Your last generator Maintenance Run

[General Lee]

1) Mostly just semi-tired geekspeak :cowboy: ..... I should have said stepped, as in sudden load transition.

Technically (good question, BTW), upon reflection, it is not that easy to connect a household item to a genny that does not present as a stepped (as in sudden transition) load. I know incandescent bulbs have a higher starting current (filament warmup) than running, and expect the same current pattern with a resistance element on an electric heater. Quartz tubes heaters; not sure.

2) What I should have expressed more clearly is that an electric motor (common household example of an inductive load) gives you a lot of bang for your buck as a test load. If you look at charts (typically found in a decent generators owners manual) that show Starting Watts vs. Running Watts for motors, you get a pretty good idea of how much more current a good sized electric motor draws at startup. We've all been around a shop when a heavy elec. compressor starts, you'll often get a dip in the lighting, even with the shop wiring in reasonable shape.

As a contrast, think of testing a 5kw genny, by plugging in a few lights. Common (except for work flloods) lights around home don't draw much more than 100w today, most not even close. Space heaters are good, but household ones max out about 1.5kw, and may not be that common where you live. By slowly adding smaller loads, you can work up to loading a gen to 50% or more of max load - a valuable test on it's own.

A sizable load, with a fast transition (ie. stepped ) may highlight the early stages of a problem with a generator, where a slowly-added-equivalent-load may not. A poor electrical connection, or even a just-starting-to-seize-up mechanical regulator may be readily found once you fire up a good sized electrical motor (circular saw, etc).

I'm often too verbose (aka Ramble on Too Much :laughing, but in this case, perhaps not !

Naahhh, let's be honest, it's probably just my ancestral Scottish blood kicking in...... I want to put my generator to work even as a Maintenance Run task, so vacuuming a vehicle seemed like a good use of gasoline - that, and I can't afford the daytime electricity rates so I'm getting tired of vacuuming in the dark ! :laughing:

Rgds, D.

Thank you Sir for the detailed response :thumbsup:

 

[3930dave]

Thank you Sir for the detailed response :thumbsup:

You're welcome General.

Thanks for asking/listening !

Rgds, D.

 

[clemsonfor]

I got mine out in anticipation of a winter storm a few weeks ago. Started after about 6 pulls.

I have 100% gas (92 octane) in it from this summer, with some seafoam if i remember right...may have to add a few more ounces just to be sure!!

 

[BuzzardA91]

I wish I could get ethanol free gas. Not sure it's worth the 100 mile trip one way to get 40 gallons?

 

[3930dave]

I got mine out in anticipation of a winter storm a few weeks ago. Started after about 6 pulls.

I have 100% gas (92 octane) in it from this summer, with some seafoam if i remember right...may have to add a few more ounces just to be sure!!

Clem - even though I'm buying what I believe to be ethanol free HiTest, I too treat my fuel. I'm kind of that way anyway, but esp. with something like a generator I'm more than fine spending my limited money on a Belt+Suspenders approach.

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

I wish I could get ethanol free gas. Not sure it's worth the 100 mile trip one way to get 40 gallons?

There's your time of course, but I'd run the travel #'s as..... 20mpg vehicle, 5 gallons each way - call that $40 in fuel for the travel vehicle. If I had the time, I'd be inclined to make it a roadtrip, and chalk that $40+lunch up to preventative maintenance on your small engines. Unless you are a commercial contractor, that 40 gallons should hold you for a while.

Just my obsolete Canadian :2cents:

Rgds, D.

 

[BuzzardA91]

If I did that should the gas be good for a whole year if treated? Ethanol free gas that is.

 

[3930dave]

If I did that should the gas be good for a whole year if treated? Ethanol free gas that is.

IMO, with a good fuel stabilizer added to Efree gas, yes 1 year is doable. Assumes well sealed gas cans too (meaning any approved can in decent shape, no cracked vent caps....).

Stabil used to quote 2 years at their double dose rate, and Startron does too, but I'm not clear on the dosage rate they mean for 2 years. I think it's Soundguy (or is it Diamondpilot... there's that memory of mine again....) that's a fan of Stabil's Blue (or better ? I think they have another grade now ?) Marine grade gas stabilizer.

These days I've been running Startron all the time, with also Stabil Red for anything that will sit for more than a month. I'll probably upgrade to Stabil Marine the next time I buy a bottle.

Esp. if this is your 1 year's worth of Backing up the Homestead Power fuel cache, I'd test a small amount of the fuel for ethanol at the station, before loading up 40 gallons worth. There are some commercial test kits available I think (don't know how fast they work, never used one) - Chris or another pilot on here may know - Don has posted his DIY test in a glass jar (absorbs water, for a volume increase I think) - he could let you know how fast that works.

I'd also make the buy at a good Name Brand station, hoping for better quality Efree gas than at Joe's - Eat Here and Get Gas stand.

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

Found this file on the Stabil site.

http://www.goldeagle.com/UserFiles/file/Ethanol%20411/Changes_in_Gasoline_Manual_IV_Updated_Logo.pdf

(Was trying to post the pdf file here, but seems like the Upload Manager doesn't accept anything > 1Meg).

Possibly more than you want to know, about gasoline/gasohol.

Page 24 (or 26, depending on how you count) describes testing for the presence of ethanol. Figure 4-6 can be used to interpret % ethanol levels from the test.

Just in case.... anybody is having trouble getting to sleep tonight..... :zzz: :zzz: :zzz:

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

A fun Spring around here - an ice storm took down a line 4 concessions north of me last week - my buddy was w/o power for a while that day. Reminded me to get back to this.....

Rgds, D.


Date: Apr 14/13

Generator: 7kw Briggs

Activity: 5gal Shop Vac - cleaned Civic

Final Fueling notes: filled w. NonE gas, Stabil and Starton added.

Maintenance notes (Done, or Required): Fix up the second work flood light, and add both for next run. Electric start used this time.