# Generator break in questions



## Dakine

Okay, I got a 4400W (max) 3500W sustained genny from Costco.

I've read forums and reviews where people were irate that their genny suddenly either never worked or did initially work but then crapped out. Not wanting to have that happen to me, I decided to start running some drills. 

The tech specs as advertised say on 4 gals gas (total capacity for the tank) it will last 12 hours at 50% load. Okay great... but I put in 4 gallons, and I got 6.5 hours before the gauge shows empty! 

What I will test tomorrow is the accuracy of the fuel gauge. I'll go refill one of the gas cans with exactly 4 gals and see how much is left over. 

BUT EVEN SO!!!! lets say there's a full gallon below the empty line, which I doubt, but lets say it's that big a swing... thats going to add.. 2 more hours??? 8 hours, at almost NO LOAD != 12 hours at 50% load.

So... the owners manual... a piece of crap... forced to fit several models of gennys, and cobbled together from other previous manuals (its extremely obvious when they are referring to pages that do not exist, as in see page 35 and there is no page 35, etc)

back to the crappy owners manual... they show diagrams and discuss other models that have a manual switch to kickdown the genny into a lower power or engine running mode... mine does not have that switch. And I have no way to tell if mine is running full out wide open throttle thinking it's on 4400W peak all the time, or if that is the speed it should be running??? :brickwall:

I've been using brand new gas, and brand new Mobil 1 10w-30 Synthetic oil

I'm going to run more tests this weekend, but my concerns are that the genny is not acting right.

it did consume oil, I guess thats to be expected, and I can plan for that, but the gas consumption is the real concern. It makes me question the engine running at full peak all the time or not?

Things like this are what make me glad I chose costco instead of HF, I have a lot of buyer protection with costco that doesn't exist with HF.


if you have any suggestions, thoughts, or prior experience to comment on, I'd really appreciate it!


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## Navajo

What is the brand?

I have an old Champion,5500 running watts/6800 starting watts.

Has alsways been a winner, had it for about 6 years, run it dry sometimes, or even had the gas dry out.

Moblie one with Lucas oil treatment.

Oil still looks freash and quickly starts up after sitting for months or even a couple years.

Got it at a yard sale for $150


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## Tirediron

A new engine and generator will burn some (a small amount) of oil when you first run it, but it shouldn't use much after it is broke in. The fuel consumption will be a bit higher too. 
I have never seen a generator at Costco that I would trust except maybe te big Generac models. 

Walmart Canada has Hyundai generators and pumps,(seem to be made in Korea instead of china) We have had excellent function from these products, they may not be Honda, but they are good quality 

Costco machinery and tools are not the best, I made the mistake of buying a "Snap on" air compressor there, it works but the quality is just not there.


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## Dakine

the generator brand is powerland. it's a 4400W peak 3500W running model

the oil capacity is .6L and I'd say it went through a little less than half of that in the first 4 hour test run.

I just checked the oil level after having run it on a 2nd test burn in run of 2.5 hours, and it appears to have manufactured oil. So first thought there is, is the genny level when I just checked it? Sort of... I cant find a bubble level at the moment but it was in the living room on a tile floor. Oil came spilling out of the fill/check port so I dont think I could have over filled it that much when I added oil last weekend prior to the 2nd test run.

Maybe it pulled that much into the engine from Day 1 test and that has seeped back down to the sump and thats why I thought it burned so much.... seems logical. Ok now I feel better about the oil use... the gas though, not so much.

This is the one I got. I'll let it burn through more fuel today...
http://www.costco.com/Powerland-Por...HP-with-Electric-Start.product.100049275.html


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## Dakine

The plot thickens...


So I just fired up the genny for round number 2 of tests and I found out a couple of things.

Empty is NOT empty. There's still about a gallon or so of gas in that tank, after the gauge reads empty.

Also, there's a wall on the choke lever. I was running it at partial choke! :brickwall:

now it's running a lot smoother, perhaps a tad quieter, and I expect will be considerably more fuel efficient. However, because it gets dark so much earlier now, I'll only be able to run it about 2 hours or so. I dont want to annoy the neighbors. Should be interesting, tomorrow I'll finish off the tank of gas and see what I get for a run time!


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## TheLazyL

Dakine said:


> ... I cant find a bubble level at the moment but it was in the living room on a tile floor. ...


I know you are not but I still need to ask, "You're not runnig the generator in the house are you?"


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## Dakine

TheLazyL said:


> I know you are not but I still need to ask, "You're not runnig the generator in the house are you?"


Right next to the BBQ, yes... why do you ask?

HAHA I'm jk, and I appreciate you asking! No, most definitely not indoors, I dont want my genny to go Darwin and grow legs and walk off, so until I have it broken in and trust it, when it will eventually take a permanent spot in the garage, it's temporarily stored in the living room after it gets a chance to cool down. (wouldnt do at all for one of my 4 legged critters to get a bad burn because they were sniffing or crawling around very hot metal)

The garage is waiting until I have a couple weeks off work in Dec and then once and for all, me about 5 loads worth of stuff I havent touched in ages are going to have a serious conversation about a short trip to the dumpster.

I hope everyone realizes that what TheLazyL is talking about is CO poisoning, you definitely do not want anything that emits exhaust or burns a fuel like that to be run indoors! It will kill you.


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## Dakine

hmm now I'm concerned about how much hotter that genny was running on the partial choke It's a pretty big difference. 130 degrees at the exhaust can, maybe 60-75 cooler on the motor itself, unfortunately I didnt make a note of that one for later comparison.  

I hope I havent damaged it. hmmm....


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## smaj100

Also alternate running it for testing and run it with a load. I usually hook up some power tools the aircompressor or if it's cold add a space heater or too for a nice load. It's not anything close to max load but the generator surges a bit when everything kicks on and off to load the generator part.


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## Dakine

Thanks, that's my next test now that I've solved for the gasoline consumption and all the other issues. stupid choke lever. It really is a lot more resistance than I would have expected to open that all the way up, now everything makes sense. The 2 hour run today used less fuel so that is starting to match up with expectations.

My planned next test is to run my fridge to max cool, I'll probably try for catching it running while I'm in the kitchen. Listen for the motor to shut off and then it's at the desired cool temp. Then I'll use a BBQ thermometer to see how long it takes for the internal chamber to warm up to something that would be borderline undesirable. (I need to look into this still. There's obviously a big difference between safe and what USFDA publishes for temps) 

Anyway, once I know how long it takes the fridge to warm up, lets say just for round numbers, from 40 degrees to 60 degrees it takes 6 hours. Okay, now I want to plug the fridge into the running genny and watch a few things. What does the meter on the genny say, and how long does the motor on the fridge run before it shuts down again at max cool temp. So again, just for the sake of using some kind of number, even though it's totally made up... maybe I'll find out, that as long as the fridge door isnt opened, my fridge needs to be on the genny for.... 30 mins every 6 hours and life is cool and groovy and my food is cold and yummy 

With those kind of data points as "knowns" (using the real numbers that I come to find out, not these make believe ones I'm substituting) I would have a really good idea how long 5 gallons of gas will last if the only thing I want to run the genny for is storing perishable foods and medicines. (not meds for me, but if there's some kind of regional emergency, I would be talking to my neighbors and many of them are elderly and I'd be working with them to help out)

So... then I know if I have... more made up numbers, lets say 40 gallons of gas "stored" and I know I need X gallons to run the genny for... Y period of time... I can set that gas aside, and use the genny for whatever else I might want, work lights for night time, welding, maybe charging car batteries, etc...

anyway. more stuff to geek out on lol


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## Tirediron

Just for some extra stuff to think about, if your house cools off quite a bit when the electricity is off you fridge's compressor will have to run longer to reach the required operating pressures. (refrigerant temperature and pressure are closely related) Anyway keep ambient temperature in mind for your run time tests, Although the cooler outside (of the fridge) might make up for the run time with less heat absorbtion. 

Also if your generator seems to be "making oil" you need to make sure to turn the fuel off when it isn't running, you should do this anyway because the fuel is probably gravity flow and there is always a possibility of the carb letting fuel past the needle/ seat and it's ending up in the oil sump, which can lead to failure


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## Dakine

Tirediron said:


> Just for some extra stuff to think about, if your house cools off quite a bit when the electricity is off you fridge's compressor will have to run longer to reach the required operating pressures. (refrigerant temperature and pressure are closely related) Anyway keep ambient temperature in mind for your run time tests, Although the cooler outside (of the fridge) might make up for the run time with less heat absorbtion.
> 
> Also if your generator seems to be "making oil" you need to make sure to turn the fuel off when it isn't running, you should do this anyway because the fuel is probably gravity flow and there is always a possibility of the carb letting fuel past the needle/ seat and it's ending up in the oil sump, which can lead to failure


Thanks, great suggestions

for the first, where I am, is an annual 72 degrees year round, unlike where I'm from, the desert where we really did get 80 degree temp swings from noon to midnight sometimes. here though... not so much. mostly just even temps and even when it's "cold" it's not that cold, same as when it's hot. 

as for the fuel shut off, thats exactly what I was thinking too, as soon as I saw it leaking out thats what I checked but it was shut off, so I think that's good, or else the valve is bad and there's still gasoline leaking down into the engine. I didnt smell fuel though when I checked the oil, and it was oil, not gas that came out, which gas should have been flowing first since it would be lighter and flowing on top.

I think so far, just about everything has been due to inexperience with generators and somewhat in my own defense, they could do a tremendously better job with the owners manual lol.


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## LincTex

You need to buy a "Kill-a-Watt"

A normal household refrigerator will always stay cooler for longer periods of time when the ambient temp is lower. If the room the fridge sits in is only 50 degrees, your stuff will stay cold for longer periods of time between run cycles.

Get a "Kill-a-Watt".

I know folks with fridges out in their garages with freezing temps outside, they run just fine when needed - if at all.

Install your thermostat, and Just unplug your fridge - no need to wait. wait till it warms to desired temp and start the timer once power comes on again (either wall or gen) to measure how long it takes to cool down again.

You NEED a "Kill-a-Watt". This is not some toy, you truly NEED one. Buy one now.

You will probably want to add an aux muffler.


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## jeff47041

LincTex said:


> You need to buy a "Kill-a-Watt"
> 
> A normal household refrigerator will always stay cooler for longer periods of time when the ambient temp is lower. If the room the fridge sits in is only 50 degrees, your stuff will stay cold for longer periods of time between run cycles.
> 
> Get a "Kill-a-Watt".
> 
> I know folks with fridges out in their garages with freezing temps outside, they run just fine when needed - if at all.
> 
> Install your thermostat, and Just unplug your fridge - no need to wait. wait till it warms to desired temp and start the timer once power comes on again (either wall or gen) to measure how long it takes to cool down again.
> 
> You NEED a "Kill-a-Watt". This is not some toy, you truly NEED one. Buy one now.
> 
> You will probably want to add an aux muffler.


Should he get a "Kill-a Watt"? Just kidding. I've been wanting to get one of them.

If you put a thermometer in the frig, how often do you open the frig to check it? Or do you guys use a thermometer that has a wire so you don't have to open it to check?

I've always wondered if I can put a better muffler on my generator. Are you just allowed to put a bigger one, or can the wrong one mess it up?


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## LincTex

jeff47041 said:


> I've always wondered if I can put a better muffler on my generator. Are you just allowed to put a bigger one, or can the wrong one mess it up?


You can get thermostats with remote probes. You can get really cheap digital ones at the RV/auto section at walmart. They have a wire with a little sensor at the end with some adhesive tape.










Mufflers can be any of various types, but generally the farther you get from the cylinder, sizes do need to increase because the cooler gases are more dense and need bigger passages to get through. Having said that, car mufflers are over kill, but they are also the cheapest to buy (by far).


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## Tirediron

Dakine said:


> Thanks, great suggestions
> 
> for the first, where I am, is an annual 72 degrees year round, unlike where I'm from, the desert where we really did get 80 degree temp swings from noon to midnight sometimes. here though... not so much. mostly just even temps and even when it's "cold" it's not that cold, same as when it's hot.
> 
> as for the fuel shut off, thats exactly what I was thinking too, as soon as I saw it leaking out thats what I checked but it was shut off, so I think that's good, or else the valve is bad and there's still gasoline leaking down into the engine. I didnt smell fuel though when I checked the oil, and it was oil, not gas that came out, which gas should have been flowing first since it would be lighter and flowing on top.
> 
> I think so far, just about everything has been due to inexperience with generators and somewhat in my own defense, they could do a tremendously better job with the owners manual lol.


My wife always says that when we buy something that requires assembly, "How do they expect people who don't build or fix things all the time to be able to figure this stuff out.

The manuals that come with off shore stuff seems to get progressively worse, with "information for completely different models and as you mentioned non-existent pages. And if you didn't smell gas when you opened the oil fill plug there probably wasn't any in the sump. a small amount will evaporate off.
:teehee:You might want to get a kill-a-watt:teehee:


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## LincTex

Some gens come with good mufflers... the imported ones from Harbor Freight do well in this area. Older American made ones with flathead engines were the worst for noise; OHV engines are a little quieter. The engine cooling fan and generator cooling fan typically make as much or more noise than the exhaust does.


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