Your last generator Maintenance Run

[3930dave]

Thanks for posting that notice ur.

Would be interesting to know more details on that fault. I can picture that unit strapped onto the back deck of a small sailboat..... might have been a splash issue ?

Years ago, we used to conformal-coat electronic board assemblies for industrial battery chargers..... the issue with those units was use in tropical environments...... left on the their own, the boards would grow pretty ridiculous piles of fungus.

Even w/o direct contact with salt water, I can see salt-air deposits being capable of causing havoc over time, if the boards weren't tested adequately for that environment.

Rgds, D.

 

[ultrarunner]

Marine use or waterfront property?

 

[3930dave]

Marine use or waterfront property?

Seagoing marine is one of the worst environments. Coastal areas (land).... time is the issue...... a slightly deficient design might get by for years.

Parallel example with vehicles..... often lots of corrosion parked on the coast, vs. 50 miles inland.

Rgds, D.

 

[daugen]

lots of small sailboats don't have built in generators so some use these small portable units instead.

 

[3930dave]

Below cruiser class, a lot of small powerboats (at least the older ones I'm familiar with) didn't come with Vac gens either.

Makes sense to use, for folks spending a lot of "parked" time out on the water..... even a 1000w gen would keep your electronics happy @ much less fuel than running the main motor. Forgetting about low-draw-but-continuous electrical loads on the water could make for a bad day.

Rgds, D.

 

[TheMan419]

I have a portable generator. Given that I have a bit of time on my hands I was going to do the spring oil change and fuel filter change. This will be the first time I am doing so on my own. Growing up not a handy guy. Now that we are living a rural life style learning more and more in that regard.

The manual for the generator has no reference to an oil filter. The instructions for changing the oil show me where the plug is to remove. Fill is through the dip stick tube. Tells me how much oil to use. Zero mention of a filter and I do not see one. Is that typical?

Air filter it tells me where it is and basically take it out and wash it. Blow off with compressed air (not to exceed 25 psi).

Fuel filter it tells me where it is and I can see it. How do I figure out what I need as a replacement? Manual just says to replace it. Tells me how to unhook the fuel lines to get to it, but no information about part numbers etc. Can I just take it into the auto parts store once I extract it?

Spark plug I replaced in the fall when I did my maintenance run as the the thing would not start. That was a common part at the auto parts store cost like $2.00. So now I have an extra one in stock.

Thanks for any tips.

 

[Fallon]

I have a portable generator. Given that I have a bit of time on my hands I was going to do the spring oil change and fuel filter change. This will be the first time I am doing so on my own. Growing up not a handy guy. Now that we are living a rural life style learning more and more in that regard.

The manual for the generator has no reference to an oil filter. The instructions for changing the oil show me where the plug is to remove. Fill is through the dip stick tube. Tells me how much oil to use. Zero mention of a filter and I do not see one. Is that typical?

Air filter it tells me where it is and basically take it out and wash it. Blow off with compressed air (not to exceed 25 psi).

Fuel filter it tells me where it is and I can see it. How do I figure out what I need as a replacement? Manual just says to replace it. Tells me how to unhook the fuel lines to get to it, but no information about part numbers etc. Can I just take it into the auto parts store once I extract it?

Spark plug I replaced in the fall when I did my maintenance run as the the thing would not start. That was a common part at the auto parts store cost like $2.00. So now I have an extra one in stock.

Thanks for any tips.

Cheap small engines are usually splash lubricated rather than pressure lubricated. With no oil pump it cant send oil through a filter, so there isnt one. Just change the oil regularly.

Just take the fuel filter to the parts store. As long as a replacement has the same size hose barbs & it physically fits you'll be fine. Ideally you want the same amount of filter area, which kid of means you want about the same size filter. But as long as it isn't really small you should be fine.

 

[TheMan419]

Cheap small engines are usually splash lubricated rather than pressure lubricated. With no oil pump it cant send oil through a filter, so there isnt one. Just change the oil regularly.

Just take the fuel filter to the parts store. As long as a replacement has the same size hose barbs & it physically fits you'll be fine. Ideally you want the same amount of filter area, which kid of means you want about the same size filter. But as long as it isn't really small you should be fine.

Ok, thanks. Just did some inventory too. Do not have any extra oil for it. That will change once I get out to the auto parts store.

 

[3930dave]

I have a portable generator. Given that I have a bit of time on my hands I was going to do the spring oil change and fuel filter change. This will be the first time I am doing so on my own. Growing up not a handy guy. Now that we are living a rural life style learning more and more in that regard.

The manual for the generator has no reference to an oil filter. The instructions for changing the oil show me where the plug is to remove. Fill is through the dip stick tube. Tells me how much oil to use. Zero mention of a filter and I do not see one. Is that typical?

Air filter it tells me where it is and basically take it out and wash it. Blow off with compressed air (not to exceed 25 psi).

Fuel filter it tells me where it is and I can see it. How do I figure out what I need as a replacement? Manual just says to replace it. Tells me how to unhook the fuel lines to get to it, but no information about part numbers etc. Can I just take it into the auto parts store once I extract it?

Spark plug I replaced in the fall when I did my maintenance run as the the thing would not start. That was a common part at the auto parts store cost like $2.00. So now I have an extra one in stock.

Thanks for any tips.

Points for rolling up your sleeves, and getting dirty. Extra points for asking for suggestions ahead of time

Not sure how many hours are on your gen (you did need to change the plug, so maybe a few....). I'm not big on washing modern filters, and even less big on using compressed air. What type of material is your air filter made of ? If it's foam material, then it may tolerate cleaning better....

Many fuel filters have a direction of flow marked on them, so have a good look at whatever you end up with for a new filter to see if it's marked (may be nothing more than a small arrow).

Have you tried looking online for a parts list for your generator ? Sometimes it's easier/faster/cheaper to order something online, if you can dig up a PN.

Depending on layout, fabricating a trough to use (or for that matter.... using a funnel to direct drainage) can help the side-drain trajectory behave better. Generally accepted better practice with oil changes is to drain it after warming up the engine.

I've probably posted this here before, but likely not recently......

Permatex(R) Dielectric Tune-Up Grease - Permatex

^ Adds some moisture resistance to spark plug boots, and helps reduce the tendency of the boot to bake onto the plug body. Also good for general use on electrical connectors, and should also be available in a smaller tube than that one.

Rgds, D.

 

[Fi-Q]

Yeaterday, I was in the garage and decided it was a good timing to get the champion 3000/4000 some work time. Haven’t used it in a while since I got my honda 2000 ( haven’t use the honda to often either since I now use my electric car to charhe the rv house battery )

The champion would not start. Tank was empty, but could not remember if I ran it dry last time I used it.

Fill with fresh gas.

Check for fire , good !

So I drained the carb, and after that, started at the second pull.

Started the genset and let it ran for 1 hour with a 1500w space heater.

Make me remember to add to the top of my list to buy some spare part for the champion ( 2 carb, pull starter, avr).