Your last generator Maintenance Run

[nikdfish]

As a side note, we could really tell the difference the Hyperengineering Sure Start added to the heat pump made. Even when the water heater was on there was way less of the generator bogging that previously accompanied the 5 ton heat pump starting. (The 10 year old heat pump water heater decided to identify as a resistance heat only version this past year. Not worth repairing/replacing as long as the resistance elements still work...)

 

[daugen]

with the snow and ice coming in today and tonight, thought it might be a good idea
to top off the battery in the gen, which took all of five minutes using a 5amp smart charger.
Then I put another tarp on top of the main cover and plopped a five pound bag of birdseed on top to keep it there.
If I have to go out in middle of night to start it, hoping that just pulling on top tarp will make dealing with the snow easier.

Will be interesting to see if gen will hold a load in cold weather. If I do have to run it will keep an eye on voltage and make sure it's not dropping

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Well, I guess those folks in Texas with nat gas powered generators, aren't doing so good! The nat gas isn't flowing, it's frozen and not flowing!

I bet some of those guys wish they had a diesel generator about now!

SR

 

[grsthegreat]

I never knew nat gas could freeze

 

[Popgadget]

GRS-
When you do a valve adjustment on a Generac, do you replace the rocker cover gaskets, or are they generally reusable?

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Some years ago, there was a fire that shut off all the nat. gas to this area for a few days, a pump house burned, shutting the pipe line off.

Before that, there was NO propane, because the trucks couldn't haul it in. As some got hauled in, there was a 100 gallon limit being delivered to homes, for heating purposes only!

There has never been a time that I couldn't get diesel, and if I needed it, there's always been gas available here too... There's a station 4 miles from here that has it's own generator.

SR

 

[grsthegreat]

GRS-
When you do a valve adjustment on a Generac, do you replace the rocker cover gaskets, or are they generally reusable?

generally reusable. The only ones I seem to need to replace are on the smaller units like the 8 and 11 kwh. Not sure why. The 16 thru 22 all seem to pop off just fine. Just be carefull. And make sure engine is cold.

 

[Popgadget]

Thanks. I’ll get some to have on hand, that way they will come off with no problem.
Do you think that the gas actually froze, or did the pressure drop too low? I heard there was issues with compressors, but I don’t know anything about NG distribution.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Nat gas is a liquid, it can freeze and apparently has...

30 dead in Texas now, because of the cold there... I'm sure glad I'm here, we can handle the cold here...

SR

 

[90cummins]

The power outages in Texas have been blamed on the natural gas wells freezing.
Then they blamed the outages on windmills & solar which is less than 10% of their electrical consumption.

According to the textbook Organic Chemistry by Joseph M. Hornback, propane has a boiling point of -44° F (-42° C) at atmospheric pressure, but methane (natural gas), has a boiling point of -260° F (-162° C) at atmospheric pressure.
The freeze point is -297 degrees.
Is it the production machinery that freezes, Mechanical issues?

I have to ask what really is the problem?

90cummins