Exercise Generator

[Andrew1972]

After a couple 1 week+ power outages and montly outages we broke down to purchase a generator. Of course power no longer occur I think because tree limbs finally all broke around lines.

How often should I exercise the generator? I tend to run 1-1.5 per year by putting maybe cup of gasoline and plugging in hot plate(2000W) and run till empty. Its a 6800W nominal Rigid with Yahama motor if that matters.

 

[The_Jeff]

That'll work. When it dies put the choke on (with no electric load) and crank it to get the last sputter out.

With how little you use it, a cup a year, I'd get some LL100 aviation fuel, or at least that "real gas" from OPE vendors. Sta-bil-ized unleaded just isn't as good.

 

[javacontour]

I run mine about once a month. I start it, let it warm and run a 1500w heater for 15 minutes.

I turn off the heater and close the gas valve, letting it run out.

I have the tank filled with a double dose of stabil treated fuel and what I've not used goes into one of the kids cars in the fall for a fresh batch of fuel.

I've had my generator for about 9 or 10 years now and it runs great.

 

[Blueskies123]

My gas tank still have several ounces of gas even after running dry. I push a rag into the tank and fish it out with a long screw driver.

 

[Brad_C]

I run mine every 2 years. Put fuel in it, run it up slowly to full load for half an hour, change the oil, drain the fuel and empty the float bowl, teaspoon of oil in the cylinder, pull it over a couple of times and leave it on the compression stroke to make sure the valves are closed.

If I need to use it I pull it out, fuel it up and provided I don't put more than 20 odd hours on it I just drain it and store it until the next periodic oil change.

 

[tig1]

I run my 5KW every 3-5 months for 30 minutes with two electric heaters.

 

[Astro_Guy]

I run mine without load every 3-4 months just to make sure it starts easily when needed. Always use Sta-Bil gas treatment and never let the gas get more than a year old. Every fall I run it under load for at least a half hour or until the gas runs out, then I change the oil.

 

[Whimsey]

Originally Posted By: tig1
I run my 5KW every 3-5 months for 30 minutes with two electric heaters.


Same here. Though I have a manual transfer switch it gets better "exercise" with the 2 heaters to balance out the load. Just make sure you take the load off the generator before you turn it off or let it run out of fuel. Otherwise you can harm the generator. I don't run the carburetor dry. I've never had a problem in the last 3 years of owning it by running it every 3-5 months under load. It always starts on the 2nd pull without fail.

Whimsey

 

[cronk]

I run mine every 5 or 6 weeks for 20-30 minutes with a 1500 watt heater for load.
I buy non ethanol gas (can only get 91 octane here without ethanol)
and treat it with Marvel mystery oil and sometimes a little Seafoam. Never have drained fuel tank or run it dry, I just make sure what gas is in it, I run through it during the year.

 

[Errtt]

I run mine every month (if not used for something else, i.e. outages) usually over a half hour, up to an hour and vary the load usually 1/2-3/4 rated load.
I keep the blue marine Stabil in the gas.
Using Rotella 5w-40 oil (book calls 10w30).

 

[DBMaster]

You are all on to something. I was once responsible for maintaining diesel backup generators for my company. The service company I used recommended an annual load bank operation. The "load bank" was basically a trailer mounted electric resistance heating coil. So, you don't need to do it that often (full load). We used to power the office building every Monday, for an hour, as exercise.

The generators in question were both Caterpillar brand. One was 2,000 kW and the other was 350 kW.

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: tig1
I run my 5KW every 3-5 months for 30 minutes with two electric heaters.


Here is a pic of my last run.

 

[Astro_Guy]

Originally Posted By: DBMaster
You are all on to something. I was once responsible for maintaining diesel backup generators for my company. The service company I used recommended an annual load bank operation.

Load banking is something necessary with diesel generators that may not be exercised at more than 50% load. This is to prevent a condition called wet stacking, which can eventually cause extreme damage to the prime mover. Google the term "wet stacking" for more info. I don't believe it is necessary to exercise a gas powered generator under any specific load conditions. These exercise cycles are more about keeping the engine lubricated and the battery charged than they are about burning off un-burned fuel or other exhaust deposits.

That being said, I would still run the generator under load at least once per season before servicing it for the winter. Exercising it under load more often than that is probably unnecessary.