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Posted: 12/4/2012 12:41:54 PM EDT
[#1]
Originally Posted By dbrowne1:
Originally Posted By EXPY37:
Across the terms??? No, from one and each terminal to the chassis. No, what's the res across the genny output terms? |
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Posted: 12/4/2012 12:46:18 PM EDT
[#2]
You guys do know that there is a new December coupon for this generator for $89.99?
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Posted: 12/4/2012 12:59:47 PM EDT
[#3]
Originally Posted By EXPY37:
Originally Posted By dbrowne1:
Originally Posted By EXPY37:
Across the terms??? No, from one and each terminal to the chassis. No, what's the res across the genny output terms? About 1.6 ohms. |
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Posted: 12/4/2012 1:53:49 PM EDT
[#4]
Originally Posted By KCGunnr:
You guys do know that there is a new December coupon for this generator for $89.99? Where? I am trying to talk myself into one. 
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Posted: 12/4/2012 3:26:17 PM EDT
[Last Edit: EXPY37]
[#5]
Originally Posted By dbrowne1:
Originally Posted By EXPY37:
Originally Posted By dbrowne1:
Originally Posted By EXPY37:
Across the terms??? No, from one and each terminal to the chassis. No, what's the res across the genny output terms? About 1.6 ohms. On the surface, that doesn't sound right... That's not too much more than the resistance in your DVM's clip leads... You might want to take things apart a bit more inside the genny head and see if anything is shorted... Post pix, I'd like to see inside those... 
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Posted: 12/4/2012 3:32:32 PM EDT
[#6]
Originally Posted By EXPY37:
Originally Posted By dbrowne1:
About 1.6 ohms. On the surface, that doesn't sound right... That's not too much more than the resistance in your DVM's clip leads... You might want to take things apart a bit more inside the genny head and see if anything is shorted... Post pix, I'd like to see inside those...
I'll probably try the electric drill flash on it (once I get the fuel tank leak addressed) to see if that resolves the issue first, before I go ripping it apart completely. But if I do disassemble it further, I'll post pics for the benefit of all reading. |
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Posted: 12/4/2012 4:00:52 PM EDT
[#7]
I got home a little early today, and saw a box sitting on my back porch... it was my $50 as-is gamble from Tadd Wholesale!
On first impression, the generator looked nearly new. Blue protective plastic was still on the fuel cap, no sign of discoloration on the spark plug, but it did smell of fuel. A few scuffs in the tank paint, and a small chunk of plastic missing from the control panel. I didn't even waste my time with the OEM spark plug, and immediately swapped it out for a Champion as mentioned earlier. Started on 3 pulls and ran smoothly when I removed choke. I hit it with about 150 watts to start with... 60w bulb and a 20" box fan on high. Meter showed 124-126 volts. My $3 Harbor Freight meter wouldn't let me check frequency on my $50 Harbor Freight generator.  I added an electric weed trimmer to the load... engine grunted a little but not even close to a stall. The light bulb dimmed slightly and returned to normal, and the meter showed a momentary dip to around 90v before settling back in around 115. I ran it for about 45 minutes with intermittent usage of the string trimmer and constant use of the bulb and fan... no engine or voltage fluctuations at all. The only negative I could find is that one of the handle screws was missing, but I happened to have others on hand that fit. All in all, I'm glad my $50 gamble worked out! Sorry you're having issues Dbrowne1... hope the drill flash works for you. |
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Posted: 12/4/2012 4:18:32 PM EDT
[#8]
Glad yours seems to be working. I'm keeping my fingers crossed on mine just needing a field flash.
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Posted: 12/5/2012 4:20:11 PM EDT
[#9]
Just curious... for everyone (including the owners manual) saying not to even consider running sensitive electronics off of a generator like this without some sort of power conditioner, do you guys think a relatively inexpensive surge strip like this one do a decent job?
Although, in times of crisis, the only thing "sensitive" might be my cable modem and router. Laptops, Ipads, etc... will all be running through adapters that would isolate the device from the generator. And those can even be charged off of the cigarette lighter on my jumper box, with the box being recharged later. |
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FL, USA
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Posted: 12/5/2012 6:57:51 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Blackoperations]
[#10]
Originally Posted By mr_camera_man:
Just curious... for everyone (including the owners manual) saying not to even consider running sensitive electronics off of a generator like this without some sort of power conditioner, do you guys think a relatively inexpensive surge strip like this one do a decent job? Although, in times of crisis, the only thing "sensitive" might be my cable modem and router. Laptops, Ipads, etc... will all be running through adapters that would isolate the device from the generator. And those can even be charged off of the cigarette lighter on my jumper box, with the box being recharged later. surge strip is not going to filter out the dirty power your are concerned with. All the surge strip will do for u is protect the device if the genny completely freaks out . Short of a line conditioner, you can get relatively good protection from a UPS battery backup sold for use on computers. It will trip if the power is dirty and brown and shut off power to the plug. what kind of device are we talking about here? it is very very likely that the devices you mentioned convert the 110v AC to a DC voltage, which in its self cleans up the power better than anything else. I have plugged in my very expensive computer and network equipment to this HF genny through a UPS and never had a problem. |
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Posted: 12/5/2012 8:23:22 PM EDT
[#11]
Originally Posted By Blackoperations: Originally Posted By mr_camera_man: Just curious... for everyone (including the owners manual) saying not to even consider running sensitive electronics off of a generator like this without some sort of power conditioner, do you guys think a relatively inexpensive surge strip like this one do a decent job? Although, in times of crisis, the only thing "sensitive" might be my cable modem and router. Laptops, Ipads, etc... will all be running through adapters that would isolate the device from the generator. And those can even be charged off of the cigarette lighter on my jumper box, with the box being recharged later. surge strip is not going to filter out the dirty power your are concerned with. All the surge strip will do for u is protect the device if the genny completely freaks out . Short of a line conditioner, you can get relatively good protection from a UPS battery backup sold for use on computers. It will trip if the power is dirty and brown and shut off power to the plug. what kind of device are we talking about here? it is very very likely that the devices you mentioned convert the 110v AC to a DC voltage, which in its self cleans up the power better than anything else. I have plugged in my very expensive computer and network equipment to this HF genny through a UPS and never had a problem. My bad... I know a cheap surge strip isn't going to filter shit. The one I linked is listed as "surge protector and power conditioner", I just wasn't sure how much power conditioning I could expect out of a $30 device. Everything I'm thinking of runs off of some sort of "wall wart" transformer, so that will probably take care of most of my concerns. Other sensitive electronics without a "wall wart" such as my desktop PC, LCD TV, etc... I wouldn't even dream of hooking up to the generator without some sort of power conditioner in between. |
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Posted: 12/5/2012 8:28:27 PM EDT
[#12]
Originally Posted By Powerkicker:
Originally Posted By KCGunnr:
You guys do know that there is a new December coupon for this generator for $89.99? Where? I am trying to talk myself into one. Here. |
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Posted: 12/5/2012 8:37:18 PM EDT
[#13]
Originally Posted By dbrowne1:
Originally Posted By mr_camera_man:
Originally Posted By dbrowne1:
I'm disappointed in mine. I bought one that supposedly had all its parts, but the gas tank is leaking (apparently from a seam, not the petcock) and it's missing a fuel tank bolt (1 of 4, not a big deal). The engine runs well but it's not producing any AC power, and the breaker is loose inside the panel. I'm debating whether to try to salvage it. That's not what I wanted to hear... try again.  Sorry yours didn't work out... mine will arrive later today, I'll report back once I get it running.
As far as the gas tank leak, I've used Kreem successfully in the past on motorcycle tanks with similar problems, but it may be more money than you want to throw at this. For the lack of AC output, have you tried field flashing? I sent a message to Tadd and asked them to send me a new gas tank. That shouldn't be a problem as they have tons of these laying around in various states of disrepair. I'll see what they say. I doubt the generator head has any magnetic issues. That is quite rare. I suspect it's a wiring issue and I'm going to pull it apart and inspect/test it with a meter to see if I can fix that. I should have just bought one new at HF for $89 on black Friday. Gas tank repair epoxy Your local auto parts store probably stocks it. |
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Posted: 12/5/2012 9:09:16 PM EDT
[#14]
Originally Posted By mr_camera_man:
Just curious... for everyone (including the owners manual) saying not to even consider running sensitive electronics off of a generator like this without some sort of power conditioner, do you guys think a relatively inexpensive surge strip like this one do a decent job? Although the power produced by these generators isn't a perfect sine wave by an stretch of the imagination, it isn't a spikey waveform that's likely to damage "sensitive" electronics, either. As long as you observe a few precautions, you'll probably be just fine powering most loads: 1. Don't start the generator engine with AC loads connected. 2. Allow the engine to fully warm up before connecting your AC loads. 3. Don't shut the generator engine off with AC loads connected. 4. Disconnect AC loads well before the engine runs out of gas or oil, so that your loads aren't exposed to any wild voltage or frequency swings when the engine begins to stumble or surge. Also, the AC waveform looks a lot better with a decent-sized AC load connected. So, try to avoid powering small, sensitive loads by themselves - use the "buddy system" to pair small sensitive loads with a larger, stable load. |
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Posted: 12/6/2012 8:51:05 AM EDT
[#15]
Well, I'll be damned. I fired my troubled little generator up this morning before work (neighbors love that) and did the power drill field flash on it.
IT WORKED. I am very "excited" by this, so to speak. I only put a tiny amount of fuel in it due to the seam leak on the tank, but ran it for about 15 min using a small space heater with 600/900/1200 watt settings. It handled the 600w smoothly and it stumbled only very slightly on the 900w setting and could probably sustain that for some period, though I didn't push it. Thanks to those who pointed out this likely and easy fix. I never would have thought this was the problem, as I've stored other gennys unused for years and not seen this issue. |
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Posted: 12/6/2012 9:01:31 AM EDT
[#16]
Originally Posted By Skibane:
Originally Posted By mr_camera_man:
Just curious... for everyone (including the owners manual) saying not to even consider running sensitive electronics off of a generator like this without some sort of power conditioner, do you guys think a relatively inexpensive surge strip like this one do a decent job? Although the power produced by these generators isn't a perfect sine wave by an stretch of the imagination, it isn't a spikey waveform that's likely to damage "sensitive" electronics, either. As long as you observe a few precautions, you'll probably be just fine powering most loads: 1. Don't start the generator engine with AC loads connected. 2. Allow the engine to fully warm up before connecting your AC loads. 3. Don't shut the generator engine off with AC loads connected. 4. Disconnect AC loads well before the engine runs out of gas or oil, so that your loads aren't exposed to any wild voltage or frequency swings when the engine begins to stumble or surge. Also, the AC waveform looks a lot better with a decent-sized AC load connected. So, try to avoid powering small, sensitive loads by themselves - use the "buddy system" to pair small sensitive loads with a larger, stable load. In a different thread somebody mentioned plugging in a bench grinder to compensate for inrush current when running a refrigerator on a small genny. I imagine it would be perfect for this application as well. |
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Posted: 12/6/2012 9:19:32 AM EDT
[#17]
Originally Posted By dbrowne1:
Well, I'll be damned. I fired my troubled little generator up this morning before work (neighbors love that) and did the power drill field flash on it. IT WORKED. I am very "excited" by this, so to speak. I only put a tiny amount of fuel in it due to the seam leak on the tank, but ran it for about 15 min using a small space heater with 600/900/1200 watt settings. It handled the 600w smoothly and it stumbled only very slightly on the 900w setting and could probably sustain that for some period, though I didn't push it. Thanks to those who pointed out this likely and easy fix. I never would have thought this was the problem, as I've stored other gennys unused for years and not seen this issue. So all you had to do was twist the drill chuck a bit and it turns on? |
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Posted: 12/6/2012 11:04:35 AM EDT
[#18]
Originally Posted By batmanacw:
Originally Posted By dbrowne1:
Well, I'll be damned. I fired my troubled little generator up this morning before work (neighbors love that) and did the power drill field flash on it. IT WORKED. I am very "excited" by this, so to speak. I only put a tiny amount of fuel in it due to the seam leak on the tank, but ran it for about 15 min using a small space heater with 600/900/1200 watt settings. It handled the 600w smoothly and it stumbled only very slightly on the 900w setting and could probably sustain that for some period, though I didn't push it. Thanks to those who pointed out this likely and easy fix. I never would have thought this was the problem, as I've stored other gennys unused for years and not seen this issue. So all you had to do was twist the drill chuck a bit and it turns on? Pretty much. I actually connected a cordless drill to the corded drill, and drove the corded drill "backwards" using the cordless drill. The corded drill "caught" and fought against the cordless (meaning that the generator started powering it) almost instantly. So you could probably just spin it by hand and that would do it. The cordless drive was overkill. |
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Posted: 12/6/2012 2:05:44 PM EDT
[#19]
Originally Posted By dbrowne1: Originally Posted By batmanacw: Originally Posted By dbrowne1: Well, I'll be damned. I fired my troubled little generator up this morning before work (neighbors love that) and did the power drill field flash on it. IT WORKED. I am very "excited" by this, so to speak. I only put a tiny amount of fuel in it due to the seam leak on the tank, but ran it for about 15 min using a small space heater with 600/900/1200 watt settings. It handled the 600w smoothly and it stumbled only very slightly on the 900w setting and could probably sustain that for some period, though I didn't push it. Thanks to those who pointed out this likely and easy fix. I never would have thought this was the problem, as I've stored other gennys unused for years and not seen this issue. So all you had to do was twist the drill chuck a bit and it turns on? Pretty much. I actually connected a cordless drill to the corded drill, and drove the corded drill "backwards" using the cordless drill. The corded drill "caught" and fought against the cordless (meaning that the generator started powering it) almost instantly. So you could probably just spin it by hand and that would do it. The cordless drive was overkill. Now I don't feel so insane anymore... I charged my cordless drill for the same reason as soon as you posted that you were having trouble! |
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Posted: 12/7/2012 2:02:18 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Bones45]
[#20]
Originally Posted By R2point0:
Originally Posted By Skibane:
Originally Posted By mr_camera_man:
Just curious... for everyone (including the owners manual) saying not to even consider running sensitive electronics off of a generator like this without some sort of power conditioner, do you guys think a relatively inexpensive surge strip like this one do a decent job? Although the power produced by these generators isn't a perfect sine wave by an stretch of the imagination, it isn't a spikey waveform that's likely to damage "sensitive" electronics, either. As long as you observe a few precautions, you'll probably be just fine powering most loads: 1. Don't start the generator engine with AC loads connected. 2. Allow the engine to fully warm up before connecting your AC loads. 3. Don't shut the generator engine off with AC loads connected. 4. Disconnect AC loads well before the engine runs out of gas or oil, so that your loads aren't exposed to any wild voltage or frequency swings when the engine begins to stumble or surge. Also, the AC waveform looks a lot better with a decent-sized AC load connected. So, try to avoid powering small, sensitive loads by themselves - use the "buddy system" to pair small sensitive loads with a larger, stable load. In a different thread somebody mentioned plugging in a bench grinder to compensate for inrush current when running a refrigerator on a small genny. I imagine it would be perfect for this application as well. So you run the grinder off the genny and when the fridge turns on the weight of the spinning grinder turns the grinder into a generator, smoothing out the power dip? On a side note, the power drill field flash trick is very clever. Makes me wonder how much electricity you could produce using an electric drill as a field expedient generator. |
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Posted: 12/7/2012 3:35:59 PM EDT
[#21]
Originally Posted By Bones45:
On a side note, the power drill field flash trick is very clever. Makes me wonder how much electricity you could produce using an electric drill as a field expedient generator. It is very clever and worked like a charm for me, but I doubt you'd produce any useful amount of power by spinning a drill. It's a very small motor, even compared to this small 800w generator. The amount of energy required to "field flash" a generator is apparently quite miniscule considering how quickly mine flashed. It was literally 1-2 seconds of spin to get it working. |
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Posted: 12/8/2012 11:56:48 PM EDT
[#22]
Originally Posted By Bones45:
Originally Posted By R2point0:
In a different thread somebody mentioned plugging in a bench grinder to compensate for inrush current when running a refrigerator on a small genny. I imagine it would be perfect for this application as well. So you run the grinder off the genny and when the fridge turns on the weight of the spinning grinder turns the grinder into a generator, smoothing out the power dip? That's correct. Not many other items around the house/garage can be used, as they generally don't have the flywheel effect. |
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Posted: 12/9/2012 10:23:56 AM EDT
[#23]
Originally Posted By R2point0:
Originally Posted By Bones45:
Originally Posted By R2point0:
In a different thread somebody mentioned plugging in a bench grinder to compensate for inrush current when running a refrigerator on a small genny. I imagine it would be perfect for this application as well. So you run the grinder off the genny and when the fridge turns on the weight of the spinning grinder turns the grinder into a generator, smoothing out the power dip? That's correct. Not many other items around the house/garage can be used, as they generally don't have the flywheel effect. Vacuum cleaner? |
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Posted: 12/9/2012 1:24:56 PM EDT
[#24]
Originally Posted By Bones45:
Originally Posted By R2point0:
Originally Posted By Bones45:
Originally Posted By R2point0:
In a different thread somebody mentioned plugging in a bench grinder to compensate for inrush current when running a refrigerator on a small genny. I imagine it would be perfect for this application as well. So you run the grinder off the genny and when the fridge turns on the weight of the spinning grinder turns the grinder into a generator, smoothing out the power dip? That's correct. Not many other items around the house/garage can be used, as they generally don't have the flywheel effect. Vacuum cleaner? Maybe an old Kirby with a metal impeller and the belts removed. But I doubt it. You want something that takes a while to get up to speed after you turn it on. The only other thing I can think of would be a large fan, but they are constantly using power to move the air. Once a grinder gets up to speed it is drawing only enough power to overcome the friction in the bearings. |
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Posted: 12/11/2012 12:04:32 AM EDT
[Last Edit: BlackOps_1]
[#25]
Just in case anybody else is having to return their $88 special to HF, noticed this on
their website "GENERATOR RETURNS Any generator returned for any reason after the 30 day satisfaction guarantee period will be subject to a 20% restocking charge and must be returned freight paid.All returns require a Return Authorization Number before they can be returned to Harbor Freight Tools. Please contact Customer Service either by calling 1-800-444-3353 or by emailing [email protected]. to receive a Return Authorization Number. Please make sure to provide your name and invoice number and a brief description of the reason(s) for the return." Glad I have a store locally! Blackops_1. |
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Posted: 12/11/2012 8:43:40 PM EDT
[#26]
So I installed a new fuel tank and ran it for a bit this evening. Despite running it just a week or so ago, I had to flash the field again with the drill to get it to work. That doesn't seem right - anyone have ideas on why it would need another flash, or is this just something I'll have to deal with?
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Posted: 12/11/2012 8:55:00 PM EDT
[#27]
Originally Posted By dbrowne1:
So I installed a new fuel tank and ran it for a bit this evening. Despite running it just a week or so ago, I had to flash the field again with the drill to get it to work. That doesn't seem right - anyone have ideas on why it would need another flash, or is this just something I'll have to deal with? You might need to replace the Flash Module. |
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Posted: 12/11/2012 9:17:29 PM EDT
[#28]
Originally Posted By EXPY37:
Originally Posted By dbrowne1:
So I installed a new fuel tank and ran it for a bit this evening. Despite running it just a week or so ago, I had to flash the field again with the drill to get it to work. That doesn't seem right - anyone have ideas on why it would need another flash, or is this just something I'll have to deal with? You might need to replace the Flash Module. Not familiar with that term - Is that the capacitor which delivers reactive power to the stator windings which creates the magnetic field? That would make sense. |
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Posted: 12/11/2012 9:30:30 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Skibane]
[#29]
The generator's designers are counting on some residual magnetism remaining in the stator and rotor after the engine is shut off. This is what provides the small amount of current that builds up to full AC output each time the generator is started.
However, some generators just don't seem to retain any magnetism after shut-down - or at least not enough to work reliably the next time it's started. In some generators, there is actually small permanent magnet attached at the factory to either the stator or rotor, in order to ensure that adequate magnetism is present. I would bet that you could probably install your own, if you adequately secured it (JB Weld, maybe?). (Insert your favorite "Magnets - How do they work?" meme here...  )
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Posted: 12/12/2012 9:59:27 AM EDT
[Last Edit: dbrowne1]
[#30]
Originally Posted By Skibane:
The generator's designers are counting on some residual magnetism remaining in the stator and rotor after the engine is shut off. This is what provides the small amount of current that builds up to full AC output each time the generator is started. However, some generators just don't seem to retain any magnetism after shut-down - or at least not enough to work reliably the next time it's started. In some generators, there is actually small permanent magnet attached at the factory to either the stator or rotor, in order to ensure that adequate magnetism is present. I would bet that you could probably install your own, if you adequately secured it (JB Weld, maybe?). (Insert your favorite "Magnets - How do they work?" meme here... )Is it as simple as affixing a small magnet to the alternator's housing, or is there more "science" involved in it? Because I'm reasonably handy, but I went to law school so I didn't have to do real science. I guess if you put a magnet on the stator then the rotor's rotation inside it would theoretically create some sort of current.
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Posted: 12/12/2012 10:17:50 AM EDT
[#31]
Originally Posted By dbrowne1:
Originally Posted By Skibane:
The generator's designers are counting on some residual magnetism remaining in the stator and rotor after the engine is shut off. This is what provides the small amount of current that builds up to full AC output each time the generator is started. However, some generators just don't seem to retain any magnetism after shut-down - or at least not enough to work reliably the next time it's started. In some generators, there is actually small permanent magnet attached at the factory to either the stator or rotor, in order to ensure that adequate magnetism is present. I would bet that you could probably install your own, if you adequately secured it (JB Weld, maybe?). (Insert your favorite "Magnets - How do they work?" meme here... )Is it as simple as affixing a small magnet to the alternator's housing, or is there more "science" involved in it? Because I'm reasonably handy, but I went to law school so I didn't have to do real science. I guess if you put a magnet on the stator then the rotor's rotation inside it would theoretically create some sort of current.Before you start messing with the magnets, try running the genny at full load for a full tank of fuel. That will let the iron components in the stator and rotor "soak" in the magnetic fields produced by the coils, and hopefully have more of a magnetizing effect. You need to break it in anyway, so you aren't losing much for the attempt. |
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Posted: 12/12/2012 11:39:38 AM EDT
[Last Edit: EXPY37]
[#32]
Was kiddin abt the flash module but fergot the
.
Magnetic properties don't USUALLY get SOAKED up.
There is something called 'magnetic hysteresis' which may or not have a role here, but can be Googled. What I would consider is to hit the stator with a STRONG pulse of juice from a small battery -just spark the stator once or twice and see if then there is enough residual magnetism to eliminate this issue. If no help then examine the rotor and consider pulsing it. |
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Posted: 12/12/2012 11:39:52 AM EDT
[Last Edit: EXPY37]
[#33]
doubletap
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Posted: 12/12/2012 11:40:05 AM EDT
[Last Edit: EXPY37]
[#34]
Staying at a motel wit a wireless service that is not the best.... Hangs at all the wrong times so I switched back to the Verizon USB720. |
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Posted: 12/12/2012 12:20:40 PM EDT
[Last Edit: R2point0]
[#35]
Originally Posted By EXPY37:
Was kiddin abt the flash module but fergot the .
Magnetic properties don't USUALLY get SOAKED up.
There is something called 'magnetic hysteresis' which may or not have a role here, but can be Googled. What I would consider is to hit the stator with a STRONG pulse of juice from a small battery -just spark the stator once or twice and see if then there is enough residual magnetism to eliminate this issue. If no help then examine the rotor and consider pulsing it. I didn't mean "soak" like a sponge - that's why I put it in quotes. I meant it in metallurgical terms - a length of time a material spends in a certain condition, typically elevated temperature like in heat treatment. My recollection is that ferrous materials become magnetized in proportion to the intensity of the magnetic field and the duration of exposure. I may be wrong in the latter, but I did find this tidbit on Wikipedia: Placing the item in an external magnetic field will result in the item retaining some of the magnetism on removal. Vibration has been shown to increase the effect. Ferrous materials aligned with the Earth's magnetic field that are subject to vibration (e.g., frame of a conveyor) have been shown to acquire significant residual magnetism.
Like I said, it won't hurt to break in the generator before messing with the gen head. If id doesn't work, there's no loss. |
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Posted: 12/12/2012 1:26:59 PM EDT
[#36]
Does anyone run a ground wire for this generator?
Also, I've seen some discussion of running the generator "dry" by closing off the fuel petcock for storage. Since this is a 2-stroke with mix gas, will that lead to increased engine wear? |
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FL, USA
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Posted: 12/12/2012 8:12:12 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Blackoperations]
[#37]
Originally Posted By Popov:
Does anyone run a ground wire for this generator? Also, I've seen some discussion of running the generator "dry" by closing off the fuel petcock for storage. Since this is a 2-stroke with mix gas, will that lead to increased engine wear? engine wear? perhaps, but I don't think it will make much of a difference in the long run. How long do you plan on keeping this thing?, once you hit 1000-1500 hours with this genny, count yourself lucky because that means you have put in 250 tanks and it will be living on borrowed time. Ground wire is a good idea, but have not done it yet. |
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Posted: 12/12/2012 9:23:37 PM EDT
[Last Edit: dbrowne1]
[#38]
Originally Posted By Popov:
Does anyone run a ground wire for this generator? Also, I've seen some discussion of running the generator "dry" by closing off the fuel petcock for storage. Since this is a 2-stroke with mix gas, will that lead to increased engine wear? 1. Ground wire isn't necessary on a small portable generator, per the NEC. I've never used one, construction jobsites never use them, nobody seems to die with any frequency. 2. Closing the petcock means it runs out of fuel oil at the same time it runs out of gas, and there should be "some" lubricating film left anyway. So I doubt it would matter much. ETA: Fix fuel versus oil. |
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NY, USA
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Posted: 12/12/2012 9:54:46 PM EDT
[#39]
I have one that I used during Sandy to power the basics ( heating circulator pump, Internet, router, 1 LCD TV, cable box, 2-3 energy saver bulb 13w lamps, and battery charge to charge battery for the inverter - night time use so that I could still have lights when shutting all gen's off after hours ). I used the HF iin order to save fuel when comparing it to my 6K generator which I used only for a few hours in the late afternoon into early evening. I was out almost 2 weeks without power and this little thing really helped in conserving as much gas as possible - especially when it was being rationed by license plates, max dollar sale amounts etc... Worked better than expected and I actually picked up another one last week to keep as a backup ( This one is a red top one. )
I did have a question about initial startup and storage. I've read that some recommend pulling the spark plug and putting in a tablespoon of oil into the hole and then replacing the plug... What kind of oil ? 2 stroke oil, 10w30, etc... ? anyone else recommend doing this ? |
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Posted: 12/12/2012 10:11:23 PM EDT
[#40]
Originally Posted By dbrowne1:
Closing the petcock means it runs out of fuel at the same time it runs out of gas, and there should be "some" lubricating film left anyway. So I doubt it would matter much. Yep. It's not like the engine is going to suck the oil off the bearing surfaces when it runs out of gas. Anyway, with no AC loads connected to the generator, the bearings aren't under much stress while this is happening. |
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Posted: 12/15/2012 1:49:31 PM EDT
[#41]
Originally Posted By myexcursion:
I did have a question about initial startup and storage. I've read that some recommend pulling the spark plug and putting in a tablespoon of oil into the hole and then replacing the plug... What kind of oil ? 2 stroke oil, 10w30, etc... ? anyone else recommend doing this ? Probably doesn't matter as the purpose is to prevent corrosion in storage, but a lot of 2 stroke oils contain more volatile components that will evaporate over time. I'd probably use regular (car) motor oil for this. |
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Posted: 12/15/2012 2:29:36 PM EDT
[#42]
Originally Posted By myexcursion:
I have one that I used during Sandy to power the basics ( heating circulator pump, Internet, router, 1 LCD TV, cable box, 2-3 energy saver bulb 13w lamps, and battery charge to charge battery for the inverter - night time use so that I could still have lights when shutting all gen's off after hours ). I used the HF iin order to save fuel when comparing it to my 6K generator which I used only for a few hours in the late afternoon into early evening. I was out almost 2 weeks without power and this little thing really helped in conserving as much gas as possible - especially when it was being rationed by license plates, max dollar sale amounts etc... Worked better than expected and I actually picked up another one last week to keep as a backup ( This one is a red top one. ) I did have a question about initial startup and storage. I've read that some recommend pulling the spark plug and putting in a tablespoon of oil into the hole and then replacing the plug... What kind of oil ? 2 stroke oil, 10w30, etc... ? anyone else recommend doing this ? You could use 1/2 teaspoon 2 stroke oil, with plug out rotate engine slowly to coat all surfaces. Do this with the cylinder near vertical then replace plug - but leave it about 1 turn loose. This helps keep the rings from rust seizing to the cast iron cylinder wall. This is for semi-long term storage. When ready to re-activate put it about a teaspoon of fuel and with the plug out turn the engine as before about 2-3 revolutions, then place in running position and crank rapidly about a dozen times until you see hardly any oil/fuel spray coming from the plug hole. Now insert S-plug and torque to normal use. Turn on fuel valve and ignition switch and attemp to to start. Engine will likely catch then die which is ok - we were just trying to burn off any excess fuel. Now use the choke and engine should fire up just fine. Run until hot enough that the choke causes rough running then open it up. Now its about ready for you to attach you load. |
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Posted: 12/16/2012 4:30:27 PM EDT
[#43]
Originally Posted By dbrowne1:
Originally Posted By myexcursion:
I did have a question about initial startup and storage. I've read that some recommend pulling the spark plug and putting in a tablespoon of oil into the hole and then replacing the plug... What kind of oil ? 2 stroke oil, 10w30, etc... ? anyone else recommend doing this ? Probably doesn't matter as the purpose is to prevent corrosion in storage, but a lot of 2 stroke oils contain more volatile components that will evaporate over time. I'd probably use regular (car) motor oil for this. Or fogging oil. |
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Posted: 12/16/2012 6:40:22 PM EDT
[#44]
FYI, the red version (the "California Emissions" version) uses an "XIA-HUI F7TC", which appears to cross-reference to an NGK BP7ES.
Regular/Blue tank generator: F5TC (OEM), replace with NGK BP5ES California/Red tank generator:F7TC (OEM), replace with NGK BP7ES It's been posted here before, but I'm going to try to follow the mothman's guide to upgrades and break-in here: http://utahlepidoptera.com/2011/12/23/hello-world/ Now, I notice that the air filter is a fairly puny (to me) block of white foam in the air cleaner housing. Is there an upgraded/better air filter that I could drop in? |
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Posted: 12/16/2012 8:27:54 PM EDT
[#45]
Originally Posted By KS_Physicist:
Now, I notice that the air filter is a fairly puny (to me) block of white foam in the air cleaner housing. That's pretty much the universal standard on Chinese generators. You can help it along a little bit by very lightly oiling it - Knead a little motor oil into it, wring it out, and then use a rag to blot any excess oil that still remains. |
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FL, USA
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Posted: 12/19/2012 3:57:31 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Blackoperations]
[#46]
time to bring these babies out of storage for the end of the world
Seriously tho, it has been awhile since I ran a load on mine, so I brought them out of storage for a quality check. 
The oldest one with somewhere around 400 hrs on it has a weird very slight knock, you would not normally hear it....but when running a newer one with way less hours on it at the same time, side by side, you can hear a distinct difference while under load. Although, I have abused the hell out of the older one, as it was the test dummy for this original thread. But it works fine! Did you know that these things will run on just about any type of gas? .....its true, as I write this I am running some 2 stroke gas from an unknown origin, undated, don't know the oil ratio, as it was given to me in a bucket by a neighbor. watered it down with 2 gallons of fresh 50:1 gas and this thing has been humming away for the last 2 hours. Older one is on the right hand side of the above photo.
I love these things! |
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Posted: 12/19/2012 9:21:24 PM EDT
[#47]
Originally Posted By Blackoperations:
The oldest one with somewhere around 400 hrs on it ... What oil(s) have you used in it? |
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FL, USA
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Posted: 12/19/2012 11:07:29 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Blackoperations]
[#48]
Originally Posted By dbrowne1:
Originally Posted By Blackoperations:
The oldest one with somewhere around 400 hrs on it ... What oil(s) have you used in it? I honestly could not tell you, as I have used such a variety of 2 stroke oil. penzoil has been the only name brand that I have bought a few times (not an endorsement, just happened to be the cheapest). most (80%) have been generic brands, drained boat 2 stroke oil of unknown origin, every time I am at a discount store like "big lots" and see 2 stroke oil, I will pick some up. I don't think that it is all that different, if it is....I have not noticed a difference. Some will argue synthetics are far superior, which I will not argue, but good old dinosaur juice has always worked for me. |
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NY, USA
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Posted: 12/22/2012 6:51:47 PM EDT
[#49]
Originally Posted By KS_Physicist:
FYI, the red version (the "California Emissions" version) uses an "XIA-HUI F7TC", which appears to cross-reference to an NGK BP7ES. Regular/Blue tank generator: F5TC (OEM), replace with NGK BP5ES California/Red tank generator:F7TC (OEM), replace with NGK BP7ES It's been posted here before, but I'm going to try to follow the mothman's guide to upgrades and break-in here: http://utahlepidoptera.com/2011/12/23/hello-world/ Now, I notice that the air filter is a fairly puny (to me) block of white foam in the air cleaner housing. Is there an upgraded/better air filter that I could drop in? First off -- thanks all for the info regarding the oil/fogging spray/gas into the spark plug for storage etc.. Now regarding the sprak plug for RED or BLUE top. I have both and when I checked the spark plug number on the RED one - it had the same plug number as the plug that came with my BLUE one.... Wouldn't they still be the same - what would be the diff and why ?? |
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Posted: 1/5/2013 10:29:03 AM EDT
[#50]
I bought one of these units when this was a hot topic. I'm very happy with it, and would like to grab a spare.
Does anyone have a link or the coupon number for the $89 sale? I see them advertised on Ebay with expiration dates of Jan to the end of Feb. but can't find anything online to work with. |
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