# Generator Test



## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

Does anyone have any SOP or OI's in regards to gen test?


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## brownb (Jun 10, 2012)

What are you trying to test on your generator. Is it hard wired to the house with a transfer switch or is it portable?


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## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

Thanks Brown. It is portable. Sorta like date, oil check, fuel check, Thanks


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## partdeux (Aug 3, 2011)

funny story told by a friend of mine.

He was at GM engineering center, which was protected by a huge turbine powered generator. Power went out, gen set powered up and ran for 30 minutes... right up until it shut down. Apparently they tested it each and every month, and it worked perfectly. BUT, nowhere in the SOP did it require fuel tank levels be checked, DOH!


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## smaj100 (Oct 17, 2012)

ComputerGuy,

I power mine up every 2-4 weeks. I also hook it up to the pool pump, portable lights and heater or plug it into the house and drive it with a load for a least 30 mins most of time an hour. When i'm done, I shut the fuel off and let it run out of the carb completly. Then add more fresh gas with stabilizer in it. I change the oil every 6 months, might be a little over kill but, I want it to last. so far 9 years and still running strong.


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## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

smaj100 said:


> ComputerGuy,
> 
> I power mine up every 2-4 weeks. I also hook it up to the pool pump, portable lights and heater or plug it into the house and drive it with a load for a least 30 mins most of time an hour. When i'm done, I shut the fuel off and let it run out of the carb completly. Then add more fresh gas with stabilizer in it. I change the oil every 6 months, might be a little over kill but, I want it to last. so far 9 years and still running strong.


Thank you very much. I appreciate it. I run mine every 2 weeks for 1 hour. Tonight I am running it for 4 hours.

Just looking for a standard. Thank you again and I appreciate your impute.


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## partdeux (Aug 3, 2011)

it's critical to not only run it, but make sure it's electrically loaded down.


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## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

partdeux said:


> it's critical to not only run it, but make sure it's electrically loaded down.


And how do you do that?


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## Moby76065 (Jul 31, 2012)

ComputerGuy said:


> Thank you very much. I appreciate it. I run mine every 2 weeks for 1 hour. Tonight I am running it for 4 hours.
> 
> Just looking for a standard. Thank you again and I appreciate your impute.


I was a machinery tech (mos) in the Coast Guard. Every two weeks is a bit over board. Not likely to hurt, but more than you need.

Monthly is probably more than you need but a monthly run for 20 minuets will ensure it's ready when you need it. Be sure and use a fuel stabilizer. And change you fuel supply cans every few months.


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## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

Thank you Moby. Can you answer the load question?


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## partdeux (Aug 3, 2011)

ComputerGuy said:


> And how do you do that?


find something or multiple devices that load the generator. Or if it's hooked to the whole house, test your transfer device.

Last time I used mine, which was way too long ago, I had it running a power washer, making sure to use it on both legs.


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## VUnder (Sep 1, 2011)

Also, use gas without alcohol. Many stores here advertise that they sell pure gasoline, no alcohol. It is fine in the fuel injected vehicles, but I have a lot of old things with carbs on them, and the alcohol is not good for them, especially in cold weather. I had a problem with my 77 F700 crane truck last week. Seems that the alcohol ends up in the carb and doesn't have quite enough umph to start in cold weather. Also, the alcohol is very hard on the rubber parts in a fuel system. Bad on all carburetor engines. Chain saws, lawn mowers, weed eaters, generators, old tractors and pickups too. 

On the day I needed to set those beams, my carb on the crane was leaking gas badly. I hadn't cranked it in a few weeks. I had to spend my morning taking that huge governor four barrel off and hoping I could find some parts for that old thing in town somewhere. I got it back together and was setting beams by ten am. But, I had filled it up last at a gasohol station, and I had problems. I usually fill several cans somewhere and fill it with pure gas with a little oil added. Then I had no brakes whatsoever. Went to down shift the two speed and it hung in neutral, so I really didn't have brakes then, and missed my turn and had to find a place to shut it all down. It is all fixed now.


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## SlobberToofTigger (Dec 27, 2011)

I have three gensets. Two are gas and one is LP.

The gas ones are operated at least every 2 months with a load. If I am actually using them I replace the oil (I use only synthetic), spark plug, and air filters. If it is just a test run I run through a 1/4 tank of fuel and then do not refill. I always leave the tank and carb empty. All fuel is always alcohol free and I always use sta-bil even for the test runs. Every year the oil, spark plug and filter is replaced.

The LP genset is tested every three months with a load. Every year the oil, spark plug and filter is replaced.


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## VUnder (Sep 1, 2011)

SlobberToofTigger said:


> I have three gensets. Two are gas and one is LP.
> 
> The gas ones are operated at least every 2 months with a load. If I am actually using them I replace the oil (I use only synthetic), spark plug, and air filters. If it is just a test run I run through a 1/4 tank of fuel and then do not refill. I always leave the tank and carb empty. All fuel is always alcohol free and I always use sta-bil even for the test runs. Every year the oil, spark plug and filter is replaced.
> 
> The LP genset is tested every three months with a load. Every year the oil, spark plug and filter is replaced.


Does the LP stay a lot cleaner? Is it a lot longer before the engine oil turns dark? On trucks and tractors it seems to be a lot cleaner.


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## partdeux (Aug 3, 2011)

Friend of mine in NY just outside the city was trying to get a crash course on generators. He just wasn't getting that he's not going to run his house on a portable generator.


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## SlobberToofTigger (Dec 27, 2011)

VUnder said:


> Does the LP stay a lot cleaner? Is it a lot longer before the engine oil turns dark? On trucks and tractors it seems to be a lot cleaner.


Is much cleaner. My oil never goes dark even when I have to run it for quite a while. The air cleaner never seems to get dirty and the spark plug looks just barely used. Also the LP generator produces about 40% less CO then the gasoline generators.

When you add in the fact that the fuel does not go bad you pretty much have all of the reasons I went to a propane fueled generator.


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## zombieresponder (Aug 20, 2012)

SlobberToofTigger said:


> Is much cleaner. My oil never goes dark even when I have to run it for quite a while. The air cleaner never seems to get dirty and the spark plug looks just barely used. Also the LP generator produces about 40% less CO then the gasoline generators.
> 
> When you add in the fact that the fuel does not go bad you pretty much have all of the reasons I went to a propane fueled generator.


Downside to running a gasoline engine on NG or LP is the loss of power. I think NG produces something like 75% of rated hp from a gasoline engine, and LP produces a little more. Of course, if you're buying a NG or LP genset, that's not an issue.


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## SlobberToofTigger (Dec 27, 2011)

zombieresponder said:


> Downside to running a gasoline engine on NG or LP is the loss of power. I think NG produces something like 75% of rated hp from a gasoline engine, and LP produces a little more. Of course, if you're buying a NG or LP genset, that's not an issue.


That is a really good point that the folks who sell the conversion kits do not cover very well. I bought mine already plumed for LP or NG so knew ahead of time its output. I did look at a tri-fuel conversion kit for the generator I replaced with this one and it was the loss of output that made me buy a new generator that came from the factory built for LP.


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