Your last generator Maintenance Run

[daugen]

this was easy, glad it's done
70amp gen powering 50amp breaker
Now to work on instruction sheet and place on wall next to inside panel

 

[3930dave]

d - good stuff ! :thumbsup:

Rgds, D.

 

[Robin Veerman]

gen left Reno NV on Oct 22, and got here 4pm today. At least it came on a pallet so therefore arrived in an undamaged box. :thumbsup:
This weekend will have some help unboxing it and installing wheel kit, no way I can horse around 200+ pounds. Also getting help with new bandsaw and drill press, both
way too heavy for me to lift. (appt with back surgeon next week.......)
Propane tanks and gas cans full and ready to go.

Need to get some 10/30 full synthetic oil for it, sure it shipped with basic oil. I'll run it about ten hours and then change the oil and filter.
Called electrician and told him time to go, hope he comes out this week or next.

Not sure if you've got your supply of oil for your generator yet, but AMSOIL currently has a free shipping promotion on right now. I got me some as the free shipping really helps offset some of the cost due to my address being in Canada. This is a great oil made specifically for hard working small engines, whether gas/diesel, and has a heavy dose of ZDDP to minimize metal to metal contact. Wet clutch compatible as well, so good for most ATVs too. Dutchy
4 Stroke Power Equipment: Shop Oil for 4 Stroke Equipment - AMSOIL

 

[3930dave]

Not sure if you've got your supply of oil for your generator yet, but AMSOIL currently has a free shipping promotion on right now. I got me some as the free shipping really helps offset some of the cost due to my address being in Canada. This is a great oil made specifically for hard working small engines, whether gas/diesel, and has a heavy dose of ZDDP to minimize metal to metal contact. Wet clutch compatible as well, so good for most ATVs too. Dutchy
4 Stroke Power Equipment: Shop Oil for 4 Stroke Equipment - AMSOIL

Shipping..... always great to find deals, esp, Nord of the 49'th :thumbsup:

Amsoil has some niche products, that aren't easy to find. Some (not all) Home Hardware stores here stock some of their more popular products, but you can't beat shipped to your door.

Rgds, D.

 

[DMW]

Shipping..... always great to find deals, esp, Nord of the 49'th :thumbsup:

Amsoil has some niche products, that aren't easy to find. Some (not all) Home Hardware stores here stock some of their more popular products, but you can't beat shipped to your door.

Rgds, D.

My local Case dealer carries some Amsoil products. Not sure if it is because they used to be a Home Hardware as well, or it just sells well.

 

[3930dave]

My local Case dealer carries some Amsoil products. Not sure if it is because they used to be a Home Hardware as well, or it just sells well.

They may have seen it selling reasonably well when they were HH..... a sale is a sale, I'd probably keep it on the shelf for that change-over too.

Many tractor owners are into powersports, so it is a logical target market.

Rgds, D.

 

[daugen]

I made up this instruction list for generator operation and taped it near the panel box in basement. Have gotten feedback that main breaker should always be turned off
before generator started and plugged in. My reasoning for this is to allow the gen to warm up a little, a few minutes anyway, before a load is put on it. Since the mechanical interlock prevents energizing the panel with gen power until the street power master breaker is flipped off, I didn't see any safety concerns here. But maybe I'm wrong. There is a 100 amp breaker for panel and separate 50 amp breaker for gen, and only one can be turned on at same time. Thoughts? I gave these instructions to electrician and he said they were fine. Safety first, but I thought the interlock prevented unsafe operation.

 

[3Ts]

I don't see any problems with that. I believe your reasoning is sound and I agree with it. The objective is to keep the panel from ever having 2 sources of power applied at the same time, the mechanical interlock does that.

 

[grsthegreat]

The instructions that come with ul approved mechanical interlocks say to start generator first to allow it to warm up. Even auto backup generators start before auto transfer flips to allow warm up.

 

[LouNY]

Morning Drew,
Your generator startup instruction list looks fine.
I did notice that you commented on a 70 Amp generator on a 50 Amp breaker.
If this is the model generator you got;
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Westinghouse-WGen9500DF-12-500-9-500-Watt-Dual-Fuel-Portable-Generator-with-Remote-Start-and-Transfer-Switch-Outlet-for-Home-Backup-WGen9500DF/310741071#product-overview

If so it looks like the generators main breakers are 30 amp 240 Volt.
If so if your running load (not the additive value of the breakers) exceeds 30 amps on either leg your gen set breaker will likely trip.
You should be able to turn on most of your lighting panel breakers except for heavy loads such as an electric oven or driver which should be two pole breakers in your panel.