Exercising generator

[paullac]

Regarding exercising the generator under a load...

Does the fan on the roof AC count as a load (just the fan, not the compressor)?
I could add the furnace as well.

I live in Minnesota so don't want to run the AC with compressor during the winter months - and can't really run the microwave for an hour.

Thanks!

[Butch50]

I run my generator during the winter time also. I may not get it done every month it might be 1.5 months. Mine is diesel but I know the main reason for running is to get heat into the generator coils and dry them out.

On my small engines (and not all Hondas) I get my fuel from a place that sells pure gas without ethanol. We have a couple that sell gas this way. Then I add Stabil to the gas can and then add the fuel into it. I also have added fuel shut offs to my lawn tractor and my snow blower. I shut the fuel off and run them out even with the Stabil in the gas. I take the cover off my Honda and drain the carb as I had a problem with it once already. I also had trouble with my snow blower before the gas shutoff was added.

This is just to try and keep from having problems when I need to use them and can't get them to start.

[ron_dittmer]

road-runner wrote:

ron.dittmer wrote:
All this carb-caring, engines running for hours per week effort, I don't get it. What am I missing here?

Do you have any Honda engines? Out of my many small engines, two are Honda, one on a generator and one on a tiller. They are the sweetest running engines, and also the only two that routinely get gummed-up carbs.

My tractor has a B&S, my snow thrower a Techumsa, the smaller stuff I don't know but none are Hondas. Maybe it's the gas formula sold in my area in the Chicago N/W suburbs.

[Dusty_R]

Little Outpost wrote:
Dusty,
Will running the generator for all it's got on a couple of drops clear the jets?

I would think/hope so, I've never tried to prove it.

Dusty

[road-runner]

ron.dittmer wrote:
All this carb-caring, engines running for hours per week effort, I don't get it. What am I missing here?

Do you have any Honda engines? Out of my many small engines, two are Honda, one on a generator and one on a tiller. They are the sweetest running engines, and also the only two that routinely get gummed-up carbs.

[bagomike]

I guess I'm not that lucky, I have had problems with carbs on small motors in the past, If I don't run or drain the carb bowls sooner or later I will have to take them apart and pour the snot out and clean the jets with spray. I have used Sta-Bil in mowers and snow blowers seems to work, but I drain the carb-bowl in the generator,and also run it when ever I get a chance. I have two 1500 watt heaters I use for a load.
It seems the more I run that little screamer the better it runs. And
I have priced a onan microquiet 4000 carburetor.

[ron_dittmer]

With today's 10% minimum ethanol and all the detergents in gasoline for fuel injectors, the gas is so very clean leaving almost no residue at all. I don't understand the gunk you all are worried about. Seafoam and all that....are you certain it is needed?

I never drain carbs on any of my small engines from lawn tractor, push mower, snow blower, leaf blower, weed trimmer, chain saw, and even my RV generator, motor home and other winter-stored vehicles. I also never use fuel stabilizers. Then there is gas line anti-freeze which is the silliest thing to buy given that the national standard use of 10% minimum ethanol has been mandated for so many years now. The ethanol is anti-freeze.

I do store everything indoors or in an outdoor storage shed, never outside. They all start up after a long winter's rest and run just fine with never an issue. My motor home & generator are 10 years old, my lawn equipment is 28 years old.

I admit I don't know much about the 110v generating portion. My generator is stored in a heated garage so it's good enough for me. Brand new generators sit in crates in storage for years at a time waiting to get sold. They don't get used so I figure I am okay. I NEVER run anything over the winter if stored during the winter. All this carb-caring, engines running for hours per week effort, I don't get it. What am I missing here?

Sorry if I come on strong.

[OLYLEN]

I have not done this myself as I do the monthly run, but have heard of those that can not run their's for what ever reason, run the gen out of fuel after taking the load off by pinching the rubber fuel line. They used a vise grip to do this, at least it would empty out the carb.

LEN

[Little_Outpost]

Dusty,
Will running the generator for all it's got on a couple of drops clear the jets?

[Dusty_R]

Matt_Colie wrote:
I have a better idea.

Figure out how to stop the fuel flow if it gas.
**If it is diesel don't bother.
Fog the engine if it is gas.
**If it is diesel, this is tricky as it will start and run on the fogging oil.
Then, leave it alone. Engines only survive just so many thermal cycles before things start breaking. This is why the old lady that drives a short ways to the market and church has so much car trouble.

As a ship's engineer that came ashore so he could have a family, one thing I learned was that the lacquer that was hydroscopic (so you had to warm up windings) when out at the end of WWII. So, that is no excuse (I don't care what the people that sell parts are telling you.)


Matt

We bought a new mh in '03 that I added an electric switch to the line going to the fuel pump. After using the generator and if we were not going to use it again for a while, I would turn that switch off and it run out of gas.
We traded that '03 in for a new mh in 2015, and in those 12 years we never had a problem with the generator.
The 2015 generator has a carb drain, but you drain it without it running, so there is still a couple drops of gas in the carb jets. Is that going to be a problem ? Time will tell.

Dusty

[Strabo]

I just run mine while camping, average of 25 hours. Works fine.

[paullac]

OP here - Nope, no heat pump or heat strips. And the roof AC compressor isn't really practical in the winter in Minnesota.

Here's what I did: I did run a space heater on high for 1 hr. It's 1500 watts I think and the generator is 4000 watts. So I'm only at about 38% load. I guess I need another space heater to get the load closer to 50%.

I have always used Seafoam over the winter with a full gas tank.

The reason I'm asking all this is I ran into an issue where the generator didn't start. I had missed running it a couple months over the summer. The Cummins shop got it working again but I'd rather not drop $300 again.

[CharlesinGA]

The OP's '13 model doesn't have a heat pump in it? or at least heat strips? That would be the load you need.

Charles

[dennislanier]

The owner's manual that came with my Onan generator states that it should be exercised for 2 hours once a month. Like others, I crank it up, run it for about a minute, then plug in 2 electric heaters and run them for 2 hours as the manufacturer suggests.

I know others do it differently, but I figure the people that actually make the generator know what they are talking about.

[Bordercollie]

I have always started the generator and let it warm up for 10 minutes then turn on the roof AC. The compressor puts a good load on the generator. At some point I heat a cup of water in the microwave while roof AC is on for maximum load to test generator watching plug-in AC voltage meter. I let the generator and AC run for 45 minutes or so.