Running your generator - Montana Owners Club

ols1932 · 03-30-2009, 04:11 AM

Just thought I'd run something by everyone for your information. We own a Honda 2000i and love it very much. It serves the purpose of allowing us to recharge our batteries when we lack sufficient sun to charge them through the solar panels.

Having said that, I must confess that it's important to run your generator periodically just to make sure that it will run when needed. Because I had back surgery in February 2008, we haven't traveled and had the need for using the generator. Now, when we're getting ready to travel again, I pulled the generator out and tried to start it. No go! It will fire up and die. Will not run and I'm going to have to take it to a dealer to have it repaired. What I'm trying to say is don't let your generator sit for an extended period of time without running it!

Orv

HughM · 03-30-2009, 04:31 AM

Orv, Go to Yahoo.com and look under Groups on the left side. Type in Honda Generators and a web site just for Honda Generators will come up. Many have experienced the same problem and they have a solution for you. They use "Sea Foam" thru the gas tank and it cleared up the problem. I've never purchased Sea Foam but someone else might tell you where to get it.
Hugh

richfaa · 03-30-2009, 04:35 AM

That is good advice. We run ours for 1/2 hour every month. During the winter here in Florida one month it started fine the next month..dead battery that would not hold a charge..

simonsrf · 03-30-2009, 04:41 AM

Orv,

I use my 2000i exactly as you do. I have found that buy using sta-bil in the gas tank every time I fill it, my Honda starts every time.

Not sure if that has a lot to do with it, but has worked for 3 years, and I may not be the best example for generator use, we have only used 3 gallons of gasoline since last October, so the gas could be getting old.

billhoover · 03-30-2009, 04:47 AM

Sta-Bil is great stuff...boats, RVs, generators, chain saws, mowers, etc, I use it every off season. Plus you can get it at Wally World.

Trailer Trash 2 · 03-30-2009, 04:52 AM

I drane all the gas out of the tank and carb when storing it for a long period of time, the new corn fuel we are using dosen't last as long as the gases in the 70's and 80's in my opinion. when I fill it up again to use I have a can of quick start close by, one squirt and it fires right up almost all the time.

**Rondo** · 03-30-2009, 12:23 PM

Orv-- I agree with the idea of the sta-bil! You didn't say how old the fuel was in the generator tank! IF it is over a month to three months old it has gone "flat" as they say! Empty the fuel out and put new in the tank. Put some sta-bil in the tank also for the future. I always use sta-bil in all our small motor items (movers, chainsaws, trimmers and etc)here at the stick and at the farm. I putit in the generators also and still try and start them and let them run about 5 minutes or so each month or so. The sta-bil will keep the gas from "going flat" and will keep the seals and etc in the carb from drying out also.
As I said, I'd try draining the gas out first and them replacing with fresh stuff and choke it first and pull a few times them let set for 5 minutes or so then try starting it as normal.
Watch out for the starting fluid idea-- it can actually blow the head off the small engine if not careful!
Keep us informed on what happens!

HamRad · 03-30-2009, 12:49 PM

Orv,

I ran into the very same situation this past January. We were getting ready for our Q trip and I had the generator on the patio. Tried cranking it and it would not fire. Pulled it about 5 or 6 times. OK..... so the next day I tried again. This time it would fire but not stay running. So.... waited for a day and tried again. After about 3 pulls it starts up but is not running very smoothly. But I let it run for about half an hour. Turned it off and came back the next day. Started up on the first pull and started running more smoothly.

I did this for about 3 days. Every day it would crank up on the first pull. Got to Q and it worked like a champ. But I've learned my lesson. Either put some of the Stabil stuff in it or keep running it on a regular basis. Think I'll go with the running thing.

Good luck.

Dennis

dsprik · 03-30-2009, 01:09 PM

I believe the mfrs (of my Kipor, anyway) recommend running your gen once a month and with a load on it...

exav8tr · 03-30-2009, 01:39 PM

Orv, Thanks for the reminder. What a coincidence. Today the elect went out in the row I am parked in and the electrician suggested I run on gen for awhile. We didn't as the repairman were here and we just shut down and unplugged until they got it fixed, however, I did get the Honda out and started it (4 pulls) and ran it for awhile. Haven't used it since hurricane Ike last summer in Ohio. Love that little red thing!! Again, THANKS for the reminder.

lwcdg · 03-30-2009, 02:13 PM

This is why I bought the LP type when we bought our Honda. I dislike motor troubles. Yes it still needs to be ran monthly or so. I run ours 2 times a year. Not monthly but I've never had a problem. Starts on the first push of the button (inside the rig). I love it when things work.
Chuck

bsmeaton · 03-30-2009, 04:50 PM

One of the few advantages to the LP generator is not having to worry about bad gas.

ehmcfarl · 03-31-2009, 01:22 AM

I use Stabil in all my gasoline powered 4-cycle engines when I am ready to store them during the off season. Just remember to be sure and run the engine a few minuets after you put the Stabil in the gas tank so it can get drawn into the carburetor. The problem with gasoline is after it sits in the carburetor for a period of time it creates a gum or varnish in the carburetor jets that tends to plug off the holes in the jets. This is why you can't get the engine to run when you try to start it. The Stabil in the gasoline keeps the gasoline from breaking down and leaving the gum or varnish in the carburetor. When I am ready to store my gasoline powered equipment for the season I drain almost all the gasoline out of the tank, then I put Stabil in the gasoline tank and run the engine for 3-4 minutes. Then I turn the engine off and drain the rest of the gasoline out of the tank. The gasoline that has been drawn into the carburetor remains there with the Stabil in it to protect the carburetor during storage. This way when I start to use the equipment at the beginning of the next season I have to put fresh gasoline in the tank. The good thing about having LP powered equipment is that the LP gas will not leave this gum or varnish in the carburetor to foul it up and keep it from starting when it is needed. I have had a 25kw LP powered generator at my stick house for 17 years and have never had it not start when it is needed. I do agree that you should start a generator up every few months even if it is LP gas powered. There is a theory, and I can't remember how it goes exactly, that if a generator is not started up and allowed to run every so often that it can allow the magnetic fields in the generator to get messed up and cause it not to produce electricity correctly. I don't know if this is true or not. Someone on here might have some info on this. Note: You don't seem to need to put Stabil in 2-cycle engines. I assume the oil in the gasoline/oil mixture protects the carburetor from getting gummed up.

skypilot · 03-31-2009, 05:08 AM

Buddy: I was trying to find the actual reason why we need to run our generators (with a load) and can't find it now -- I know I read it in the past and from experience with military 3.5 and 5KW generators -- if they were not run with a load at least monthly, they were just big heavy motors that didn't do anything but make a lot of noise. Used to give our generator mechanics fits during REFORGER exercises getting those things going that had been in storage for a year or more. I try to run my little hondas at least monthly but, being honest, I've not been to good lately.

As for the 2 - cycle gas/oil mix -- the last batch I made up was 3 weeks ago for use in my chain saw -- I noticed that the plastic bottle of 2-stroke oil I used indicated that it contained sta-bil as well as the oil. Perhaps that is why -- the manufacturers (bottlers/canners) of the oil are putting that in for us already. Given the price of the container I purchased, there ought to be something more than just oil in it

...

JimF · 03-31-2009, 08:05 AM

I even used Sta-Bil in my car when I stored it while we were on the road (about 6 to 8 months at a time), car would start and run great, doesn't void the warrenty either. To bad the 5 year warrenty expired on time, the car only had 18,000 miles. Anyway, use it in all my gas products for years now and never any problems.

simonsrf · 03-31-2009, 02:15 PM

Brad,

My wife is wondering, if we had an LP generator, would that get rid of my bad gas?

bsmeaton · 03-31-2009, 05:44 PM

hahahahahhaha - I guess if your gas is bad enough - you could be your own cogeneration plant!

Trailer Trash 2 · 03-31-2009, 06:44 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by bsmeaton

hahahahahhaha - I guess if your gas is bad enough - you could be your own cogeneration plant!

Or tap into it and run your own Gen set for free.

richfaa · 04-02-2009, 04:59 AM

Well we have no Off season so we do not worry about storing it. We do run it every month, with a load, the primary reason being to insure that it IS putting out a load. The gen can be running and doing nothing else. We do turn off the fuel and let it run out of fuel after every run to prevent gum up.... We also use the stabilizer not only in the gen but in the gas container we keep the fuel in. That system must be working as we have never had a starting problem..Execpt when the battery went dead but it started on the 3rd pull. To be honest we have little need for a gen in our style of rv'ing. We did use it once in Quartzsite but we were there just so we could say ... we were there.. but we will never go there again. We have used it 3 or 4 times in our driveway when a summer storm knocked out the local power and we moved to the Montana. Actually did not need to as we have another noisier gen for the house. If you need one you need one but we would not do it over again.

alandaudrey · 04-03-2009, 04:41 PM

All generators need to be exercised frequently. Once a week if possible but at the very least once a month. They need to be put under a load to operate to their optimum. I use my electric heater to provide a load. I run 20 minutes at no load, 20 minutes at the low heat setting and 20 minutes at high heat setting and then 20 minutes again at no load for cool down. Keep a run log so you can tell when you operated last, time has a way of getting away from you.

Treat you genny good and it will be there when you need it.

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