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Generators Checkup & GoogleEarth
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Jon Hagen
Posted 11/11/2012 15:44 (#2691144 - in reply to #2690249)
Subject: Re: Generators Checkup & GoogleEarth



Hagen Brothers farms,Goodrich ND
I have two small gas generators, the little 900 watt 2 cycle $90 unit from Harbor freight, and the 3000 watt inverter generator from CIH.
I use the little one most because it is so light (40 pounds) and easy to move around jobs. The 900 watt runs electric chain saw, electric string trimmer drills, grinders, lights , battery chargers etc.
The 3000 watt inverter gen is a 70 pound "suitcase", so it harder to move around, but is large enough to run my wire welder large tools, large portable air compressor, large or two engine heaters etc.
One problem though, both are hard starting when doing that first cold start after a week or a few months of non use. Hard on the guy pulling the rope 30 times and excess wear on the recoil starter.

The little HF generator has two little "pig nostrils", the carb air intake holes in the front panel. I took an old burnzomatic propane torch, less the burner head, just the valve and pipe to use as a primer to start this little engine on propane. I found I turn on the propane and insert the pipe in one of the generator air intake holes, usually one pull and it runs on propane long enough for the gasoline carb to pick up and keep it running. After that first start, the propane prime is not needed again for the day.

With the larger inverter generator, I always ran it out of fuel to prevent messing up the fuel system. Problem was that it took 30+ pulls to get it primed up through the fuel pump and carb and running again the next use. I decided to put fuel stabilizer in the fuel and leave the system full of fuel, not much better, still took 30 + pulls to get it to light off.
I decided to try the same propane primer I use on the little generator. I drilled a 1/8 inch hole in the plastic air intake pipe , just outside of the carb intake so I had a place to inject the propane. Works good, even with a dry fuel system, the big generator lights off on the first pull on propane and will pick up gasoline to continue running most times. At worst, I may have to do the propane prime twice to get the gas fuel system working.

Now I run both generator engines dry on gas before storage and easily light them off on propane next time I need them.

Edited by Jon Hagen 11/11/2012 17:29
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