Harbor Freight/Honda smackdown....
I see HF is now offering a 3500 (maximum) watt PSW inverter with all the bells and whistles for $700.00 (regular price. Even looks like the Honda that retails for $1999.00 the HF puts out a bit ...
Forum Discussion
Gasoline today (pump gas available to the general public) is all blended with alcohol made primarily from distilled corn liquor.
The problem with corn alcohol in pump gas is it 'phase separates'. Basically what happens is the alcohol 'drops out' of the gasoline and forms a sludge that blocks carburetor orfices, fouls fuel filters and causes engines to become 'non operating'.
Thats why you must add an additive (such as Marine Stabil) to the gasoline when it's stored in any power equipment that isn't run regularly (like a generator or lawn mower) for instance or, shut off the fuel supply and run the engine until it stops (starving the carb for fuel and draining the float bowl or injection system.
Alcohol over 10% by volume is death on a small engine anyway. Small air cooled engines (and fuel systems are not designed to run high concentrations of alcohol).
The obvious choice (at least to me is to run gasoline that contains no alcohol but that is not available in all states (here in Michigan it is but at an increased price). Non E gas is usually available at Marina's and air ports because small aircraft and boats cannot tolerate e-gas.
Why all generator and small equipment builders (Honda included) warn owners to either drain the fuel from the fuel system, and/or run the engine at least monthly to mitigate the effects of e-gas. Never been sure what 'top tier' gasoline is. Pump gas is all e-gas (available to the general public). There is no 'top tier', it's all the same junk. Only difference is the additive package available in 'premium' blends and you pay extra for that.
In all my small engines, I only use non E gas. You may not have that option, I do.
The problem with corn alcohol in pump gas is it 'phase separates'. Basically what happens is the alcohol 'drops out' of the gasoline and forms a sludge that blocks carburetor orfices, fouls fuel filters and causes engines to become 'non operating'.
Thats why you must add an additive (such as Marine Stabil) to the gasoline when it's stored in any power equipment that isn't run regularly (like a generator or lawn mower) for instance or, shut off the fuel supply and run the engine until it stops (starving the carb for fuel and draining the float bowl or injection system.
Alcohol over 10% by volume is death on a small engine anyway. Small air cooled engines (and fuel systems are not designed to run high concentrations of alcohol).
The obvious choice (at least to me is to run gasoline that contains no alcohol but that is not available in all states (here in Michigan it is but at an increased price). Non E gas is usually available at Marina's and air ports because small aircraft and boats cannot tolerate e-gas.
Why all generator and small equipment builders (Honda included) warn owners to either drain the fuel from the fuel system, and/or run the engine at least monthly to mitigate the effects of e-gas. Never been sure what 'top tier' gasoline is. Pump gas is all e-gas (available to the general public). There is no 'top tier', it's all the same junk. Only difference is the additive package available in 'premium' blends and you pay extra for that.
In all my small engines, I only use non E gas. You may not have that option, I do.
