big on washing modern filters, and even less big on using compressed air. What type of material is your air filter made of ? If it's foam material, then it may tolerate cleaning better....

Many fuel filters have a direction of flow marked on them, so have a good look at whatever you end up with for a new filter to see if it's marked (may be nothing more than a small arrow).

Have you tried looking online for a parts list for your generator ? Sometimes it's easier/faster/cheaper to order something online, if you can dig up a PN.

Depending on layout, fabricating a trough to use (or for that matter.... using a funnel to direct drainage) can help the side-drain trajectory behave better. Generally accepted better practice with oil changes is to drain it after warming up the engine.

I've probably posted this here before, but likely not recently......

Permatex(R) Dielectric Tune-Up Grease - Permatex

^ Adds some moisture resistance to spark plug boots, and helps reduce the tendency of the boot to bake onto the plug body. Also good for general use on electrical connectors, and should also be available in a smaller tube than that one.

Rgds, D.

Thanks. There are less than 40 hours on the gen, but it is like 7 years old and that was the first plug replacement. We have had it since new and a friend near the old house did a couple oil changes on it. Now that we live more rural, got to do somethings different.

I may do some digging on line for parts since I have the time, especially now with all this COVID remain at home stuff going on. Might not be able to get out for parts, although I think auto parts stores are "essential" in our state's stay at home order.

The engine is a Honda, but it is not a Honda generator. So louder than the nice expensive Honda's. Given how few hours I actually put on the thing that does not bother me.

As for the air filter it looks like a piece of foam. Something I could buy at a hobby store and just cut a new one to size. It did not appear that dirty, but will get cleaned or replaced just because it appears cheap and easy to do.

Thanks for the tips.

RjCorazza · Mar 25, 2020

All foam is not created equal. I would cut to size something from another small engine application.
My previous small generator had a pleated paper filter with foam in front of the air flow. I always just cleaned the foam.

3930dave · Mar 25, 2020

TheMan419 said:
Thanks. There are less than 40 hours on the gen, but it is like 7 years old and that was the first plug replacement. We have had it since new and a friend near the old house did a couple oil changes on it. Now that we live more rural, got to do somethings different.

I may do some digging on line for parts since I have the time, especially now with all this COVID remain at home stuff going on. Might not be able to get out for parts, although I think auto parts stores are "essential" in our state's stay at home order.

The engine is a Honda, but it is not a Honda generator. So louder than the nice expensive Honda's. Given how few hours I actually put on the thing that does not bother me.

As for the air filter it looks like a piece of foam. Something I could buy at a hobby store and just cut a new one to size. It did not appear that dirty, but will get cleaned or replaced just because it appears cheap and easy to do.

Thanks for the tips.

Not sure what the OEM recommendation on your Honda is, but check to see if the newly cleaned foam filter needs to be oiled.

A fine-pore foam material may not require oil (for a gen application), but it is typically used off-road. One example:

Uni Filter

Same idea with K&N; they use cotton material+oil.

Shouldn't be hard to find something under normal conditions, but given the closures may be more practical to find online.

Good use of downtime :thumbsup:

Rgds, D.

HarryVanderpool · Mar 25, 2020

Over the last 30 years, we have developed a program for power outages.
Normally, when the power goes out, we take no action as it is back on shortly.
In an extended outage, we run our generator 3 hours in the morning and 4 in the evening,
This keeps the food cold and lets us do everything we need to do.
We also have a 1000watt generator if we need to run power tools during the day.
Recently, we made, what turns out to be a GREAT purchase of one of these:
Bluetti EB15� 15��Wh/1��W-Portable Power Station-MAXOAK Technology Company
This will bridge the gap between the morning and evening generator runs for most of our needs. (if any)
And unlike a standard generator, you can set this right in your living room or kitchen as there are NO fumes or noise.
Although I scoffed at the idea of plugging solar panels into the MaxOak to charge.
I couldn't resist buying 4 100 watt Grape solar panels as Home depot had them on sale for $79.99 each.
Supposedly, you can charge the MaxOak in under 4 hours in full sun with the right solar combination.
If nothing else, it's something new and fun!

3930dave · Mar 26, 2020

I had trouble with that link Harry.

Perhaps this is the one you have:

https://www.amazon.com/MAXOAK-Portable-Generator-Emergency-Sinewave/dp/B07QZC1FV3

Batteries are a nice adjunct for a system...... money in the energy bank so to speak.....

Lithium is nice for portable. FLA still has advantages in cost, but lithium has come down a lot in price.

That Amazon page had a note re. watching the Open Circuit Voltage, when stringing solar panels together. Budgeted correctly, you can do a lot with electronics and solar panels..... lots of remote telemetry and radio systems live that way.

Rgds, D.

HarryVanderpool · Mar 26, 2020

The solar panels will lay around till fall and winter. That gives me lots of time to design what I'm going to do with them.
My first thought is something that cleverly folds up and rolls on casters and stores in a corner of our garage.
Really, it's just a fun project due to the fact that 99.9% of the time the MaxOak will be charged from the grid or the generator in a power down condition.
When the power goes out in the evening, we usually just light a couple of candles and break out the Skipbo cards.
Next time, we'll carry the MaxOak into the family room and plug in the TV and satellite in and catch the evening news.
If the power is still out in the morning, we'll plug it into the wall to charge while the generator is running.
That is the "best layed plans" anyway!

Gale Hawkins · Mar 31, 2020

Well I finally started our main generator yesterday for the first time in around 5 years. I had robbed the battery a long time ago but had a new one purchased so we could start the MH but life got in the way of that. One battery was put on the backhoe so I used the second one for the generator. I could hear the anti dieseling gas cut off clicking which was a good sign. There was about a gallon of gas remaining in the tank so I turned on the fuel shut off at the tank and gave it a few moments to flow to the carb that I ran dry after I last ran it.

It actually started on the first attempt. All of the load I had handy was a box fan and it ran fine. After about 10 minutes I shut the fuel off and let it die. Because we live near the end of the 3 phase part of the grid we seldom lose power but with some calling for end times I wanted to be able to charge the Leaf.

It is an old Coleman 7KW with the 18 HP B&S twin out of the late 90's.

One day I will check it for insect mud nests now that it has been ran long enought to bake and break loose any nests. It is all set up if needed so I hate to swap it out for the new one bought on line for its replacement if needed. I guess over the years some of the gas had evaporated because I can smell it on hot summer days if I am near it. It may have had some Sea Foam in it but I am guessing the gas was more like 8+ years old.

TheMan419 · Apr 1, 2020

Gale Hawkins said:
Well I finally started our main generator yesterday for the first time in around 5 years. I had robbed the battery a long time ago but had a new one purchased so we could start the MH but life got in the way of that. One battery was put on the backhoe so I used the second one for the generator. I could hear the anti dieseling gas cut off clicking which was a good sign. There was about a gallon of gas remaining in the tank so I turned on the fuel shut off at the tank and gave it a few moments to flow to the carb that I ran dry after I last ran it.

It actually started on the first attempt. All of the load I had handy was a box fan and it ran fine. After about 10 minutes I shut the fuel off and let it die. Because we live near the end of the 3 phase part of the grid we seldom lose power but with some calling for end times I wanted to be able to charge the Leaf. It is an old Coleman 7KW with the 18 HP B&S twin out of the late 90's.

One day I will check it for insect mud nests now that it has been ran long enought to bake and break loose any nests. It is all set up if needed so I hate to swap it out for the new one bought on line for its replacement if needed. I guess over the years some of the gas had evaporated because I can smell it on hot summer days if I am near it. It may have had some Sea Foam in it but I am guessing the gas was more like 8+ years old.

Wow that is amazing that it started with fuel that old in it. I might give some consideration to draining that fuel and replacing with fresh. Absolutely do an oil change on it and fuel filter change. Pull the spark plug and see if it needs replaced or at least have one on hand in case needed in the near future.

Knock on wood we also seldom lose power but it is so reassuring to know you have the means to keep the house warm and the food cold if needed.

3930dave · Apr 1, 2020

You had good luck with that Gale...... plenty of people get into trouble @ not much more than 6 months on hold..... Buy a lottery ticket !

+2 on the oil-change...... definitely vintage by now.....

Recent events highlight the value of being prepared.....

Rgds, D.

grsthegreat · Apr 1, 2020

Just had a power outage..l weird, not windy or snowing.

ultrarunner · Apr 1, 2020

Anymore earthquakes in the region...

Peter 315 · Apr 1, 2020

grsthegreat said:
Just had a power outage..l weird, not windy or snowing.

PALLETS...........

grsthegreat · Apr 1, 2020

ultrarunner said:
Anymore earthquakes in the region...

Nope. Not sure why power went out

dragoneggs · Apr 1, 2020

grsthegreat said:
Nope. Not sure why power went out

A brown out due to the local paper mill making more TP?

grsthegreat · Apr 1, 2020

dragoneggs said:
A brown out due to the local paper mill making more TP?

Possibly, came back on after 1.15 hours.

not2old · Apr 2, 2020

Yesterday we had our first power outage since we bought a generator. Went for a walk and the power returned before we got back.

Katahdin · Apr 15, 2020

The last 2 storms in Maine did not affect my power, but I was ready to go and decided to conduct an overdue PTO generator test. This time I wanted to collect fuel consumption data for an idle use load (no meal prep, no laundry, no cleaning, etc). No AC or electric heat either.

This small load included: 8 LED lights plus occasional lights in the home as I needed them. The refrigerator, dish washer, the latter would cause the .5hp well pump and oil fired boiler to run, and a laptop. I estimate energy consumption in the 1000-2000 watt range.

Power plant: Yanmar 45hp with 32.5hp at the HST PTO, 2400 engine RPM.
Generator: Rural King 16KW, like the Harbor Freight model, Brushed 3600rpm alternator
Duration: 65 minutes (5min warm up, 55min making power, 5 min cool down)
Fuel consumption: 2.5 quarts, I measured it with a stick in the tank and a 5 quart measuring container.

This fuel consumption contrasts with an earlier test that I threw everything in the house as it: add electric oven and range, clothes dryer, more lights, etc. That test consumed 1.25 gallons.

My conclusion is I can expect .625-1.25 gallon/hour use off my 16KW PTO generator, nice to know!

RjCorazza · Apr 15, 2020

Katahdin said:
...
My conclusion is I can expect .625-1.25 gallon/hour use off my 16KW PTO generator, nice to know!

We have a similar setup, so this is good to know. Thanks for posting.
I have 32.5 PTO hp and a 15kw generator. I'll likely test fuel consumption next time I need to run it.

shaeff · Apr 15, 2020

I did a full load test this last weekend on my 10k (20k surge) Porter Cable unit. Killed the main, all breakers, flipped the interlock, fired genny, clicked on every circuit in the house. Didn't need the heat on but I made sure the well pump kicked on, both attic and basement air handlers along with our boiler, lights, and I even clicked on the electric dryer. Still put out the right power and hz as checked with my DVOM.

Ran it like that for 45 minutes, reversed all the steps and let it cool on idle control (low idle) for 10 minutes before turning it off, checking the oil again, and topping off the fuel. Ready for an outage.