Just a reminder for those with portable generators to run them for at least 20 minutes under a load (50% to 80% rated output) every 3 months or so.
Running under a load keeps the engine and dynamo lubed and prevents “wet stacking” a carbon buildup that can occur when the engine does not reach peak operating temp.
Operation under a load also maintains the magnetic field, which ensures peak advertised output. If you let a genny sit for a few years, the field could diminish to less than 15% which is very very bad. A 5000 Watt genny might only put out 750W if the field is not maintained. The good news is even if the field has lost 75% of it’s mojo, running the genny under a 80% load will usually get it back up to peak output again.
It is also a good idea because during an outage is the worst time to find out a rodent chewed a wire or a cheap ass chinese fuel line dried out and is sucking air, or the worst, a gacked up carb from ethanol laced fuel is hemorrhaging gasoline out the air filter and your genny goes up in smoke… Over the years, every one of those things happened to me with various generators.
When u r done, unplug the load, continue running the genny for 5 to 10 minutes (cool down) and then shut off the fuel ballcock and let the carb run dry. This will help prevent fuel gelling in the carb.
WARNING: DO NOT turn the genny off while it is under a load. Doing so may fry the AVR or cook a commutator.
That’s a biggie. A gacked up carb, because gas was allowed to sit in it. It’s so important to run them regularly, to keep things clear. I’ve seem this problem, more often than once, with Gennys.
That’s why, when I got my existing genny, I went propane. Didn’t want the gacked carb or worry about storing and treating multiple 5 gallon jugs of gas. With multiple tanks of propane stored, I don’t have to worry about gas going bad.
I do have a gas genny on the RV, and when it sits for a while, I’ll run it under half load, to keep purring along, like every other month.
I will eventually get a tri fuel carb kit, just good sense to have it on hand. My only complaint about propane is effciency. eg a 10KW watt gasoline generator only puts out 8KW when hooked up to propane. but propane is better than 0 Watts
Run Sea Foam through your gas generator (or any other gas powered equipment that you don’t run regularly). It preserves gasoline and counter acts the ill effects of ethanol. The stuff works really well, I’ve had engines sit for a year with it in the fuel and they fire up like they were run yesterday. No gummed up carburetors , no water in the fuel from the ethanol, no swelled up seals in the carburetor from the ethanol. I also run it in every tank on my two cycle equipment to prevent carbon buildup on the valves.