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Generator Questions

ECLM
WCF

Help Support WCF:

I assume it's a 4 stroke geny (ie you are not required to add oil to the petrol.) I would expect it to smoke for the first min or so as oil is used during assembly. I wouldn't expect it to smoke for ore than a min maybe 2.

As for vibration, it might be it has less vibrations when it's not just ticking over? Maybe let it warm up, if it has manual choke then when it's warm reduce choke to off. Then apply a load, say something about 500 watts or so and see if the vibrations calm down. If not then speak to seller and ask.

 
Thanks Ched right yes have sorted it did as you said I think it was just minor thing the in(de)structions was not that clear how far to put the choke over but once I put it all the way after about 5mins the smoke disappeared and the steel frame stopped moving.

Really grateful for your help again.

 
Supremely said:
Thanks Ched right yes have sorted it did as you said I think it was just minor thing the in(de)structions was not that clear how far to put the choke over but once I put it all the way after about 5mins the smoke disappeared and the steel frame stopped moving.

Really grateful for your help again.
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If its a cold day choke to full and start allowing the engine to idle with choke for and 1 to 2 minutes with throttling it.

Warm day choke to 1/2 and start. Allow to run for approximately 30 seconds to a minute without throttling it.

Never start a generator with a load attached to it. Start it. Let it warm up then plug in your gutter vac or tools etc

Never switch off a generator with a load running. You'll fry the alternator 

Breaking in 

Use it for a week, drain out the oil and dispose of it. And refill with new fresh oil.

Regular service intervals and preventative maintenance checking all fasteners caps switch and hose will lengthen it's lifespan considerably 

 
Done a couple of jobs with it all so far so good apart from one thing, petrol seems run out really quickly I mean the jobs I have done aren't particularly big but I can barely finish them before I lose power, one thought I had was when the genie's been on for a bit do you leave the fuel leaver on or can you turn it off? if so will that make a difference in consumption or if not is it just normal to keep topping up? (obviously after its cooled down)

 
petrol usage will vary with the amount of power you are pulling. Is the tank quite small?

Make sure the choke is off as it uses much more fuel on choke. So choke is just to get it warmed up.

As you say only fill up when cooled down. It's way too easy to splash petrol onto the exhaust and ignite it!!

 
The genies I have had will run for at least 3-4 hours on a tank full and that only holds around a gallon or less so something doesnt that sound right to me , my v twin pressure washer running flat out will go for a whole morning without re fueling we fill at lunch time and it takes about 2:5 gallons 

 
Yeah it was only a thought not surprised by not turning the fuel leaver off, tank is smallish and I do fill it, I think maybe its the choke that I need to sort what've I been doing is having the choke off at the start for about 30secs then slowly moving it up but then I just leave it on so it sounds like once been going for what 5-10 mins more or less? then turn the choke back to off is that right?

 
Supremely said:
Yeah it was only a thought not surprised by not turning the fuel leaver off, tank is smallish and I do fill it, I think maybe its the choke that I need to sort what've I been doing is having the choke off at the start for about 30secs then slowly moving it up but then I just leave it on so it sounds like once been going for what 5-10 mins more or less? then turn the choke back to off is that right?
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You should have choke ON to start then after 30 sec to a min choke OFF.

If you can see the choke flap in the carb ON is when the flap is closed off limiting the amount of air that can enter the combustion chamber therefore making a rich mixture. You only need a rich mixture to help startup. If you have choke on while running you will use way more petrol, produce less power and potentially foul up the spark plug (foul as in you get a carbon build up that shorts out the plug).

You will be using lots more petrol with the choke ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fuel tap needs to be ON as that is to allow the flow of petrol to the carb. It's more a tap for transportation or when you need to remove the tank for maintenance you don't need to drain it.

 
Supremely said:
Yeah it was only a thought not surprised by not turning the fuel leaver off, tank is smallish and I do fill it, I think maybe its the choke that I need to sort what've I been doing is having the choke off at the start for about 30secs then slowly moving it up but then I just leave it on so it sounds like once been going for what 5-10 mins more or less? then turn the choke back to off is that right?
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If it’s a Honda put the choke on full , within 30 seconds of it starting you should turn it off completely, if you are running it with the choke partly on al, the time you will soot it up badly 

Supremely said:
Its quite small 3.6L
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That should run for 2:5- 3:5 hours on that 

 
Do you know I went by the instructions which were really useless in general tbh, but I thought at the time it should be other way round like in the old days with cars, no wonder I've been having problems, thank-you to Ched, PJJ and Part Timer for your help with this, much appreciated guys.

 
Supremely said:
Done a couple of jobs with it all so far so good apart from one thing, petrol seems run out really quickly I mean the jobs I have done aren't particularly big but I can barely finish them before I lose power, one thought I had was when the genie's been on for a bit do you leave the fuel leaver on or can you turn it off? if so will that make a difference in consumption or if not is it just normal to keep topping up? (obviously after its cooled down)
Click to expand...
With respect you need to do some homework with regards to generators and small engines 

To fuel tap needs to be on for running and off for not in use and storage 

It's not there for fuel efficiency. You wouldn't turn your cars fuel down to save it.

You'll starve the carb and engine which will in turn kill it

What generator do you have?

Is it new or old?

Whats It's maximum wattage rating 

What's It's listed power output? 

What size load are you running?

If its new or old you can use a fuel preserver and additive which maintains and sometimes improves efficiency

Briggs and stratton made a good 100ml additive shot. Homebase nationwide had them on sale for nearly pence due to end of line stock  

 
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I get what you mean APW but I did do some research the video you kindly put up for one thing, I also looked at several other vids for Honda Gens bits and pieces how to do things typically though its never the actual machine you have.

Unfortunately I think I paid too much attention to the really bad manual and didn't employ more common sense it was quite generic and the diagrams were poor and confusing but maybe that's the norm?? 

The machine itself is a Honda 2.7kva 2.2KW which powers an Atom which is what I have, interesting tip on the preserver will look at that.

Thanks for your advice

 
Supremely said:
I get what you mean APW but I did do some research the video you kindly put up for one thing, I also looked at several other vids for Honda Gens bits and pieces how to do things typically though its never the actual machine you have.

Unfortunately I think I paid too much attention to the really bad manual and didn't employ more common sense it was quite generic and the diagrams were poor and confusing but maybe that's the norm?? 

The machine itself is a Honda 2.7kva 2.2KW which powers an Atom which is what I have, interesting tip on the preserver will look at that.

Thanks for your advice
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No problem mate. So what you have is classed in my Terminology is your typical builders generator.

If I'm correct the skyvac Atom is 1600 watts and your generator normal running output is 2200 watts 

With your generators fuel tank being so small it's normal for you to be burning fuel as you've listed. You need to only engage the choke when starting only and no more than 20 / 30s as we are heading in to winter and colder days.

Nearly all generator specifications quote running times on 3/4 load which is unrealistic and misleading.

So from knowledge your generator will under normal conditions burn through 3L of fuel in 3.1 hours at 75%, And with the only current limiting of the skyvac being a 13 amp fuse and it being a resistive load due to suction draw and strain your going through fuel a little quicker than normal so 2.5 hours or realistically 2 hours per 3L 




 
Last edited by a moderator:
Ok so I've done a few since last post using a gennie and I'm averaging 1hr 20 mins using all the advice people have helped me with here, not great but an improvement from before however today I barely got an hour because I had a job with a lot of leaves and muck blocking up the poles and vac so spent quite a bit of time intermittently clearing it out but all the while gennie is going, so my question now is can it be turned off each time I have to do this? obviously observing the process of disconnecting the load etc each time.   

 
Supremely said:
Ok so I've done a few since last post using a gennie and I'm averaging 1hr 20 mins using all the advice people have helped me with here, not great but an improvement from before however today I barely got an hour because I had a job with a lot of leaves and muck blocking up the poles and vac so spent quite a bit of time intermittently clearing it out but all the while gennie is going, so my question now is can it be turned off each time I have to do this? obviously observing the process of disconnecting the load etc each time.   
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Just leave the generator running. Turning it on and off with actually use more fuel. The same principle as starting and stopping a car. Just recap on what exact generator model you have and vac? Are you sure you turn the choke off all the way and the fuel pep ccok fully open 

 

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