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How often do you run your genset just to "keep things moving"?

Luk88

Solar Addict
Joined
Apr 5, 2024
Messages
783
Location
Poland
I'm hopefully getting a remote start genset soon(most likely a single cylinder diesel) so I wonder how often do I need to program it to start up (after break in) to maintain it? I haven't decided on the location yet, It'll either sit on a pad behind a building outside (but under an extended roof), or it will be in a steel uninsulated shed (depending on how much noise it makes - the shed is nearer te house).

So, do you run your genset periodically? If so, how often and for how long?

I have to admit with my old petrol one, it would often sit unused for a year (with old gas in the tank, but not in the carb). And after a year (usually in a middle of a winter, during a cold night) I would use a cordless drill as a starter and it would always start in 10s or so every time.
 
i own 6. I run them dry then fire them up when I need them. it can be years. Never had a issue. I had a rv generator sit 7 years due to a issue. once the issue was fixed. fired up and ran for 20 hours without issue.
 
The gensets at the State Hospital campus when I was working onsite were run every month for 15mins after physical inspection. My 3 cyl 14Kw and 4 cyl 19Kw Isuzu diesel gensets are run for 15-20mins every two to three months unless they were powered up for a power outage. Then I waited a couple more months. My single cyl 6Kw diesel portable generator gets started up and run a couple times a year just to keep the parts moving. Same for a portable gas 4Kw generator but it gets more use if I’m using it while build something remotely. This works for me but the most important thing I can think of is to keep a fuel preservative in the fuel. Gas spoils quickly so use/replace regularly. Diesel lasts longer but can spoil too.
 
Gas Honda generator and I run it once every two weeks for 15 minutes.
 
I have a Predator 9500 inverter that I run 4 times a year for about 20 minutes. The fuel has Startron stablizer added and the fuel pumped out and replaced once a year. The old fuel is used in a car. Each time it’s shut down, the selector is turned to off which runs the carb dry. The day of the run, the battery is topped up with a charger. It’s amazing how fast that thing starts. The thing is pampered because it’s stored in a spare bedroom with temperature control. I don’t want vermin chewing on its guts if stored in a shed. My two Honda 2000 are ran once a year but are empty of fuel (turned upside down, just a few ounces), then ran out of fuel. They are also stored in a closet.
 
I'm glad I have them and am happy I don't need them often- I have a 1.8kW Ryobi and a 7kW Honda, I keep a some ethanol free gas in them and start them once or twice a year.

Main thing I'm mindful of is to take care that the intake and exhaust valves are closed at the bottom of the power stroke before putting them away.
 
Based on my hazy memory, for RV Onans, a common recommendation is 30 minutes every 30 days at 50% load.

I have a Predator 9500 inverter that I run 4 times a year for about 20 minutes. The fuel has Startron stablizer added

I use Sta-bil, but going to give Startron a try... my dad swears by it.

and the fuel pumped out and replaced once a year. The old fuel is used in a car.

Not a chance. Says it's good for 2 years. I count on it. :)

Each time it’s shut down, the selector is turned to off which runs the carb dry.

This... so hard.
 
I never run a genset. Just reduce the loads during winter and turn on the opportunity loads (usually an electric hot water heater) between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm. On average I have over 320 days of sunshine.
 
Lots of good replies. Thank you :)
I'm glad I have them and am happy I don't need them often- I have a 1.8kW Ryobi and a 7kW Honda, I keep a some ethanol free gas in them and start them once or twice a year.

Main thing I'm mindful of is to take care that the intake and exhaust valves are closed at the bottom of the power stroke before putting them away.
I wonder how many people actually do this with remote start gensets. I saw one manual that recommends one pulls on the manual starter after stopping each time to position the valves closed.... It defeats some of the purpose of having a remote start genset when you have to walk to it every time it stops. I wonder, what abot larger engines? Lets say in a 4 cylinder. You'll almost always have some valves open. I guess if one runs more frequently there is some oil left on these components that protects them.

I wonder in a small single piston diesel, is oil pumped from the sump to where the valves are on the top of the cylinder? I guess it must be as there is no chance of it just "splashing" its way there?

I never run a genset. Just reduce the loads during winter and turn on the opportunity loads (usually an electric hot water heater) between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm. On average I have over 320 days of sunshine.
Very nice place to live :-) Here in fall/winter (and sometimes spring) we get clouds that turn the usual 450W per sq.meter we have this time of year into 60W (100W if we're lucky) for a couple weeks sometimes.
 
I never run a genset. Just reduce the loads during winter and turn on the opportunity loads (usually an electric hot water heater) between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm. On average I have over 320 days of sunshine.
A generator for me is just purely for backup and as such I need to know that it will start when needed.
If you're in a situation like half the Solar owners in Florida and power gets knocked out you can pretty much forget any kind of PV generation the following day as the Weather will be totally overcast. Then there are regular storms that just knock out the power and then leave the place overcast for a couple of days.
Unless you got a lot of reserve battery power it's best to have a generator.
 
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A generator for me is just purely for backup and as such I need to know that it will start when needed.
If you're in a situation like half the Solar owners in Florida and power gets knocked out you can pretty much forget any kind of PV generation the following day as the Weather will be totally overcast. Then there are regular storms that just knock out the power and then leave the place overcast for a couple of days.
Unless you got a lot of reserve battery it's best to have a generator.
For me, I do have fairly reliable power, but when it does get cut it's always at the worst possible time - when I have a very important work meeting it will go off and on 4 times in half an hour and then it will be fine for 6 months.... Or it will go out just before Christmas due to "huge snowstorms" and be repaired on the ~3rd of Jan... (that actually happened once).

So a generator that I know will start every single time I don't have to mess with is for me something that enables me to use the battery fully. I don't worry about using it down to 10% and the next day being overcast, because if power gets cut I have the generator.

This way I also save utility power. How? It already happened twice that I looked at my battery being 40% in the evening (after let's say 2 days of rain) and the weather forecast said entire next day will be very dark. So I decided to charge now, up to 70% so I have that 50% left, always. But then the morning comes and the sun comes out for 3h... If I didn't charge. I'd still have 30% and it would recharge "for free".

So if continuity of power is very important for you in a way where you always need to keep a buffer you save on not having that buffer.
 
I run the generator every 4 months.
Usually about 1/2 load, for an hour.
Genset is 10+ years old.
These scheduled tests have found failed parts that would be impossible to to obtain
during an emergency.
Expecting to be running it soon here, for a number of days.....
 
Our whole-house NG generator used to run itself every Wednesday afternoon for 15 minutes, which was nice, but when the cooling fan disintegrated there was no indication that it would have burned up when the power failed. I caught it during an oil change, but there's no substitute for physical inspection and regular hands-on maintenance.

Of two Honda EU3000 that sat in a shed in a marine environment for probably 5 years, one started up with a new battery, the other I didn't even try (too much rust and gunk in the fuel tank). Both seem to work fine with some new parts, and now they are in a better enviroment with Stabil and battery float chargers and I promise I'll be exercising them under load at least once a year. 😇 Of course, that's $70 worth of gas, so it's not going to be monthly...
 
Honda EU2200. I run for 15 minutes every month or 2, depends on how much it was used. Now that I added more solar the generator mostly sits.

The whole house generac at my Dad's place automagically runs 15 minutes every week.
 
I'm hopefully getting a remote start genset soon(most likely a single cylinder diesel) so I wonder how often do I need to program it to start up (after break in) to maintain it? I haven't decided on the location yet, It'll either sit on a pad behind a building outside (but under an extended roof), or it will be in a steel uninsulated shed (depending on how much noise it makes - the shed is nearer te house).

So, do you run your genset periodically? If so, how often and for how long?

I have to admit with my old petrol one, it would often sit unused for a year (with old gas in the tank, but not in the carb). And after a year (usually in a middle of a winter, during a cold night) I would use a cordless drill as a starter and it would always start in 10s or so every time.
I'm hoping to find a small diesel converted to propane.
I've read about tractors, and other equipment converted.
If noise is an issue put acoustic foam for sound rooms under it, with appliance antivibration pads under the legs.
You might be surprised.
 
I have two generators and run them every month or two. Oil changed once a season. One is propane, so no fuel to worry about, the other is filled with non-ethanol stabilized fuel, fuel tap is shut off and the generator run until the carb is out of fuel before putting away.

But it's not enough to just run it. Add a 50% load to the genny and let it run for a while to make sure it can actually produce power.
 
I haven't figured out a schedule for how I want to handle firing up my generators. I frankly think my Champion tri-fuel that will hopefully never get gasoline put in it, I might not bother firing it up very often. Maybe once or twice a year?

Related to this, for people using fuel stabilizers, let me ask this: Are you using fuel stabilizer with 100% ethanol free gas? Or do you use it because you don't have access to good gasoline?

I have some fuel stabilizer, but I'm going to be honest, I have never had to use it. The gas station near me has a dedicated ethanol free gas pump, and when I tested the gas, I was seeing 0% ethanol content. I know some places without dedicated pumps end up with ethanol mixed into the fuel.

I ask because I have, for example, a mower that I filled with this gas years ago, literally let it sit for like, 3 years in a shed with a full tank and carb, and then it fires up just fine and has no surging or any issues that would indicate a carb/fuel problem.

Basically the only engines I have ever had carb/gummy fuel issues with have been other people's motors where they didn't use ethanol free fuel. Just curious if I'm getting lucky or what. I do still try to install petcocks on my small engines so I can at least turn off the fuel supply to the carb before putting them away, but in the case of that mower, it was just left as is.
 
I'm hopefully getting a remote start genset soon(most likely a single cylinder diesel) so I wonder how often do I need to program it to start up (after break in) to maintain it? I haven't decided on the location yet, It'll either sit on a pad behind a building outside (but under an extended roof), or it will be in a steel uninsulated shed (depending on how much noise it makes - the shed is nearer te house).

So, do you run your genset periodically? If so, how often and for how long?

I have to admit with my old petrol one, it would often sit unused for a year (with old gas in the tank, but not in the carb). And after a year (usually in a middle of a winter, during a cold night) I would use a cordless drill as a starter and it would always start in 10s or so every time.
Diesel Generators are a whole different animal.

DO NOT run a diesel out of fuel. The injection pump will hate you. It likely wont start next time, and will be a pain to get the fuel system bled of air.

Diesel lasts a long time, but you should treat it for microbial growth if its just sitting.

If you have an old school pre-emissions diesel, you can use 2-cycle oil in the fuel for cylinder and valve protection when sitting. Don't be afraid to mix it heavy. 32:1 leaves a nice oil residue in the exhaust. Its like fogging the engine every time it runs. Tier3 and 4 stuff you can still run it but use lighter ratio like 100:1. This also helps with dry starts and pump lubrication.

Personally id run it every 6 months and make sure it gets up to temperature for an hour and carries a load. Doing short runs will build up moisture in the oil and the water wont evaporate out.
 
Coming from some classic car and aircraft stuff. Just starting an engine and letting it run for 15 minutes is usually a bad idea. You want it run under a load. I've heard of a few big backup generators that were just started, run for a little bit but not under load. Never got stresses. When actually needed, put under a load, they failed. The PMs changed to include longer run times and run under a load. I saw a comment above about running a water heater, good idea. A couple of cheap space heaters will work for small gensets as well. When done, pull the load, let it cool a bit, then shut it down. Especially anything with a turbo on it.

Operating temp is more than just water temp. Combustion chamber temp, exhaust gas temp, oil temp, and the electrical components that also get to temp while under load. And they take a load to really get where they need to be at.

The classic car guys will get hammered when they say they take there car out of the garage and idle it for 15 minutes every month in the middle of the winter. Barely get the water warm, oil is cold, condensation builds up in the engine. Better to just leaved it parked all winter.
 

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