Your last generator Maintenance Run

[GaryLock]

You are opening the main breaker as part of the test and practice to ensure your Mrs can start and load everything ?
Or the main breaker has to opened when ever one or both of the generators are being used with the six circuit panel ?

I am opening the main breaker to simulate the failure of the power grid. Once she gets everything running, she just flips the transfer switch box's six switches from Line to Gen, and each power up. In the case of a 'real' power failure, I would not touch the main breaker panel. I would switch the six over to generator. When the power comes back on, certain lights on non-generator enabled circuits will turn on, letting me now to switch back to Line in the transfer panel, and then power down the generators. Quite a seamless and easy way to switch in/out the generators.

 

[3930dave]

I don't have access to it locally. I was actually thinking about running a small amount of the premix canned fuel that is sold at the local Agway store. It's what's people here use in chain saws or other 2 stroke motors that may sit for a while. I suspect it may foul a plug but that's a easy fix.

Up here, Home Depot also stocks equivalent canned products. Even in higher volume applications (arbourists), these products seem to be collecting fans.

Nobody really likes equipment down-time, but esp. if it's how you make your living....

Rgds, D.

 

[ultrarunner]

Hopefully Seafoam or equiv. can help you avoid a carb rebuild/replacement.... let us know how goes....

Rgds, D.

I actually did buy and put seafoam in the tank recently and so far no joy...

 

[grsthegreat]

The newer series of generac guardians , including rebranded honeywell and centurians, can be set to auto exercise either weekly, bi monthly or monthly. Generac leaves it up to ho eowner as to frequency of exercise.
They also have a cellular monitoring system available (aprox $99/year) that alerts owner, either thru email or text or online portal, about generators conditions. These include run times, exercise times, power outages, oil level issues, battery conditions, etc. you can also set exercise tines and frequency thru it. Sone of my clients have linked my cell number to them so i can monitor their units.

 

[grsthegreat]

The newer series of generac guardians , including rebranded honeywell and centurians, can be set to auto exercise either weekly, bi monthly or monthly. Generac leaves it up to homoowner as to frequency of exercise.
They also have a cellular monitoring system available (aprox $99/year) that alerts owner, either thru email or text or online portal, about generators conditions. These include run times, exercise times, power outages, oil level issues, battery conditions, etc. you can also set exercise times and frequency thru it. Sone of my clients have linked my cell number to them so i can monitor their units.

 

[3930dave]

Some of my clients have linked my cell number to them so i can monitor their units.

Sending that telemetry to you makes sense..... TBN'ers aside, I can see many people wanting to be able to forget about these systems once installed, modern consumers being what they are.... I recall your posts about getting call-backs years later to find dead/exploded batteries and gens with virtually no oil.

Rgds, D.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

With the weather change I need to run ours at the house. The one in the motorhome still is not getting spark at the plugs and I have not put on new house batteries but I did turn it over last week enough to bring up the oil pressure a few times. I ran the engine for an hour and shifted the transmission from P/R/N/D with the transmission temp getting up to 150F degrees. The dash air and heat worked as well as all of the vacuum air duct controls which is pretty good for 1992 Chevy chassis. Maybe next year I will figure out the spark problem. It ran fine before and after replacing the spark plugs a couple years ago. Not a lot of room to work but I hope I find a wire that grounded out somewhere. Having been working to greatly cut my cancer and heart attack risk by getting my way of eating correctly is helping with my motivation to fix stuff. Cutting my pain levels from a 'normal' 7-8 level to 2-3 in 30 days after getting off all grains and most all sugars enabled me to just say NO to starting Enbrel injections and that cancer risk. Since I had started studying cancer prevention/cures expecting to start taking Enbrel I have continued that and have actually implemented two protocols that are based on research out of Europe and Japan but not blessed by the AMA in the states but this is off subject in this thread.

Speaking of generators I found a new grower of Bermuda hay yesterday that still had some left from this season and bought enough to last to next fall. I learned he would deliver for $1 a bale and put it in the hayloft. It would be a 80 mile round trip and paying the son's friend $40 so I decided to pay $150 to not to have to get the old truck out and work my butt off as well. It is awesome hay at $5 a bale. He said it texted at 12% plus in the barn it is still green and smells very good. My normal source sold out last week so I was excited to fine this relatively nearby this time. Since there is no power at the old barn he will bring his generator to power his hay elevator.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

With the weather change I need to run ours at the house. The one in the motorhome still is not getting spark at the plugs and I have not put on new house batteries but I did turn it over last week enough to bring up the oil pressure a few times. I ran the engine for an hour and shifted the transmission from P/R/N/D with the transmission temp getting up to 150F degrees. The dash air and heat worked as well as all of the vacuum air duct controls which is pretty good for 1992 Chevy chassis. Maybe next year I will figure out the spark problem. It ran fine before and after replacing the spark plugs a couple years ago. Not a lot of room to work but I hope I find a wire that grounded out somewhere. Having been working to greatly cut my cancer and heart attack risk by getting my way of eating correctly is helping with my motivation to fix stuff. Cutting my pain levels from a 'normal' 7-8 level to 2-3 in 30 days after getting off all grains and most all sugars Oct 2014 enabled me to just say NO to starting Enbrel injections and that cancer risk. Since I had started studying cancer prevention/cures expecting to start taking Enbrel I have continued that and have actually implemented two protocols that are based on research out of Europe and Japan but not blessed by the AMA in the states but this is off subject in this thread.

Speaking of generators I found a new grower of Bermuda hay yesterday that still had some left from this season and bought enough to last to next fall. I learned he would deliver for $1 a bale and put it in the hayloft. It would be a 80 mile round trip and paying the son's friend $40 so I decided to pay $150 to not to have to get the old truck out and work my butt off as well. It is awesome hay at $5 a bale. He said it texted at 12% plus in the barn it is still green and smells very good. My normal source sold out last week so I was excited to fine this relatively nearby this time. Since there is no power at the old barn he will bring his generator to power his hay elevator.

 

[buickanddeere]

I am opening the main breaker to simulate the failure of the power grid. Once she gets everything running, she just flips the transfer switch box's six switches from Line to Gen, and each power up. In the case of a 'real' power failure, I would not touch the main breaker panel. I would switch the six over to generator. When the power comes back on, certain lights on non-generator enabled circuits will turn on, letting me now to switch back to Line in the transfer panel, and then power down the generators. Quite a seamless and easy way to switch in/out the generators.View attachment 446997

Thank you for the update . Myself and most others are pleased and feel better knowing the generator is properly connected . There are some really dangerous people out there who flip main breakers and back feed through a welder plug.

 

[GaryLock]

Thank you for the update . Myself and most others are pleased and feel better knowing the generator is properly connected . There are some really dangerous people out there who flip main breakers and back feed through a welder plug.

My brother does the back-feeding, and I have told him that I will not have him live with me if the electric company takes his house after he electrocutes a pole worker. Seriously, he runs extension cords to the things that he cares about, and does not back-feed, but I told him I could install a panel like mine in under an hour beginning to end. Don't know why he thinks it is not any easier than just running extension cords to fridge, etc.. Makes little sense to me.

I just changed the oil in both generators and the tractor today. Felt good to get everything all checked out and ready for winter. The two Honda's start with one pull. Incredible. Both generators and the Kubota's oil were all dark, but smooth and still slippery to touch. Still had a sweeter smell, vs. burnt. I'd say all of them are running just the way they are supposed to. Happy!!