Time for a bump... these are great generators.

Mine that I bought back in 2012, red gas tank, is marked 900 watts max / 800 watts continuous. I notice that harbor Freight has downrated them now, listing 900 watts max and 700 watts continuous.  Did they change them, or did they decide the 800 watt rating was too generous?

I ran mine yesterday for the first time (yeah, it sat unfired) for an hour or so to start the break-in process prior to this ice storm that has now fizzled.  I put a little SAE30 motor oil in the plug hole and pulled the starter a few times before reinstalling the plug. When I filled the gas tank and then moved the generator around, it spilled a lot of gas out of the (tight) gas cap.  WTH?  Is the rubber gasket not enough to seal the tank?

I ran it powering a 600 watt heater for an hour. A bit higher than the 50% load they recommend for break-in, but with all my lights being LED or fluorescent, I didn't have anything closer to 300 watts. It ran fine. As the heater cycled off/on, at first the generator sputtered as the load came back online, but by the end of the hour it barely hiccuped as it came online.

I had originally wanted to see if I could run our furnace (gas), but it is rated for about 8 amps, and I'm concerned the voltage drop would damage the furnace control board. So, we plan to use it to power a 600 watt (low power setting) oil radiator heater, lights, battery and cell chargers, and maybe (if power is clean enough) the router. If it isn't clean enough, I'll use it to charge a 12v battery that will run the router.

ETA:  Amazon has https://www.amazon.com/PowerPro-56101-Starting-Portable-Generator/dp/B00J261PGQ which looks like almost the same unit with a voltmeter, 12v output, and rated at 1000/900 watts. $110 with prime shipping.

www.amazon   /PowerPro-56101-Starting-Portable-Generator/dp/B00J261PGQ

Had something very similar.  Wanted something w/ 12V output to run a trolling motor.

ETA:  Edited to remove Vigilink.  My apologies.

so there is a 89$ coupon on the HF website now.  Snatch it up.

Went to the store to buy one of these bad boys and they only had the new tailgator 900w 2 stroke.  Looks identical but I didn't buy because I was hesitant of who manufactured it.  It seems pretty well established that the 69381 (sku) was much better than the 60338 and they were supposedly "identical."  Was concerned it might be the same as 60338 (tank design is different slightly on edges between 69381 and 60338) because the tanks matched between the new one and the junk 60338.  Anyone pick on of these up yet?  Could you tell me who manufactured it (usually on a sticker on the item)?  How you like it etc?

Tailgator genny

I wasn't able to read all 24 pages yet, but..

Broke out the generator for the third time total. First was the year before Sandy, then Sandy, and now.

I had to nurse it with starting fluid to warm up. No biggie.

But I plugged in a 750w heater to test it, and there is no power being generated? Any suggestions?

I went to plug the drill in, and the drill runs! Strange.

Why spinning the drill backward?  

That's dangerous, I'd use a rechargeable drill...

lol.

You do it with magnets, eh?

Makes no difference I'd expect... But the chuck tightens up...

And it's moar tacticool to go backwards...

In the Northern Hemisphere...

Southern Hemisphere I think they have to make the chucks left handed so you'd spin the drill forward.

Meh...

I'd use the battery from a rechargeable drill and touch bare wires to the terminals.

Safer...

Just picked one up for the rain season here to run my sump pump if\when the electricity goes out.

So far -

• Removed spark plug
  
• Put some Marvel Mystery Oil in cylinder
  
• Gave it a few tugs without spark plug
  
• Put the spark plug back
  
• Ran start procedure
  
• Got impatient after 12 pulls as may have put too much oil
  
• Pulled plug and hit it with the smallest squirt of carb cleaner.
  
• Stated up.
  
• Ran for 30 min.
  
• Turned off then moved it to near the kiddy pool I've been using for ducks.
  
• Ran it to drain the pool with the pump below.
  

Ran out of time and put away till I can do more break in.  I plan to get the better spark plug and boot then test\adjust the rpm to get 60Hz.

It's back down to 88.88

Sale $88.88 with coupon 73742005

It's now green and known as "The Tailgator"

Pump I used to drain pool.

Sale $89.99 with coupon 88765163

The linked generator's price is down to $69.10!

Wow - the Dollar must really be up vrs Chicom

WEN 1500W genny with 12VDC

The linked unit cost me $197 in June 2016. Down to $107.xx !!!

Amazing...

The buying sprees on Amazon shot those prices back up amid my wavering on buying one.

My friend works at Lowes. Last winter, a customer walked up to him looking for an LED heat lamp to keep her well pump head from freezing. He asked he why she needed an LED lamp. She said it was more energy efficient.   Some people just can't be helped.

lol!

Muricans!

I'm having a problem with mine. It will run just fine, but it produces no voltage under light loads. When I hook up something heavy like a grinder or variable wattage oil filled heater, it kicks in and produces power. Any ideas?

Eta: I use this one sparingly, it comes out in the summer to power tools. In the winter I'll run it occasionally connected to a load to keep it in good shape. I first noticed this condition a few months ago, and it's gotten worse since.

Edit #2: Replaced the capacitor and it's cured. $5 from China. 11uF +/- 5% 350 vAC 50/60 Hz

Mine has a fuel leak - thought it was just some dirt keeping the needle from seating properly in the carb. Tore it down and cleaned it twice - still leaks.

Was able to buy a complete exact replacement carb new off ebay direct from China for $6.91 with free shipping. How insane does that seem. Have too many rods in the fire at present, will get around to installing it.

 

Get some tygon fuel line to go in at the same time.  The line on them stock sucks and you're going to be in there already.

Noted: I will see if I can't add some to Friday's Amazon Prime order.

https://www.harborfreight.com/900-peak700-running-watts-2-hp-63cc-2-cycle-gas-generator-epacarb-63025.html

Parking lot sale this weekend through 6/11 = $88.99

I got this tailgator back in April. Bought it new and it has been making this noise since about after the first 3hrs of break in time. Thinking it is a bearing. Do you guys think I should replace it under warranty or what are your thoughts? It does currently have about 23hrs on it.

https://youtu.be/cxHQA27jH58

Red one maybe 2 years old.
Fueled...no start after a year.
Need froze closed, a little corrosion on the needle body.
Cleaned and still no start.

Does anyone make a stainless steel needle that works?

Heck yes.
Any noise, return it.

I guess I will see how our store is for exchanging them. It has only been open a few monthes.

My needle would not seat properly after about 40 hrs run time so it would leak and slowly flood.

I was able to order the OEM carb direct from the Chicom mfg via ebay for $6.91 with shipping. I have not yet taken the time to install it yet.

Well, I got my replacement and it wasn't a hassle at all. Already got 4hrs run time on it and it has gone great. I am even running it with the original spark plug in it. It has definitely gotten stronger, just in the 4hrs of running that is on it. When I first started it out of the box, I let it run for 5 minutes to warm up, as per the manual. I plugged in a 500 watt halogen work light as my load and she stumbled hard, but recovered and leveled out. Now, it barely knows when I plug that light in as my break in load. What does everyone else use as their load, for break in?

Just dug mine out for a test run.   It tends to surge unless I give it a little bit of choke.   Anything I should look for to adjust?

Some had an issue with the fuel cap not venting the tank, so run continuously the tank would build up a vacuum stronger than gravity and cause fuel starvation.

I didn't know that...

A complete, brand-new, OEM carburetor - shipped half way around the world - for less than 7 bucks...

Holy shit!

My words exactly - insane. After calling a few local small engine repair shops, a gasket set locally was $10.95. None of the shops had just a needle and seat.

This. Links?

As of today: Price & shipping is a bit different due to fluctuations in exchange rates.

Here is the deal - on ebay.

Price + shipping now is $7.20

True Confessions of an idiot.



With all the generator talk on the board the past couple of weeks I took the weekend to change the oil in my EU2000s and Predator generators.
Ran them for a while under load to warm them up, then drained and refilled the oil.  No problems.

I also wanted to run my little blue HF for a bit under load (30 minutes) to let it stretch its legs and to empty the fuel tank.  I hadn't run it for a couple of months.
It still had fuel in it, I always turn the fuel petcock to let it drain completely when shutting it down.

It fired up on the second pull.  Some white smoke for a bit but it ran just like normal.
Let it heat up for about 5 minutes, then put a 500W halogen light on it and let it run while doing other chores.

After a few minutes it died.

I unplugged the light.
Pulled on the starter and it would start and die immediately, or not start at all.
Lather, rinse, repeat.

I lifted it and could hear some sloshing in the tank so I thought it still had fuel.

I thought, it had been sitting too long with fuel in the tank and a piece of debris got in to the carb.
I removed the spark plug.  It was wet, a little bit of carbon, nothing too bad.  I replaced it anyway.
No joy.

I took off the air cleaner and sprayed carb cleaner down the intake.
Pulled and it caught for a second, then no dice.
So it had spark, it ran off the carb cleaner, but wasn't getting fuel.

I removed the bowl of the carb.  It had some fuel in it, I checked the float for operation, it was OK.
I put the bowl back on and planned to remove the carb, I have a spare for it.
I removed the fuel line from the tank and started to remove the 10mm bolt and nuts to get the tank and air cleaner off.

I realized I hadn't shut off the fuel petcock during trouble shooting, but fuel was not coming out of the tank.
I sloshed it around and a little fuel dribble out...

Doh!

I put everything back together and put about a quart of fuel in the tank.
Pulled the started and it fired right up!


So it had simply run out of fuel, as I wanted it to do, just sooner than I expected.  
And there was still a little left in the tank sloshing around.

Nice way to waste an hour...

Cool story

Been there too...

I got my red Storm Cat in the beginning of 2013 and did the fuel hose, fuel filter (B&S) and the NGK spark plug mods, breaking it in for roughly 14 hours, using ethanol free gas and a 300w floor fan.

I ran it dry as best I could and stored it in a nook in my kitchen, where it sat unused until I started it up right before Irma blew into town, 4 years later.  I have on hand 16 month old ethanol free gas with Stabil added, so I threw a gallon into the tank, then a gallon bottle of Stihl synthetic 2 stroke oil and it started right up on the second/third good pull.  I ran the floor fan for 10 minutes out on the patio, before shutting her down and I was happy.

Didn't need it during the 82 hour power outage, but I did fire her up to run my coffee bean grinder for another 3 minutes.  I'll keep the gas in it for a month, perhaps taking it downstairs and running the fan a bit more.  I don't want to make a mess inside my condo, trying to drain things, but I may look into that.

Chris

How do I adjust the idle speed on this thing?
It seems to be running a lot higher RPM under no load than before.

Is it the black square screw on top of the carb?
That looks like it sets the maximum wide open throttle limit (stops the linkage that opens the throttle plate).
Is there a separate idle adjustment?

Assuming you're talking about the HF 2-stroke generator, it should be running at 3600 RPM all the time, regardless of load.

That's the subject of this thread.  

So back to my question, how do I adjust it?
Because with all the tinkering I did above, something changed.

Under load it purrs, as soon as I remove the load it revs up higher.
It did not do that before.

OK, Looks like it is this top screw by the fuel tank bolts.