In 1999 with the approaching 2000 “millennium” paranoia that everything would grind to a halt including hydro, I used this great opportunity and purchased a generator to keep things going at my residence. The New Year came and went and I was left with a new Honda EZ2500 generator ready to keep the furnace going until I ran out of furnace oil or gasoline whichever came first. I have since moved from that residence to my farm and brought with me the generator which is located in the shop, again all ready to go in the event of another black out, which now happens a half dozen times a year.
Generators like everything else come in all sizes from very small and portable to tractor three-point mounted units and on to stand-alone units with built-in engines powered by gas, diesel, propane or natural gas.
No matter what the size, though, it seems that the biggest problem with generators is their lack of use. If I haven’t used mine I start it up by-monthly for 15 minutes and go over it at least once a year in the fall. The manufacturer will advise on the service schedule for oil change and air filter cleaning (replacement) which is pretty straight forward.
I start my maintenance with a good dusting off and visual check for any damage to finish or wiring. Then I check the air filter. If yours is a foam type you simply wash it out with varsal, squeeze it dry, apply a light coating of WD40 over the air intake side of the filter and re-install. Mine has both a paper element and an outer foam removable element. After I take the filter off the carburetor I remove the foam and wash in detergent and water, dry if off and spray with WD40. With the paper, I bang it upside down on a flat surface and give it a blow out with minimal air pressure. If the paper is dark from extended circumstances this doesn’t work and a replacement is in order.
Next, I remove the spark plug and check the gap (space between the electrodes), and overall condition and colour. The colour of the sparkplug will reveal how well combustion is taking place in your engine.
If the colour is a brown to grayish tan everything is running properly. Black and oily would indicate that oil is bypassing the valve guides or piston rings; this is usually accompanied by a dark exhaust and hard starting. White flakey is showing high heat from the wrong type of gas (too high octane or fuel supplements such as ethanol causing higher than normal combustion temperature). There are a number of engines out there that are not compatible with ethanol fuels and using them will cause premature wear of “O” rings and combustion components. Using ether to start an engine can cause damage as well. With its dry characteristics and high burn temperatures, ether can cause immediate abnormal wear on all components; its use in engines not designed for ether should be discouraged. Another indicator of high temperatures is if the electrode is burnt or cracked. This is a result of a lean fuel mixture (low fuel/air) or the incorrect spark plug is being used. Always use the recommended spark plug type; incorrect plugs can result in catastrophic engine damage. Using the proper spark plug gap tool keeps the maintenance simple having all tools in one — thickness gauges, scraper, brush and electrode adjuster.
As with all engines the fuel tank should be kept full. If the engine is being stored for 1-2 months I add fuel stabilizer to prevent fuel breakdown. Keeping the tank full will help prevent condensation from forming as a result of the rise and fall in temperature. It also keeps fuel in the system preventing the seals and gaskets from drying out. When a stabilizer is needed I always use a brand with de-emulsifiers which will cause the fuel to separate from any water. As the water molecule is larger than that of the fuel, water in the system will stretch the injector orifice resulting in poor ignition, fouling problems, smoky exhaust and general poor operation. Water in aspirated (carburetor) engines isn’t as crucial and small amounts will simply pass through the system but it doesn’t help either.
When you start the generator it’s a good idea to check all receptacles for proper output with a volt meter.
Most appliances just plug into the gen set as you would with a wall outlet. However, if you are going to use it to plug into your wall system on a power outage you should take direction from an electrician as some very crucial points have to be followed. I had a conversation with a local hydro worker who encountered a situation where a gen set was wired into a farm without the proper cut out switch allowing ‘back feed’ and the supposed dead roadside hydro lines were activated with potentially fatal results to the utility workers.
I have taken my gen set with me to various jobs many times and it has always performed as a three-pull start unit. It’s nice to know it’s there and ready to work if the situation calls for it.
- Dan Kerr