Posted: 9/20/2014 5:55:10 PM EDT
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A confession: until today I had not started my Honda 2000, converted by CMD to tri-fuel, since Sandy in October 2012. On the bright side, it started on 5-6 pulls.
I understand that the CW is to start a generator every month, but I wonder what the reason is and the details. According to Honda, starting it every month lubricates the engine, gets fresh gas into the carb and recharges the battery. Two of those three don't apply to me, so is the reason just to get oil moving through the engine? Also, how long should it be run for, and should it be under load? I have always heard under load, but I'm not sure why. I gather it is to simply test that the generator is making power? Finally, how often do people change the oil when it hasn't been used (other than the once a month start, I guess). The interval seems to be 6 months, but it seems wasteful to throw out oil with only 5 hours on it. I suppose it is cheap insurance? |
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I run both my generators on the first of the month for about ten minutes. I just check to see if its making power. Change the oil once a year, in the spring when we change the clocks. Bingo. I plug in an old vacuum I don't use and just let it run so it puts the generator aspect under a load. |
mine is not multi fuel... I fire it up at the beginning of hurricane season, and plug the bench grinder for a load... oil is Mobil 1 full synthetic... a primer bulb siphon system is used which feeds directly from a 5 gal can, so don't use the tank (and have to drain)... I unhook the fuel line at the brass fitting, and allow the float bowl to run dry
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Two options... Run it out of gas and "winterize" or start it once every or every other month. I run mine for 10~15 mine every other month or so and change the oil every year or so. With the ethanol in gas I have found its better to run it often vs. dry, because the rubber and gaskets are ether negatively effected from ethanol or they just aren't made like they used to.
I keep a spare carb kit or two on hand, and in some cases a new carb is just what the engine doctor ordered. 
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Quoted:
I understand that the CW is to start a generator every month, but I wonder what the reason is and the details. According to Honda, starting it every month lubricates the engine, gets fresh gas into the carb and recharges the battery. Two of those three don't apply to me, so is the reason just to get oil moving through the engine? It also helps keep the cylinder walls from rusting. Even though the engine is aluminum, the inside of the cylinder is a cast-iron sleeve - which can form rust if it's not used occasionally. How long should it be run for, and should it be under load? Long enough to bring the engine up to normal operating temperature. This helps evaporate any moisture in the oil. "Exercising" it with a sizable electrical load is good, because (1.) it brings the engine up to operating temperature much quicker, and (2.) helps keep the spark plug from fouling due to running rich. |
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A confession: until today I had not started my Honda 2000, converted by CMD to tri-fuel, since Sandy in October 2012. On the bright side, it started on 5-6 pulls. I understand that the CW is to start a generator every month, but I wonder what the reason is and the details. According to Honda, starting it every month lubricates the engine, gets fresh gas into the carb and recharges the battery. Two of those three don't apply to me, so is the reason just to get oil moving through the engine? Also, how long should it be run for, and should it be under load? I have always heard under load, but I'm not sure why. I gather it is to simply test that the generator is making power? Finally, how often do people change the oil when it hasn't been used (other than the once a month start, I guess). The interval seems to be 6 months, but it seems wasteful to throw out oil with only 5 hours on it. I suppose it is cheap insurance? Meh, I'm not anal on stuff like that and instead of applying the owner's manual, I apply common sense. I'll go a year or two with the Wacker light tower or the Honda's, etc, and excavators, machinery, if not being used much or hard. Same issue with vehicles, the daily driver gets regular maintenance. When they work hard, then they get attention. Works for me for a long long time, but some folks seem to need something to keep them busy.
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Meh, I'm not anal on stuff like that and instead of applying the owner's manual, I apply common sense. I'll go a year or two with the Wacker light tower or the Honda's, etc, and excavators, machinery, if not being used much or hard. Same issue with vehicles, the daily driver gets regular maintenance. When they work hard, then they get attention. Works for me for a long long time, but some folks seem to need something to keep them busy.
Quoted:
Quoted:
A confession: until today I had not started my Honda 2000, converted by CMD to tri-fuel, since Sandy in October 2012. On the bright side, it started on 5-6 pulls. I understand that the CW is to start a generator every month, but I wonder what the reason is and the details. According to Honda, starting it every month lubricates the engine, gets fresh gas into the carb and recharges the battery. Two of those three don't apply to me, so is the reason just to get oil moving through the engine? Also, how long should it be run for, and should it be under load? I have always heard under load, but I'm not sure why. I gather it is to simply test that the generator is making power? Finally, how often do people change the oil when it hasn't been used (other than the once a month start, I guess). The interval seems to be 6 months, but it seems wasteful to throw out oil with only 5 hours on it. I suppose it is cheap insurance? Meh, I'm not anal on stuff like that and instead of applying the owner's manual, I apply common sense. I'll go a year or two with the Wacker light tower or the Honda's, etc, and excavators, machinery, if not being used much or hard. Same issue with vehicles, the daily driver gets regular maintenance. When they work hard, then they get attention. Works for me for a long long time, but some folks seem to need something to keep them busy.
Yeah, I'm kind of torn as to whether lugging it out and starting it 12 times a year is more likely to damage it (like by dropping it, etc.) than just leaving it in my basement. It is stored under good conditions, and started relatively easily after almost 2 years of sitting without being run at all. |
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Yeah, I'm kind of torn as to whether lugging it out and starting it 12 times a year is more likely to damage it (like by dropping it, etc.) than just leaving it in my basement. It is stored under good conditions, and started relatively easily after almost 2 years of sitting without being run at all. Ouch I just realized I'm in the same boat. Bought a tri-fuel kit and hoses, etc. but never installed it. EU2000 has never been started and I've probably had mine for about 2 years as well. Running it every month is not a realistic option for me. Would it be better to just leave it dry or fire it up 1-2 times a year with a little gas and run it until dry? I would be using only ethanol-free fuel. What else can be done to properly winterize the unit, assuming you do it once a year? |
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Ouch I just realized I'm in the same boat. Bought a tri-fuel kit and hoses, etc. but never installed it. EU2000 has never been started and I've probably had mine for about 2 years as well. Running it every month is not a realistic option for me. Would it be better to just leave it dry or fire it up 1-2 times a year with a little gas and run it until dry? I would be using only ethanol-free fuel. What else can be done to properly winterize the unit, assuming you do it once a year? Quoted:
Quoted:
Yeah, I'm kind of torn as to whether lugging it out and starting it 12 times a year is more likely to damage it (like by dropping it, etc.) than just leaving it in my basement. It is stored under good conditions, and started relatively easily after almost 2 years of sitting without being run at all. Ouch I just realized I'm in the same boat. Bought a tri-fuel kit and hoses, etc. but never installed it. EU2000 has never been started and I've probably had mine for about 2 years as well. Running it every month is not a realistic option for me. Would it be better to just leave it dry or fire it up 1-2 times a year with a little gas and run it until dry? I would be using only ethanol-free fuel. What else can be done to properly winterize the unit, assuming you do it once a year? Put a little sta-bil in it, and it can keep the gas in the carb for at least 6 months. We have generators that sit for at least a year with treated fuel, always starts up. |
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Ouch I just realized I'm in the same boat. Bought a tri-fuel kit and hoses, etc. but never installed it. EU2000 has never been started and I've probably had mine for about 2 years as well. Running it every month is not a realistic option for me. Would it be better to just leave it dry or fire it up 1-2 times a year with a little gas and run it until dry? I would be using only ethanol-free fuel. What else can be done to properly winterize the unit, assuming you do it once a year? Quoted:
Quoted:
Yeah, I'm kind of torn as to whether lugging it out and starting it 12 times a year is more likely to damage it (like by dropping it, etc.) than just leaving it in my basement. It is stored under good conditions, and started relatively easily after almost 2 years of sitting without being run at all. Ouch I just realized I'm in the same boat. Bought a tri-fuel kit and hoses, etc. but never installed it. EU2000 has never been started and I've probably had mine for about 2 years as well. Running it every month is not a realistic option for me. Would it be better to just leave it dry or fire it up 1-2 times a year with a little gas and run it until dry? I would be using only ethanol-free fuel. What else can be done to properly winterize the unit, assuming you do it once a year? I don't use gasoline in mine at all and don't winterize it, but I do store it in my basement so that if I lose power when it is cold, I'll be starting an engine that is 65 degrees and not 20-30 degrees. I also switched to synthetic oil, which is supposed to be better for cold starting. |
| What are some high load appliances that one can you on the genie when you are doing Maintenance? Seems like I can only find my wife's hair dryer, 1200 watt to run on it. I've got a 7500 watt genie and would like to load it up for around 10 minutes a month. I guess I could always go by some ceramic heaters to use? |
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Yep, electric space heaters work great for "exercising" a generator.
Unlike a hair dryer, electric skillet, waffle iron, toaster, etc., it'll run continuously without overheating. For all but the smallest generators, a small window air conditioner also works great. Set it for max cool so that it doesn't cycle on and off. |
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Yep, electric space heaters work great for "exercising" a generator. Unlike a hair dryer, electric skillet, waffle iron, toaster, etc., it'll run continuously without overheating. For all but the smallest generators, a small window air conditioner also works great. Set it for max cool so that it doesn't cycle on an off. Electric STRIP heaters can be found cheap at the used building materials places. |