Generators

Do you have to run a load when testing to make sure it's up and running ?

 

If testing for voltage with an average load, yes. If just running the engine every so often, no.

 

I have a 9000 running watt duel fuel champion, i have it wired to a transfer switch. When i test it I hook it up to the house and transfer my water heater to it. Then i run hot water until the water heater turns on. i run the genny for as long as it takes for the water heater to recover. This gives me the peace of mind that the genny is working right and gets the engine hot and OIL hot enough to evaporate any moisture that could have gotten into the oil.... I test it bimonthlyish like this

 

As said above; no load is needed to test the engine but to test the generator fully I always put a decent load on it. This makes sure that it generates power AND that the engine is well enough tuned to turn the generator under load.

KaptJaq

 

Another thing to remember with any generator... they do not like heat. The windings on the gen end can be destroyed fast when a genny doesn't have enough cooling air around it. I smoked one 120 volt side of a 9000 watt unit during the ice storm in 98, it ran steadily for 5 days... thankfully, it hung on with the other 120 volt side. When I took it to a gen service place, that's what the culpret was... lack of enough cooling air... the techs said it was 90 % of the problem when the engines run like a top, but no power. Windings are toast. Usually from the generator running in a small shed/enclosure.

 

Run it loaded for at least 15 minutes. You want to get the engine fully warmed up.

 

Thank you appreciate the advice. I ran it for an hour with a work lite hooked up for a quick test . I think later on I'll do a whole house test . I also run synthetic oil 10 w 30 . Thanks again

 

I run my stick welder off the Gen with 220 during the year when needed. Makes everything portable and tested during off time.

 

Plug in like a shop vac and leave running or an electric space heater when running it those will put a decent load on most moderate to small genneys.

I dont test mine that often or just run it. I cranked mine last weekend to try to run my air compressor. Just wanted to check it as it was not turning over with the extension cord. Wanted to rule out the cord. It was just too cold to start. Anyone know a source for the winter weight oil the manual references. It says 10w does anyone run 10w30 in their compressor?
To be clear I am talking oil for my compressor not the generator.

 

One of the reason you want to test your generator under load is the Cycles per second are depend on the rpm's of the engine. If the engine bogs down to far under load the CPS will be off. This is important if you are running motors or other devices that could be sensitive to the CPS. I have a small meter I bought on ebay and wired a plug to it and just plug into one of the outlets on the generator for testing that reads the frequency.

 

Cycles per second aka hz, or hertz

 

Back when I had no heat in the shop I used a magnetic heater on the air compressor when I new I was going to use it, worked good.

 

I thought about those but often I dont plan when I will use it.

 

Found this
"Get rid of that straight 30 wt oil and put in a 5w-30 Mobil 1. I have done that to all my compressors and all start in the cold no problem. My 60 gallon, 4 gallon and 2 gallon. Campbell Hausfeld recommends 10w-30 Mobil 1, I bumped it down to 5w...


Only Chevron or Mobil synthetic in my compressor!? | Heavy Equip. and Industrial Oils | Bob Is The Oil Guy

Air Compressor Oil | Lawn Mower and Small Engine | Bob Is The Oil Guy

Go by a quart of oil, drain the oil in your compressor, re fill with the new stuff, open the water drain valve on the tank and let it run for a minute or two. Drain the oil again and re-fill. I do that to make sure I flush out as much of the old oil with any contaminates in it."

 

This is a brand new HF compressor.

It actually has only cycled once. I was wondering that if it was not totally broken in yet as well.

 

I thought that you were not suppose to use the multi weight oil in compressors? Something about carbon on parts or something? But synthetic also does not carbon up either.

 

That is true. If lost, the magnetism can be restored by flashing the field, but who wants to figure out how to do that?

 

Flashing what, dont EVEN think about flashing me...