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Re: costco honda generator

U

Ulysses

Jan 1, 1970
0
costco is selling this weekend a honda gx390 13hp powered briggs&stratton rig for
under 1k

the unit is listed as 7000 watts running power with surge power at 12000 watts

is there something in the powerhead design that allows such a wide margin that could
potentially shorten the life of the unit since normally commercial units are
6000/8000w or 6500w/8000w but this one a whopping 7000/12000w ?

the costco unit is equipped also with electric start, battery and runtime
meter

Why would B&S a motor manufacturer use a honda motor, I dont think
they would. The honda motor is good, but the 12000 rating is
misleading and only a second or 2 surge rating.

I guess they found out many people won't buy an engine that says B&S on it
and have to use Hondas ;-)
 
U

Ulysses

Jan 1, 1970
0
Richard W. said:
I have the understanding that Generac was bought out by Briggs. When I
looked for a manual for my Generac 10 hp Tecumseh, they showed the same
generator stock number with a Briggs engine. I guess that for a while they
used up existing stock. Yet the Generac's like mine are all over.
I got a 3200 watt 4,000 peak Porter Cable generator that had a 6 HP
Tecumseh engine and I replaced it with a Honda 5.5 hp. The Honda wouldn't
pull the load and ran at only about 1/2 the wattage load. I later found out
that Honda engines are over rated on their HP. At work they use the 18 HP
Briggs and as an option they offer a 20 HP Honda. The 18 HP Honda would pull
the same load as the 18 HP Briggs, so the had to use the 20 HP Honda. Both
engines are the V2 design. This is on the Stanley Hydraulic Power units.

I actually have only a little experience with the B&S OHV engines and it has
been favorable, but those of us who have tried to work on their old standard
lawnmower type engines realize they are basically disposable. Short blocks
are available for a reasonable amount of money for the vertical shaft models
but none were available for a comparable horizonital shaft engine such as is
found on their Pulse 1850 generator. So, basically, in my mind they have a
reputation for making cheap, crappy engines. That doesn't mean that they
don't make better engines now, but in my mind B&S means poor quaility so I
don't even look at them.

I'm not surprised to hear that your Honda engine was overrated. I've had
the same experience on a couple of their engines. Plus many generator
manufacturers seem to underpower their units, probably so they can sell them
for less. The maximum output they give apparently is possible under ideal
conditions. I've had three (two are still running) generators in the 5000
watt range: one is powered by a Honda 9 HP, another is powered by a Tecumseh
10 HP, and the other one is powered by an 11 HP Chinese OHV engine. The
Chinese have given us the little bit more power needed which can come in
handy on a hot day at 3000' elevation. Without actually doing any
scientific tests I would say the Honda is not quite 9 HP, the Tecumseh
really does seem to be 10 HP, and the Chinese is the best suited of the
three. I also have a Chinese 2000 watt generator and they put in a 5.5 HP
engine and it easily keeps up with the loads. Theoretically 4.5 HP should
be able to provide their surge rating of 2300 watts. I noticed that using a
slightly bigger engine does not seem to increase fuel consumption, possibly
because the engines are not having to work quite so hard.

I have two riding mowers and one has a B&S OHV 12.5 HP engine. The other
has a Tecumseh twin cylinder 18 HP engine. The B&S seems to have more power
even though the Tecumseh is rated much higher.
 
V

vaughn

Jan 1, 1970
0
Richard W. said:
I know people have made adapters for generator heads so that they can be
used with a belt and pulley or direct coupled. I would like to try running
one with a 6 hp diesel engine. This may be a way to use generators ends
with the Tecumseh engines, since no one else make an engine with the
proper taper to fit the gen heads. At least if they do I have never heard
about it.

Caution. Many portable generators (and some that are not-so-portable) have
only one bearing on the generator rotor. The other part of the rotor is
supported by the engine crankshaft. It would take a machine shop to make an
"adapter" to swap engines for most of those units.

Further; unless you engineered an adapter that incorporated a bearing, belt
driving one of those generators would be impossible.

Vaughn
 
That doesn't mean that they
don't make better engines now, but in my mind B&S means poor quaility so I
don't even look at them.

As I'm sure you know, the modern, imported, OHV small engines are all
starting to look *very* similar in quality. I have a 13hp clone of the
popular Honda model and it's really nicely made. Time will tell if
it's as good as it looks, but there's one thing I have no doubt about:
most of Honda's rep for quality was based on the difference between
them and their competitors' older models. Honda earned that
reputation, but the resultant brand loyalty should be less now that
their competitors have improved so much.
I noticed that using a
slightly bigger engine does not seem to increase fuel consumption, possibly
because the engines are not having to work quite so hard.

With either engine It takes the same amount of horsepower to do the
job. All other things being equal, a bigger engine should use a little
more fuel since there's more friction and waste with larger piston
etc. But it seems that design can sometimes make up for that. For
example, our car was offered with a 2.4L 4 cylinder, and a 3.5L 6 with
100 extra hp. Even though the 6 added some weight, it delivers
slightly better highway mileage. Things like chain-driven cams and
variable valve timing on both cams probably more than made up for the
extra friction and weight. The following year they offered a
redesigned 4, and now the same vehicle gets slightly better mileage
with that, which indicates that the tech is probably now equal in the
2 current engines.

Wayne
 
B

Bruce in alaska

Jan 1, 1970
0
Just want to make a NOTE, Here.....

With all the interest in Gensets that this thread has generated, it
would seem that a bit of Term Definition would be in order....

1. Prime Power Generator: A Generator that was designed and built to
provide power 24/7/365, for its life, with periodic Maintainance being
done at OEM prescribed intervals. Typically these turn 1800 Rpms OR Less
and usually are bigger than 5 Kw, and can be as big as 5000 Kw. Design
Lifetime is "Indefinant" with OEM Spec'd Periodic Rebuilds, usually in
the 10-20K Hour range for Topends and 20-40k Hour IN-Frames.

2. Standby Power Generator: Similar to Prime Power Generator but rated
to provide power 24/7 for anywhere from a few Hours, Days, or Weeks.
Again with periodic Maintainance being done at the OEM prescribed
intervals. Usually in the 5 Kw to 1000 Kw Range. Lifetime is
"Indefinant" with OEM Spec'd Periodic Rebuilds, usually in the 10-20K
Hour range for Topends and 20-40k Hour IN-Frames.

3. Contractor Grade Generator: These are much less robust than either
of the two above, but the are designed to provide power for 18/6 for
there operating life. Maybe 1800 Rpm, or 3600 Rpm, depending on their
Design Lifetime, and usually are rebuild-able which can extend their
useful life, out 3-5 times. Usually will have a Pressure Lubeoil system
and LubeOil Filter. Design Lifetimes, with OEM Spec'd Maintainance, in
the 10-20K Hour Range.

4. Consumer Grade Generator: These are typically what is found in
Hardware Stores, and Discount Houses. Mostly 3600 Rpm Units, and Splash
Lubed with No Oil Filter. Come is various quality Grades from "Superb",
all the way down to "Cheap Junk, even when New of the Shelf" Design
Lifetime, with OEM Periodic Maintainance, will vary from 500 Hours to
maybe 10K Hours, for one of the "Superb" Grade Units. Most of these type
units, are built in limited Factory Runs, with limited Parts
availability, and this severely limits there rebuild-ability, due to
lack of parts after just a few years.


From the discussions seen on this thread so far, we are not talking
about either of the first two categories, and mostly about Consumer
Grade Gensets.

If one REALLY wants a GOOD Genset, then it will cost a lot more than
what Costco is charging, and basically the Old Adage, "You get what you
pay for", applies here. I have had a couple of Prime Power Generators
in the 20Kw Range, that were both in the 66K Hour Operational Range when
they were replaced, and that only happened because they were 20 years
old, and InFrame Parts were no longer available from the OEM in Japan.
Replacement costs were in the $6K range, and if you figure in how many
Contractor Grade Gensets one would have to buy to do the same job, they
were cheap, at twice the price. I also have a Fairbanks/Morse 45B/3Kw
that is over 60 years old, was last InFramed 5 years ago, and will not
need another, in my lifetime... It runs a neighbors operation, 16/7/180
each summer, and turns at 1200 Rpm. I sold a Lister 12 Kw last summer,
that came from a Mountaintop Telco Microwave Site, that had 120K
Operational Hours on it, with InFrames every 40K Hours. It had just 120
Hours on it after the last InFrame, and the only reason they replaced
it, was they added more load at the site, and had to put in a bigger
Genset. It went to a neighbor for $1.5KUS....
 
U

Ulysses

Jan 1, 1970
0
I'm not quite sure what you are saying but in order to use a generator head
from a tapered shaft engine a LOT of machining would probably be required.
And it sounds like you know how to do it. Are you thinking of something
like a tapered shaft that bolts onto the rotor/field in much the same way as
it is normally done? Would this basically be about the same as using the
crankshaft? Plus you would still need a way to mount the stator so would
you be cutting away the engine case, or keep the engine more or less in tact
and just reworking the opposite, non PTO end? I don't recall ever hearing
of anyone actually doing this so I'd like to hear more about it. Plus, if
you have any pictures...

I can't swear to this but I THINK the taper on my Honda GX270 is the same as
the taper on my Tecumseh HM100, except the shaft is longer on the Tecumseh.
When I replaced the gen head with a "generic" head on the Tecumseh I had to
use a 1 1/2" spacer to accomodate the longer shaft. I'm pretty sure the
same head would bolt directly onto the GX270. OTOH I do recall attaching
the generic generator head to a 4 HP Honda engine, just to see how many
watts it would produce (I got about 2200) so maybe the taper is smaller....
 
U

Ulysses

Jan 1, 1970
0
Bruce in alaska said:
Just want to make a NOTE, Here.....

With all the interest in Gensets that this thread has generated, it
would seem that a bit of Term Definition would be in order....

1. Prime Power Generator: A Generator that was designed and built to
provide power 24/7/365, for its life, with periodic Maintainance being
done at OEM prescribed intervals. Typically these turn 1800 Rpms OR Less
and usually are bigger than 5 Kw, and can be as big as 5000 Kw. Design
Lifetime is "Indefinant" with OEM Spec'd Periodic Rebuilds, usually in
the 10-20K Hour range for Topends and 20-40k Hour IN-Frames.

2. Standby Power Generator: Similar to Prime Power Generator but rated
to provide power 24/7 for anywhere from a few Hours, Days, or Weeks.
Again with periodic Maintainance being done at the OEM prescribed
intervals. Usually in the 5 Kw to 1000 Kw Range. Lifetime is
"Indefinant" with OEM Spec'd Periodic Rebuilds, usually in the 10-20K
Hour range for Topends and 20-40k Hour IN-Frames.

3. Contractor Grade Generator: These are much less robust than either
of the two above, but the are designed to provide power for 18/6 for
there operating life. Maybe 1800 Rpm, or 3600 Rpm, depending on their
Design Lifetime, and usually are rebuild-able which can extend their
useful life, out 3-5 times. Usually will have a Pressure Lubeoil system
and LubeOil Filter. Design Lifetimes, with OEM Spec'd Maintainance, in
the 10-20K Hour Range.

4. Consumer Grade Generator: These are typically what is found in
Hardware Stores, and Discount Houses. Mostly 3600 Rpm Units, and Splash
Lubed with No Oil Filter. Come is various quality Grades from "Superb",
all the way down to "Cheap Junk, even when New of the Shelf" Design
Lifetime, with OEM Periodic Maintainance, will vary from 500 Hours to
maybe 10K Hours, for one of the "Superb" Grade Units. Most of these type
units, are built in limited Factory Runs, with limited Parts
availability, and this severely limits there rebuild-ability, due to
lack of parts after just a few years.


From the discussions seen on this thread so far, we are not talking
about either of the first two categories, and mostly about Consumer
Grade Gensets.

If one REALLY wants a GOOD Genset, then it will cost a lot more than
what Costco is charging, and basically the Old Adage, "You get what you
pay for", applies here. I have had a couple of Prime Power Generators
in the 20Kw Range, that were both in the 66K Hour Operational Range when
they were replaced, and that only happened because they were 20 years
old, and InFrame Parts were no longer available from the OEM in Japan.
Replacement costs were in the $6K range, and if you figure in how many
Contractor Grade Gensets one would have to buy to do the same job, they
were cheap, at twice the price. I also have a Fairbanks/Morse 45B/3Kw
that is over 60 years old, was last InFramed 5 years ago, and will not
need another, in my lifetime... It runs a neighbors operation, 16/7/180
each summer, and turns at 1200 Rpm. I sold a Lister 12 Kw last summer,
that came from a Mountaintop Telco Microwave Site, that had 120K
Operational Hours on it, with InFrames every 40K Hours. It had just 120
Hours on it after the last InFrame, and the only reason they replaced
it, was they added more load at the site, and had to put in a bigger
Genset. It went to a neighbor for $1.5KUS....

Thanks for posting that Bruce. Basically what I'm saying is that I think
some cheap, crappy generators are better than other cheap, crappy generators
;-) I would like to find something that would qualify as a Prime Power or
Standby Power generator that would directly charge my 48 volt battery bank.
Know of any? If I ever get my 6.5 HP engine to drive my Delco alternator
satisfactorily and reliably I would be very interested in either driving it
with a high quality engine, or replacing it with something else altogether
providing it will hold up to a few hours of every day use.
 
U

Ulysses

Jan 1, 1970
0
z said:
I know we're always trying for the least worst solutions rather than the
best. Must be because we're not living off a trust fund or have six figure
incomes huh?

best of luck man

-zachary

If only I could find someone to pay the all the stuff I want to play with...

Part of my problem is that I simply don't need a huge generator that
produces 20K watts or more. All I need is about 3000 watts. Any more than
that I wouldn't know what to do with it.
 
D

Daniel Who Wants to Know

Jan 1, 1970
0
Ulysses said:
I'm tying to come up with a way to charge my 48 volt battery bank by using
a
tapered shaft. I would like to avoid even the LoveJoy coupler if
possible.
I'm not a machinist so it makes it more of a challenge. I've been using a
belt-driven 63 amp alternator and have been having lotsa belt problems and
the best solution so far seems to be to use double pulleys and two 5/8"
belts rather than a single pulley and a 1/2" belt. The alternator is
capable of charging my batteries quite satisfactorily if only I can get it
to keep running.

Try an alternator pulley for a tractor. The International Harvester 1066
and the John Deere 4430 both use a dual groove pulley on the alt. IIRC the
IH pulley is a larger diameter than the JD one. Your other option would be
to go to a serpentine belt setup but that would require very precise belt
alignment and a suitable pulley for the engine.
 
U

Ulysses

Jan 1, 1970
0
Daniel Who Wants to Know said:
Try an alternator pulley for a tractor. The International Harvester 1066
and the John Deere 4430 both use a dual groove pulley on the alt. IIRC the
IH pulley is a larger diameter than the JD one. Your other option would be
to go to a serpentine belt setup but that would require very precise belt
alignment and a suitable pulley for the engine.

Thanks! Someone else suggested looking at farm equipment but I didn't
really know where to start. Now I have specific tractors for reference!
 
U

Ulysses

Jan 1, 1970
0
z said:
Yeah me too -- i live happy on around 1000 with the occasional need for -
2-3k. Maybe this winter i'll try to build a generator out of parts like
you are doing. My hondas are mostly dying now. Just plain worn out
after all these years. I like the idea of using a custom exaust.

My eu2000 #2 still runs as long as I put oil in it every hour or so. Enough
power to run my little chain saw anyway.

To charge my 48 volt bank at C10 I need about 3500 watts but since batteries
don't continue to charge at the higher rate then I can squeeze by with 3000
watts. I suppose there might be some advantages to using a slighty bigger
than 63 amps alternator but then you would need a bigger engine, more
gasoline, and the extra power would only be needed at the beginning of the
charge cycle. Since I have the OutBack inverters it is possible to run my
well pump with the engine-driven alternator outputting only about 35 amps
AND running one inverter as a charger with a 2000 watt 120V single phase
generator to get a total of around 50-60 amps which will allow me to run the
pump without discharging the batteries (It'll even charge at about 10 amps
with the well pump running). And, as you probably know, instead of buying a
third eu2000 I bought the cheap UST GG2300 for under $200 and have had no
regrets (not many, anyway). I had to replace the muffler (fell apart inside
but still worked) and it has taken me two weeks to remove the rotor from the
tapered shaft so I can replace the impeller but it has 3000 hours on it and
still starts with one pull and has more power than the Honda. They replaced
the muffler under warranty plus sent me a new air filter for free. If it
turns out that I need to replace the whole rotor it's only $25! Their
service center/parts distribution/technical support is in Fullerton (Orange
County) so I'm lucky that I don't even have to pay shipping since they are
close by, but even with shipping the parts seems to be WAY cheaper than if
it was a Coleman or Homelite etc.
Might have a look for a used onan like those guys were saying too rather
than shelling out the big bucks (which I don't have) for another eu2000

Yea, the Onan is very appealing, especially since I learned they run at a
slower speed. But I can also run my engine/alternator at a slower speed
once the batteries get somewhat charged. Maybe not quite as low as 1800
rpm, but probably in the low 2000s.
 
B

Bruce in alaska

Jan 1, 1970
0
z said:
I know we're always trying for the least worst solutions rather than the
best. Must be because we're not living off a trust fund or have six figure
incomes huh?

best of luck man

-zachary

I am reTired, and the only reason I have, what I have, is that I got an
education, worked HARD for 40 Years, saved my money, invested wisely,
and knew when to get out. Now, I have skills that are sale-able even in
reTirement, and I live where, and how, I want to. NO Trust Fund, and
never had a Six Figure Income in any ONE Year, in my life. I always
worked for wages, even when I was a FED, and now folks pay me for those
skills, I have acquired over a lifetime, as a Consultant, when I choose
to actually accept a Job.
 
B

Bruce in alaska

Jan 1, 1970
0
Ulysses said:
My eu2000 #2 still runs as long as I put oil in it every hour or so. Enough
power to run my little chain saw anyway.

To charge my 48 volt bank at C10 I need about 3500 watts but since batteries
don't continue to charge at the higher rate then I can squeeze by with 3000
watts. I suppose there might be some advantages to using a slighty bigger
than 63 amps alternator but then you would need a bigger engine, more
gasoline, and the extra power would only be needed at the beginning of the
charge cycle. Since I have the OutBack inverters it is possible to run my
well pump with the engine-driven alternator outputting only about 35 amps
AND running one inverter as a charger with a 2000 watt 120V single phase
generator to get a total of around 50-60 amps which will allow me to run the
pump without discharging the batteries (It'll even charge at about 10 amps
with the well pump running). And, as you probably know, instead of buying a
third eu2000 I bought the cheap UST GG2300 for under $200 and have had no
regrets (not many, anyway). I had to replace the muffler (fell apart inside
but still worked) and it has taken me two weeks to remove the rotor from the
tapered shaft so I can replace the impeller but it has 3000 hours on it and
still starts with one pull and has more power than the Honda. They replaced
the muffler under warranty plus sent me a new air filter for free. If it
turns out that I need to replace the whole rotor it's only $25! Their
service center/parts distribution/technical support is in Fullerton (Orange
County) so I'm lucky that I don't even have to pay shipping since they are
close by, but even with shipping the parts seems to be WAY cheaper than if
it was a Coleman or Homelite etc.

Yea, the Onan is very appealing, especially since I learned they run at a
slower speed. But I can also run my engine/alternator at a slower speed
once the batteries get somewhat charged. Maybe not quite as low as 1800
rpm, but probably in the low 2000s.

Look into one of the venerable Onan CCK's or even a newer NH or BG
Series. They were built in 3 to 5 Kw Models, and can be had for less
One Kilobuck, easily. Lots of these came from Motorhomes, that have died
and gone to Motorhome Heaven. Usually have less than 3000 Hours on them,
which is 1/3 their Primary Lifetime, with proper Periodic Maintainance.
they run at 1800 Rpm, and actually the older ones, without the PCB
Engine Controls, and better, and more reliable than the newer ones.
Next up in class are Onan J Series Gensets, that come both in Gas, and
Diesel, Versions, as well as Air and Water Cooled versions. The Gas
Fueled versions come in Twin 6.5Kw,and Quad cyl. 12.5Kw versions, that
are easily converted to Dry Gas fuel. If your in to Diesels, the J
Series Onans are the ones to look for. They come in Single 3Kw, Twin
6.5Kw, and Quad 12.5Kw versions. Onan built Marine Versions of ALL the
J Series Gensets, and these are easily setup for CoGen type operations.
They also built Radiator Cooled version of both the Gas and Diesel
Powered gensets in various configurations. I bought a number of 3Kw
Diesel J Series Gensets, all for less than $500US, both Air and Water
Cooled, and fellow gave me an air Cooled 6.5Kw Diesel this spring, just
for hauling it away, and I live far out in the Alaskan Bush, where there
aren't a lot of these around. Look around where you live on eBay and
CraigList, Onan built thousands of these each year, for about three
decades, so there are a pile still out there kicking around, and most
folks have no clue, what they are, or what they are worth, to the right
folks, who do.....
 
U

Ulysses

Jan 1, 1970
0
Bruce in alaska said:
Look into one of the venerable Onan CCK's or even a newer NH or BG
Series. They were built in 3 to 5 Kw Models, and can be had for less
One Kilobuck, easily. Lots of these came from Motorhomes, that have died
and gone to Motorhome Heaven. Usually have less than 3000 Hours on them,
which is 1/3 their Primary Lifetime, with proper Periodic Maintainance.
they run at 1800 Rpm, and actually the older ones, without the PCB
Engine Controls, and better, and more reliable than the newer ones.
Next up in class are Onan J Series Gensets, that come both in Gas, and
Diesel, Versions, as well as Air and Water Cooled versions. The Gas
Fueled versions come in Twin 6.5Kw,and Quad cyl. 12.5Kw versions, that
are easily converted to Dry Gas fuel. If your in to Diesels, the J
Series Onans are the ones to look for. They come in Single 3Kw, Twin
6.5Kw, and Quad 12.5Kw versions. Onan built Marine Versions of ALL the
J Series Gensets, and these are easily setup for CoGen type operations.
They also built Radiator Cooled version of both the Gas and Diesel
Powered gensets in various configurations. I bought a number of 3Kw
Diesel J Series Gensets, all for less than $500US, both Air and Water
Cooled, and fellow gave me an air Cooled 6.5Kw Diesel this spring, just
for hauling it away, and I live far out in the Alaskan Bush, where there
aren't a lot of these around. Look around where you live on eBay and
CraigList, Onan built thousands of these each year, for about three
decades, so there are a pile still out there kicking around, and most
folks have no clue, what they are, or what they are worth, to the right
folks, who do.....

Wow, thanks very much for the specific information. I'm on craig's list now
and they seem to start out at about $400.
 
V

vaughn

Jan 1, 1970
0
Ulysses said:
Wow, thanks very much for the specific information. I'm on craig's list
now
and they seem to start out at about $400.

FYI, my home standby generator is a 70's- era Onan 4CCK that once was a
standby generator for a traffic signal. They are pretty simple to work on,
parts and information are still generally available, and the gang at the
Onan board at Smokstak.com (including Bruce) gives amazing support.

Vaughn
 
FYI, my home standby generator is a 70's- era Onan 4CCK that once was a
standby generator for a traffic signal. They are pretty simple to work on,
parts and information are still generally available, and the gang at the
Onan board at Smokstak.com (including Bruce) gives amazing support.

Vaughn

I'm not up on the Onan model numbers, but if anyone is talking about
the old opposed-twin flat heads for a backup generator, I wouldn't
think those would be a great choice except for low-use applications.
My neighbor was fond of them because he could get them for peanuts,
which was a good thing because he seemed to have gone through quite a
few. They didn't seem especially reliable, quiet, or fuel efficient.
I'd think that the fuel inefficiency alone of flat-heads makes them
uneconomical for extended use. I'm not even sure that the 1800 RPM is
any great advantage. Better 3600 RPM engines last a long time if
properly cared for, and one can throttle most engines down to a lower
speed if planned for.

It seems like there are lots of decent small engines available these
days, some so cheap that even the most budget-conscious could afford
to have a complete spare on hand.

9hp, $150
http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?UID=2009071517085539&item=28-1676&catname=engines
13hp, $180
http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?UID=2009071517085539&item=28-1678&catname=engines
Wayne
 
V

vaughn

Jan 1, 1970
0
I'm not up on the Onan model numbers, but if anyone is talking about
the old opposed-twin flat heads for a backup generator, I wouldn't
think those would be a great choice except for low-use applications.

OLD? They made them for a long time. Don't know when they stopped. If age
bothers you, find a newer one, but some of the older wones were the best
IMO.
My neighbor was fond of them because he could get them for peanuts,
which was a good thing because he seemed to have gone through quite a
few. They didn't seem especially reliable, quiet, or fuel efficient.

Sorry, I don't know anything about your neighbor so I can't argue about
that, but I can tell you about my Onan because I have known it since it was
new. It was perhaps 30 years old when I bought it from my employer. Except
for sparkplugs and batteries, it was all-orignal. Nothing had ever broken!
To be honest, after I bought it, I did have some problems with points.
Perhaps the problem was the mechanic (me). Anyhow, I solved that issue with
an electronic ignition conversion.
I'd think that the fuel inefficiency alone of flat-heads makes them
uneconomical for extended use.

There is a germ of truth here. We are talking about something that was
designed when gas cost 50 cents a gallon! There are certainly more
efficient generators around, but they are not cheap and you are unlikely to
find them at Home Depot. Fuel cost is important (OK, damn important), but
it is not the only cost of running a generator..
I'm not even sure that the 1800 RPM is
any great advantage

Running at 1800 RPM (vs 3600 RPM) drastically lowers the pumping loss of the
engione (increasing efficiency), greatly decreases noise, and reduces wear.
Better 3600 RPM engines last a long time if properly cared for,

"Better" (commercial quality) engines are expensive and are not found on
consumer-grade generators. I expect my Onan to outlast me. I can't say that
about any other small engine I own.
and one can throttle most engines down to a lower
speed if planned for.

No, you can't throttle a conventional generator down to lower speed if you
want 60 HZ power. Running at 1800 RPM (vs 3600 RPM) drastically lowers the
pumping loss of the engione (increasing efficiency), greatly decreases
noise, and reduces wear. Yes, you could design your own generator with a
throttled-down 3600 RPM engine and a belt ratio to get the proper frequency,
but you would no longer get rated power from the engine.

Finally, these (Onan) generators are made for motorhome use. They must fit
into a minimum space, must have reliablility comparable with the vehicle's
engine, and must run with minimum noise and vibration. My neighbors don't
even know that I have a generator because they can't hear it!

Vaughn
 
B

Brian

Jan 1, 1970
0
Seeing as we're talking about generators I have a question. I've read, from a few places' that small
generators should be "exercised" at least once a month. I'm assuming that means run with a load on
the generator. Why is that ??? Will the generator screw up if it isn't used frequently ???

Thanks
Brian
 
V

vaughn

Jan 1, 1970
0
Brian said:
Seeing as we're talking about generators I have a question. I've read,
from a few places' that small
generators should be "exercised" at least once a month. I'm assuming that
means run with a load on
the generator. Why is that ??? Will the generator screw up if it isn't
used frequently ???

There are two things that can happen to small generators if not occasionally
"exercised".

1) The generator can lose its residual magnetism. If this happens, it will
run but fail to produce power. There are various ways to "flash" the
generator field to remagnetize the generator.

2) Engines, particularly carbureted gasoline engines, can gum up, or parts
can rust up if they are allowed to sit for a long time.

Read your generator's manual. There are probably storage instructions.
Follow them!

Vaughn
 
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