generator and fuel

[pianotuna]

Hi,

It is winter time. I only run the generator to exercise it. It is a Yamaha 3000 sIEB.

Should I turn off the fuel valve and let it shut down after being starved of fuel? (This risks dried out seals?)

Or

Should I merely turn off the fuel valve and turn off the generator with the key?

[NinerBikes]

I bought a new Honda Eu2000i in October of 2013, and according to my Kill-A-Watt meter, it is putting out 127.7V unloaded, and rarely drops below 121V with most anything I run on it, including my 13.5k Dometic AC. It just seems to be a really strong generator that's mounted on this motor. I run Sta-bil, and I do drain the carb bowl when not in use, choke the motor, and pull the starter rope 3 times to suck everything out of the jets, fuel wise. This has worked well forever, over 25 years, on my Honda Outboard motors too.

[mlts22]

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

It is winter time. I only run the generator to exercise it. It is a Yamaha 3000 sIEB.

Should I turn off the fuel valve and let it shut down after being starved of fuel? (This risks dried out seals?)

Or

Should I merely turn off the fuel valve and turn off the generator with the key?

I have a Yamaha 3000 iSE (no boost), and I always turn it off at the fuel petcock. Been doing this since October of 2011, and have had no issues. The generator usually starts on the first pull or a second or two with a key.

As for gas, I've experimented with SeaFoam, Sta-Bil, and Star-Tron. SeaFoam didn't work out for me, and I ended up having to drain the tank and fill with fresh gas so the generator would take a load without stalling. Sta-Bil works decently, but with cheap gas, I noticed some surging. Right now, I'm experimenting with Star-Tron, although I've "over-medicated" the patient with too much additive the past couple weeks... but have had very good results. So, for gas, I'd use Chevron Premium and Star-Tron additive.

Fill-wise, I can get two complete tanks done on around $25 of gas, and $1 of Star-Tron, so it costs me $13 per tank (20 hours if running the generator on econ throttle to charge the battery, ~8 hours if running the A/C.)

For storage, I definitely turn the generator off at the petcock and let it run dry, after making sure to run the generator with fuel preservative. I'm sure there is some fuel left in the bowl, but I'm too lazy to drain it. Every 3-4 weeks, I run the generator at 1/2 load for a bit (mainly to keep the other RV subsystems in good shape during the hot Texas summers.)

If I were letting the generator sit, I'd follow the user manual, drain the fuel tank, change the oil, fog it (OnaGuard from Onan) change the air filter (with a new one that is properly oiled), add a tablespoon of oil down the spark plug hole, yank the cord a time or two (make sure it is off and the petcock off) to spread the oil out, and call it done. The battery for the starter, I think doesn't need much upkeep, but it might be wise to disconnect it.

All and all, I've had very good luck with the Yamaha generator. My next rig will have an inbuilt Onan, but I definitely will keep the Yamaha generator because it is so reliable, likely have a place for it to sit on my solar trailer, so I have a fast way to charge the trailer's batteries (thinking 2-3 pairs of 6 volt AGM golf cart batteries so I have at least 500 amp-hours without going below 50% SOC on any jar.) if the trailer's panels don't put out enough energy to keep the batteries topped off. I also like the fact that the generator is acceptably quiet (which is the second biggest reason I bought it -- when it is chewing on the load of an A/C, it makes less noise than Honda twins, although Hondas make far less noise when idle and Eco-Throttle is on.) Of course, I'm happy with the fact that unloaded, it puts out 122.4 volts... and it drops to 119 volts when I fire up the A/C, without any major surges or sags.

[Mr_Beebo]

There won't be a consensus because gennies/small engines are all different, how often the engine is used differs, and everyone has their own idea what works for them. Best advise I can give is to just use common sense. During winter, I use stabil and run everything about every 45 days for 10 minutes or so. During the spring, I refill the tanks, add some seafoam and use them as needed. Everything seems to work just fine for me using my own methods.

[Pipeman]

Now I have an Onan 4000 watt, juice box. I am finished camping in October and usually start again in May. In October the gen set gets fogged and then I drain the carburetor. It sits like that until May. Now I have owned a Honda 3000 and I used to exercise it but then I decided to just drain the carb on that also. I advised my son who now owns that gen set to fog it also. You can buy the fogging spray at(in Canada) a CT store. It works for me.

[westend]

Don,
You've got options. Draining the carb or leaving it full with stabilizer in the gas will both work. I have yet to see a carb bowl seal leak from having the gas drained from it for a short period of time (< 6 mos.). This may have been an issue with vintage bowl seals but not anymore.

If you shut off the fuel line valve, transportation is less of an issue but the crankcase should be checked before any startup. There is always the possibility of oil contamination from the fuel remaining in the bowl.

If you choose to drain the carb, there is still the possibility of the carb main jets becoming fowled but less than if the bowl is left filled.

It is really a crapshoot but, as said, either method can work well. Because the engine is powering a generator, I would tend to use stabilizer and leave the carb bowl full. That offers easier startup at any time. That is the way I treat my generator at home.

FWIW, at one time, I maintained a fleet of 125 small engines, some of which were used daily and some sat for weeks. All of them were put into storage for the Winter months. I used both methods discussed and different types of engines wintered over better in the alternate methods, most responding well to leaving them full of fuel with stabilizer. All of these engines had the crankcase oil checked before startup, even the ones used daily. It was a mantra that saved a few engines.

[JeepCB]

Don,
When I have to leave my vehicles for 7-8 months, I always put Stabil in the fuel and I have never had any problem with them starting right up(of course I remove and wrap the battery cables). Because of that with, fuel treatment, I don't think you need to drain the fuel if you will be running it at least every two months. When I haven't used it in my chain saws, and lawn mowers the carb have gotten messed up. As far exercising the genny not sure if you really have to if it is stored indoors, but it can't hurt.
Billy

[pianotuna]

Hi Jim,

Thanks for that information. So far, there does not seem to be a consensus.

[JiminDenver]

Don

Unless I'm going to use them again soon, all of my small engines get drained and then run dry and then again using the choke. I've never had a issue with carbs going bad or hard starting.

[pianotuna]

Hi BFL13,

LOL, we always differ on solar. You think I have too much--and I think you have too little. But then, I prefer to try to run my RV as if I did not have propane to burn *grin*.

Pay back on the parts for adding 1000 watts of solar is 154 days of one fill a day generator use in USA, where it would currently cost $11.00. In Canada that is $17.00. So pay back is a scant 90 days. That is based on ONE tank of fuel per day for the Yamaha.

I could also save during the worst of the cold when I have no choice but to have shore power because I could get by for longer with a 15 amp, then a 30 amp site.

[BFL13]

I know it is not the same at 0F as 30F, but with no solar I have been running my 3000 to do a 60-85 on a 700AH bank in 2.3 hours with 140 amps going in. (100amps PowerMax plus 40a Vector)

So that is from being down 420AH on the second morning to get back to about 420 plus 175 = 595/700 = 85% SOC. With some solar follow up you could get to a decent SOC that same day.

You have the 3000, the charger portion of the new inverter/charger, and tons of solar already. So what's the problem? You can be the new Mr Wiz for getting by every day 🙂

[pianotuna]

Hi BFL13,

Good point. However I'd also still be burning propane for the 8 hour sleepy time.

BTW the solar upgrade is "off" for a year since I chose to get the hybrid inverter and control panel instead. Also I think I can get to 1000 watts more, either by starting over (ripping out what I have) or adding panels on the side of the RV (that will tilt). Total possible solar harvest may be about 1250 watts.

[BFL13]

Use it or lose it! Instead of getting another 800w of solar, just use the gen you already paid for, my goodness! Fire it up in the morning, do some, and then let your existing solar finish the job. 🙂

[pianotuna]

Hi Kpach,

Thanks for the reply. No right answers may be as close to the true answer as is possible.

If temperatures continue to rise, I may be back to urban docking in about 12 days. I'll still need some shore power to make it worth while.

The Campground charges $239 per week by the time the taxes are paid.

It costs me $17 per fill for an 8 hour run at full throttle on the Yamaha.

That works out to 18 fills per week but 18/3 = 6 days, so the campground is more convenient and cheaper than running the genny 24/7 (which I refuse to do--won't run it while sleeping).

It becomes a toss up once I can get the heating down to under 2800 watts (the max my genny will put out). Dumping become a *BIG* issue.

[pianotuna]

Hi BFL13,

Colder is better as evaporation is reduced and the speed of any chemical reaction is slowed.

The dealer doesn't put fuel nor oil in the genny on the floor.

BFL13 wrote:
Perhaps your situation is more like at the Dealer's store where it sits forever till somebody buys it. What do they do?