Here is what works for me: Set the generator on the back porch. Every 4-5 weeks, when you need a haircut, start the generator and plug in mamas hair clippers and sit down and enjoy the sound of the screaming Jenny. She won’t hear you complain about poking you w the clippers, and you won’t have to hear her comments about your growing bald spot! Works like a charm and keeps your generator in good order. Just shut off the fuel and go take a shower while it does of starvation and it’ll be good to go next time. (Go back and turn off the key if it’s got a battery).
They call non-ethanol fuels "Recreational Gas" here in Kentucky. I bought a generator that uses Propane as a primary fuel source, and gasoline secondary. I have not ever ran it on gasoline yet.
I bought 2 generators and finally used 1 this past summer when the lights went out for half the day. We were able to use small AC units we purchased for the same reason. 2 is 1, 1 is none. Thanks for the tip. I stored but forgot to drain the gas I’ll do that today.
Cody, Hutch Mountain makes a fantastic LP "conversion" kit for your small Honda Generators. I have both of my small Hondas converted allowing me to run them off of gas OR LP with a flip of a switch. Worth checking it out.
Make your own fogging fluid by adding graphite to oil. That's what we used when I worked in the test cell at Outboard Marine Corp (Evinrude and Johnson boat engines). Once the engine passed its tests and was ready to be sent to clean-up then packing we would disconnect the fuel and run the RPMs up while squirting the fogging oil into the carb until the engine died. You'll see a lot of white smoke as the fogging fluid gets into the engine.
Welder here, I have a gas generator I will not part with easily. A couple sqirts of oil on the pistons, empty tank, some fuel conditioner and new filters evrytime, plus battery maintenance. I use it only now again these days. I do mostly Q.C. now. Good tips. Like your content.
The Honda generator I took home from the dump was at the dump because of the aftermarket air filter housing catching water and funneling it down the stud. As it's heavy AF I mounted heavy duty casters so I can push it wherever it's needed. A snow cab from a snowblower just happened to fit perfectly over the generator so that's how I keep it protected until I need it. I never run carbs dry anymore but use ethanol free gas with a smidgen of two stroke oil, something like Seafoam and marine Stabil. Since doing this every single one of the 15 plus machines started by the second pull.
Yes ethonal free fuel , sea foam or kleen flo fuel stabilizer for the win in off season. I keep the fuel tank full to the brim as an empty tank will produce much more condensation than a full one due to temp fluctuations. I also make a habit of putting it on my calendar to start all of my stored equipment every month run until warmed up to normal operating temperature run the drivetrain little bit so you keep all bearings Chainz drive belts etc uniform.
Excellent advice. I learned the hard way with outboard engines - always run them dry. Same for the generator - run it dry, store off the floor, and run it about once a year. Always dreaded pulling off the gas cap and smelling varnish. Never again. Also, I have a clutch fitting with a socket for my cordless drill. Makes for easy starting if the pull cord breaks or the engine is stubborn.
Have a carburetor kit, it includes all the gaskets, needle valve etc. It will be specific to your carburetor, but most small engines use the same few carburetor models. If you need help finding it, ask at a local small engine shop. They can be pretty cheap, usually 10-15 dollars. These, along with fresh fuel and a fresh spark plug, will get most small engines starting again.
Od someone needs help finding it. Having it isn't going to do them a bit of good when it is needed. So they might as well wait until it fails to start then take it to the same small engine shop to have it worked on
I agree, no ethanol fuels for any of my small engines. I use premium from the local co-op (only one I found with no ethanol). Ethanol fuels were causing me all kinds of grief until I changed to non-ethanol fuel.
I never run it dry (out of fuel) after shutting it off, but I start it every 2 or 3 month for about 10 minutes, I think that's also a good method to prevent gumming in the carburator. I also put Non-Ethanol fuel in small engines. I don't have carburator issues since I do this :P
Cody - You are putting out really good content. I love these fireside chats. I like the videos that aren't focused on high-priced products. That's not a dig at you. It's just that I am a U.S.-based missionary and can't afford a lot of the things you have 🙂 Anyway, I appreciate the content and hope that you will continue producing.
In northern California, we use ours year round due to PG&E. If the gas i have stored doesn't get used in 4 months I put it in the cars and refill the gas cans with fresh fuel. I personally change the generator oil every 6 months, but that's because we run them a lot. I also start it every month, and charge the starting battery. Our house is wired with a big switch that takes us off the grid and connects the generator.
I start my generator every first weekend of the month every month, same with the lawnmower and the grass strimmer through the winter months, start them up and run them till they get hot, this way you can trust them when you need them. I was thinking about a diesel generator but they're big and expensive.. Wouldn't need to worry about the fuel going stale.
Make sure you use the correct gauge for your extension cords. Running energy hungry appliances on the higher gauge extension cords can ruin the appliance. I only use the outdoor rated one, not worth the hassle to keep multiple sets. And get the ones the light up on the end so you know they have power. You will save yourself a ton of time troubleshooting issues.
If you store gas for your generator use PRI-G in it as well. Stabil is also a fine product but I think PRI-G (or PRI-D if you run diesel) is the better option.
Here in my part of Canada the 91 octane is often ethanol free, I test my fuel for ethanol every so often now with a small tester bottle just to be sure. I also keep rolls of small engine pull cord I'm a few different sizes as well as the different sizes of fuel line in boxes, different fuel filter types and boxes of spark plugs. That way if I have have an issue with a fuel system component I have the means to repair it. It makes a huge difference.
We should tell them how to find out if it has alcohol in the gas. Get a small bottle. One that holds about 12 ounces. Add about 1/4 of the way up of water to it. Mark that spot with a grease pencil, tape, etc. You want that level marked off. Add the gas to it. Now shake it up good. Water will bind to the alcohol like a magnet. As soon as you stop shaking it look at the level. If the water is at the same level it's good. If it has alcohol in it, it'll be above that line and there won't be any doubt about it. If you have to squint your eyes, it's good. Let it settle for about an hour. Now you can decant the gasoline out of the bottle. Another indicator is to have a natural rubber washer around. Adding ethanol to it will start to melt it.
Definitely would recommend getting a generator inlet port and a manual transfer switch so you could hook up your generator to power your home. You can do it yourself for about $200 or hire an electrician for $500-$1000. It is so great to be able to power your home without a ton of extension cords. The best part about it is your hard wired stuff like HVAC can be powered if you size your generator appropriately!
Good stuff. I learned all this the hard way and at great expense. Any gasoline engine that is not used very regularly including things like outboard engines, ethanol free!. Good storage prep will make these engines last nearly forever. Bad storage prep means they won't work when you need them and you get to buy new ones very regularly unless you are handy at rebuilding them.
Love the content Cody i do use fogging oil. However for the fuel i use Aviation 100 LL in all my standby long term storage equipment, it is distilled and wont ever dry out seals and wont go bad for at least 9 years. Just don't run it in anything with a catalytic converter.
I used to do that. It started to build up lead on my valves causing them to stick. If you see a white like powder in there, it's lead. I suppose you could use TCP. That's what I used in my '54 Bonanza.
@@robertthomas5906 yes the lead fowling is a problem. However I only use it for long term storage purposes and is run on ethanol free pump gas after the storage av/gas is used up. Short term storage I just use fuel stabilizers if it's less than 6 months.
I have a Honda 2000, I usually put mud into the gas tank and then throw it in the creek for the winter. If I need it, I go dig it out, flip it over once, pee in the tank and it fires up on the 2nd pull.
Put a CAP on the exhaust so that air doesn't go into ur exhaust and past the valves and rust up the engine....the cap solves more than one problem, most people never ever think about that.....glad I could help....!!!!!!!
Buddy of mine worked with someone who worked where they stored hundreds of military quads. Every so often (yearly?) they would pull each one out, tighten the fan belts and run the engine. They would kill the engine by fogging oil into the intake, coating the valves, guides, pistons, cyl walls, etc. Then they'd loosen the belts again, paint the pulley groves and put it to sleep for another time.
I don't empty the tank but I use Sta-bil fuel conditioner and I drain the carb after each use by shuttling the gas line off and running it dry that way. Have used Stabil for years on generator, weed trimmer, lawnmower, etc and have never had an issue. I do, however, crank the generator periodically even if there is no power outage or other need for it, AND I'M TOLD THIS STEP IS ALSO IMPORTANT: I plug a saw or other tool that pulls a lot of juice and rev it up several times then run the gen dry as described above. REASON: I was told that a generator that doesn't get to "generate" occasionally can have the magneto go bad, rendering it useless. Not sure how true but I've done it for several years as a precaution. Some who have more knowledge may be able to elaborate or debunk that if its a myth. In December I also just received two air filter/Fuel filter/spark plug kits i ordered from Amazon for about $20 each. Used one, saved the used ones and stored the other new one.
Maybe add a little bit of compressed air or some from a can into the opening of the carb or the inlet side of the fuel hose that way you can blow out what's hanging around in the float area
I always run premium fuel in all my small engines, lawn mowers, generators, chainsaws. Saves on cleaning carbs when I need to run them. Take your recoil apart and clean the factory grease out of them and relubricate with a white lithium grease. I found that the factory grease is too tacky and makes the recoil hard to pull in cold weather, and makes the rope retraction very slow. Before I did mine I thought the motor was seizing up as I was pulling it over in 0°Celsius weather, and after removing the factory grease it worked perfectly.
I pull my three small gensets out every 2 months or so and run each one with a double fixture halogen construction light plugged into it for a load for about half an hour to get it good and warm and bake out any moisture from the system. All of mine have fuel shut off valves so then when I’m done with my load run I just shut the fuel off and let it run out. I never run anything but 93 octane non-ethanol and I buy it by the barrel and as soon as I open the barrel I pour in a couple of bottles of sta-bil. All of the units to this day two of which are over 10 years old start on the first pull every time. It’s all about consistently using high-quality fuel and every year doing an oil/filter/plug change. If it doesn’t work when you need it what good as having it. For my large 8000 W unit with a 50 amp circuit I built a portable distribution set up that allows me to run 150 foot cord from the generator out to a box at the end of the cord that gives me eight circuits plus continuous the 220 V path on with a 30A circuit. It works really well in an emergency if you need to bring power into a building and have the generator outside in a parking lot.
My power went out twice so far this winter, ran the generator for about 6 hours each time, I do a 15 minute run every month & change the oil every year, if I keep gas in it, I drain it every 6 months & run that through the truck, replacing with fresh fuel in the generator. We always keep extra spark plugs, fuel filters and air filters in stock.
We do this on racing engines all the time. During the race season we don't drain the carb(s) or fuel injection but we do in the off season). Its really simple: Remove air filter, hold throttle wide open. Crank engine over while spraying your choice lube (we use WD40 as it repels moisture) and keep spraying till puffs of the WD40 come out the exhaust . That's it, your done. You've coated the carb, intake, ports, valves, guides, pistons and rings, cylinder walls, and exhaust with a good rust inhibitor. Best part is because kerosene is one of the ingredients in WD40 the engine will refire when needed without trouble.
Use Startron additive for ethanol fuel. I keep tank topped off and never run carbs dry and never had a problem. Boaters know this Startron is the best. Had fuel stored over 2 years no problem.
Just bought one for that SE US deep freeze. Filled it up but didn't need it and never even started it up. Got a hand pump and drew the fuel out. There's just one station with non-ethanol gas near my house, too, and have it for other tools.
I use Sta-Bil in the fuel for all my small engines, especially when you are going to store extra. And I try to run my backup generator once a month long enough to get it to operating temperature because I think it helps keep the seals from going bad...
Run Ethanol Free Fuel also. I keep a small amount of fuel in my Honda EU2200i generator and run the generator once every two months for about 10 minutes. I did the same with a Troy built Generator for 16 years!. That Generator died after the Texas Freeze of February, 2021 after being ran for six days straight. That Troy Built got us through three hurricanes also. I run Ethanal free Fuel and with Stable fuel stabilizer. I got the Honda right after the Troy Built died.
As someone that has managed a gas station in the past in Pennsylvania, I can say unfortunately even high test/octane gas can have up to 10% ethanol in it here. If you are in the area and need ethanol-free gasoline go to KwikFill. The other good part of going there is that all the gasoline is completely a USA product from the crude to the final gas, so you aren't sending money to our enemies.
Just got a rebuild kit last month just to put in the shelf. Amazon delivery will stop one day and power can’t wait the times it will take to find parts
Had my house wired with a 220v 50A plug on the outside so that I can wheel a 13KW generator onto the porch (22 HP v twin Honda engine). It meets code because it’s got a break before make set of switches to prevent me from frying Walt the Lineman - something quite important, especially if you are Walt. I was told that it’s not good for the generator to sit idle (unused) for too long - that something with the windings and magnetization can degrade when they sit in one position too long. So at one time I’d run my generator once a month for 15 minutes or so… but then I got lazy. But your comments for a small gas engine are spot on.
Transfer switch is what it is called. And its major waste of money . Anyone else can kill the main breaker. Run the generator to the dryer outlet with only one leg of the 220 hot. And it will run everything on that legs of the panel.
@@FreedomInc fortunately I had the house wired for generator use when it was built. I’ve got a main panel and a sub panel for the generator circuits. My dryer is on my second floor, so running a cord there would not be practical. I could have gone a cheaper route, but with a gazillion dollars flying around during the house construction, the extra $600 bucks for wiring for the generator was a no brainer to me.
@@fatboyrowing point still stand. Ok,anyone else can wire in a dryer outlet anywhere that makes it easy. The 2k in extra panels material, and labor is unnecessary
@@FreedomInc fortunately I was only charged $600. And yeh, plugging into the dryer outlet is a very good option if it’s accessible…. just need to remember to throw the main switch.
I bought a cheapo 5 kW electric unit heater to put some load on the generator when I exercise it once a month. I have heard it is good for the electrical components to actually have some load rather than just running the engine with no load periodically. The unit heater is the most convenient way I have found to put significant load on a large portable generator. I got sick of plugging it into the house just to exercise it.
Outstanding video brother short, complete and to the point. Great tips for preparedness and the home owner, especially for the homesteader! Keep walking with our KING!
We've got a dual-fuel gas/propane unit. It has NEVER been run on gas - the tank has never seen a drop (unless they did a test-run at the factory on gas). And I intend it to remain that way until we have no other choice. No gasoline, no chance of gumming up, and no ethanol-related troubles.
Another good thing is to go out and just start it once a month for about 10-15 minutes....that way oil stays up on the top of the engines....the carb doesn't have a chance to gum up. And it gives you a chance to inspect belts, hoses, etc.
Fuel should be topped right up. Ethanol free (premium) and put a fuel stabilizer of your choice (seafoam for me) Don't need to do anything else. Every piece of equipment I have including motorcycles and such sits for 6+ months a year between seasons for the last 15 years like this and never had to clean out a carb.
Yes put oil into the spark plug hole. A big problem is carbon drying up, causing rings to stick, that lowers compression, and can cause damage when it does start up. This is a common problem with older cars that have been parked a long time.
Every time I use a chainsaw I dump the gas out and run it till it dies. It's a lot cheaper to dump out $.50 worth of gas than to buy a carb and deal with the problems and inability to use it. I only run the good stuff in my jugs. I fill all my tanks to the top when I'm done so they don't get condensation in the tank, turn the fuel off and drain the bowl. They always start right up the next spring. The pull rope is a very good point. I've already been through that one and managed to wrap a rope on the flywheel and start it but it was dangerous as heck haha.
If you made a book called, "Professional Homeowner" in the style of "New complete book of self sufficiency" with cartoons and illustrations, I'd pre-order it. Your life has been full of terribly important things that most people never run into since they don't work Emergency Services or Farm equipment. Again if you write a book I'll pre-order it. Hold me to it.
My Predator that I have never used for anything gets started once a year, has 3+ year old fuel in it and and starts up and purrs like a kitten first pull!
For storage I turn off the fuel valve and run the carb dry. Still use non-ethanol aka supreme, but just in case. Also dump in some seafoam in the tank so I don't have to siphon any unused gas.
Have you ever tried aspen petrol? It's way cleaner than normal gas. It's made to go in small engines like chainsaws and such. It also stores way better so it can sit in the engine without destroying them. You should check it out, I know you like the swedish quality stuff!
Yup, I use Aspen 4 in my mower... At the end of summer, I clean it, leave the fuel in, come spring, it fires straight up! My sparkplugs have never been cleaner too...
I should run my generator once a month. I was told while in the Army, run it under load. I connect a small space heater to it set at half power 750W. I run the generator for one half hour.
Good preparation to get through any event, gives peace of mind as well as ability to accomplish your mission. Please continue, “running the race set before you and finish well.” We love your channel and al, you share with us.
40 year old EM-3000 honda generator starts on second pull. We so need it here with the grid so flaky and new england snowstorms. Non-ethanol is impossible to find under $25 a gallon, I use a fuel stabilizer which help loads with the higher octane even if it has ethanol here.
Unfortunately here in the north east affordable non ethanol fuel is very hard to find unless you live way north. Where i live in Mass there is none available at the pump in the entire state, only VP race gas in 5 gallon cans at $80-100 a can which is way too much money to run in small equipment. The closest i can get it at the pump is a 3 hour drive north each way. That said i have not really had a lot of issues with ethanol. I do take precautions like running marine Stabil( the blue stuff) in every can of fuel i buy. I also do not buy more than i can use quickly and i do not let it sit in float bowls if i can. Doing those things i have had zero problems in almost 20 years of having to use it. I have a lot of power equipment, multiple dirt bikes and a boat its been a non issue for me. When it comes to generators for emergency you kind of need to have fuel for it around or you wont be prepared for an outage when you cant get fuel. This is exactly why i got a dual fuel generator that can run off propane as well as gasoline. Propane stores really well and a 100lb bottle will run my generator for over 3 days straight. My garage heat runs off 100lb bottles too so i have 6 total plus a couple of 20lb grill tanks as well. 2 run the garage heat and 4 full to swap when the garage heat runs out. When the garage runs out i rotate two full ones in and refill the empty ones so i always have 4 of them full on hand. Based off what i have seen running my 4kw inverter generator off propane it will run about 12 days off those 4 bottles if i ran it 24 hours a day.
I've been researching. a natural gas generator as I have gas heat and stove etc. I have I have 2 large military refurbed ones. One for the house and one for my shop and barn.
Just throwing this out there... The military came up for something like this, storage of missiles actually, it's called WD40. Inhibiting corrosion is what it was developed for.
At 0:22 fill the tank with 100 LL Aviation gas and problem solved ! It has no additives and lasts for years ... 👍 Works on chain saws , lawn mowers , dirt bikes and airplanes .😁
Thanks for the reminder to change the oil on it... I use ethanol-free gas and even add Sta-Bil as a bit of extra insurance. My 9000W Start/7250W Run generator runs the whole house when hooked into the breaker box via the mains-interrupt I installed to stay legal/within code. Nice to have power with no extension cords when the mains are down.
@@dimmacommunication I bought the Predator from Harbor Freight before the prices shot up. With three fridges and a chest freezer, plus lights and nat-gas furnace blower to run, it goes through the 8 gallon tank in about 13 hours. That's what they claim the rate is at "50% usage", so potentially longer at lower lower wattage rate. You can find some good reviews on long-term usage rates and consumption on YT by doing a simple search.
@@BestSpatula Yeah, I'm not interested in hurting the local linemen working to fix a power outage while powering my house to keep the food from spoiling. Big thanks to my late father for teaching me basics around home electrical, too.
Pull the disconnect on your heatpump, get a 240 volt plug to connect to your generator and wire it in to line side of the disconnect. That way, you can feed 240v to your panel. Just turn anything that is actually 240v off at the breaker and all your 120v outlets will have power. Edit: Turn the main disconnect, (200 or 100 Amp breaker in your breaker box) off!
People should do drills for power outages the same as fire drills. Pick a long week end and turn off the main breaker. Stay home dont leave dont cheat. The only way to refine your plan of action is to put to the test with controlled consequences. A million dollar plan isn't worth a nickel without any practice. Do it one time just to prove the plan is valid. If its not valid refine and repeat at later oppertunity.
I fire mine up once a month, my generator has a eco carb so a fast and slow rpm , I run it for 10 minutes on high rpm and I use seafoam and trufuel , a little pricey for the fuel but it’s 93 octane and the seafoam coats the internal parts and it only uses a small amount, during that 10 run I plug my air compressor and fill that up and the most important part of that is it exercises the electrical end . I store rec fuel mixed with seafoam
I'd love to have my generator sitting idle for years without needing to run it except once in a while for maintenance, but unfortunately I live here in OR with you and I lose power because of ice storms in the winter or wildfires in the summer. It doesn't sit idle for long
A lot of this applies to RV generators, even the built-in ones!! I can't count the number of folks that incurred genset issues from lack of use and improper storage prep.
I just bought a generator. I intentionally got one that will run on propane. A 100lb DOT cylinder will run it 24 hours. Propane won’t go bad in storage like gas or diesel will.
The only problem with running the fuel dry is the needle might stick on the carburetor. When you go to start it after you've let it run dry for a period of time check to see you got fuel coming into the bowl If not just take and knock on The carburetor that should unseat the needle. If that doesn't work there's plenty of UA-cam videos on how to take a carburetor apart
For us Southern folks there is no off season. Tornadoes and power outages can, and do, come at all times of the years. Moisture is only a problem IF it gets into the cylinders. Following other manufacturers recommendations putting a Tbsp of motor oil in the spark plug hole is all that is needed for cylinder protection. Storing the tank empty is certainly the best method for long-term storage but it doesn't bode well for needing your generator when the power goes out. I'd prefer to keep the tank as full as possible without over filling it and causing it to "leak" out under pressure changes. I use Briggs & Stratton's fuel treatment as it last for 3 years. Long-term storage doesn't allow me to test the generator periodically either. Who wants to have to fill, test, and then drain the tank every few months?
The single cylinder engines do not alway draw all the fuel out of the carb when the fuel stops. They need the drain on the bowl opened. The carb is vented to the open air, so the fuel will evaporate or the ethanol can pull in water. With the fuel valve off, the fuel in the tank stays good for a while, just like fuel in a property sealed fuel can.
Here’s a question I’ve just thought up: In the upcoming struggle, how would one siphon gas from vehicles and use it, if gas goes bad after six or so months?
Here is what works for me: Set the generator on the back porch. Every 4-5 weeks, when you need a haircut, start the generator and plug in mamas hair clippers and sit down and enjoy the sound of the screaming Jenny. She won’t hear you complain about poking you w the clippers, and you won’t have to hear her comments about your growing bald spot! Works like a charm and keeps your generator in good order. Just shut off the fuel and go take a shower while it does of starvation and it’ll be good to go next time. (Go back and turn off the key if it’s got a battery).
They call non-ethanol fuels "Recreational Gas" here in Kentucky. I bought a generator that uses Propane as a primary fuel source, and gasoline secondary. I have not ever ran it on gasoline yet.
You will eat ze recreational bugs
I bought 2 generators and finally used 1 this past summer when the lights went out for half the day. We were able to use small AC units we purchased for the same reason. 2 is 1, 1 is none. Thanks for the tip. I stored but forgot to drain the gas I’ll do that today.
Cody, Hutch Mountain makes a fantastic LP "conversion" kit for your small Honda Generators. I have both of my small Hondas converted allowing me to run them off of gas OR LP with a flip of a switch. Worth checking it out.
I have one, thanks for the info!!😁😁
I did not know this. thank you so much.
Make your own fogging fluid by adding graphite to oil. That's what we used when I worked in the test cell at Outboard Marine Corp (Evinrude and Johnson boat engines). Once the engine passed its tests and was ready to be sent to clean-up then packing we would disconnect the fuel and run the RPMs up while squirting the fogging oil into the carb until the engine died. You'll see a lot of white smoke as the fogging fluid gets into the engine.
Thanks for the industry insight. If I do this, what kind of oil? What do I squirt the oil with?
The absolute best tip of this video is the Ethanol free gas. If you only do 1 thing then make it that
Welder here, I have a gas generator I will not part with easily. A couple sqirts of oil on the pistons, empty tank, some fuel conditioner and new filters evrytime, plus battery maintenance. I use it only now again these days. I do mostly Q.C. now. Good tips. Like your content.
The Honda generator I took home from the dump was at the dump because of the aftermarket air filter housing catching water and funneling it down the stud. As it's heavy AF I mounted heavy duty casters so I can push it wherever it's needed. A snow cab from a snowblower just happened to fit perfectly over the generator so that's how I keep it protected until I need it. I never run carbs dry anymore but use ethanol free gas with a smidgen of two stroke oil, something like Seafoam and marine Stabil. Since doing this every single one of the 15 plus machines started by the second pull.
Yes ethonal free fuel , sea foam or kleen flo fuel stabilizer for the win in off season. I keep the fuel tank full to the brim as an empty tank will produce much more condensation than a full one due to temp fluctuations. I also make a habit of putting it on my calendar to start all of my stored equipment every month run until warmed up to normal operating temperature run the drivetrain little bit so you keep all bearings Chainz drive belts etc uniform.
Excellent advice. I learned the hard way with outboard engines - always run them dry.
Same for the generator - run it dry, store off the floor, and run it about once a year.
Always dreaded pulling off the gas cap and smelling varnish. Never again.
Also, I have a clutch fitting with a socket for my cordless drill. Makes for easy starting if the pull cord breaks or the engine is stubborn.
Have a carburetor kit, it includes all the gaskets, needle valve etc. It will be specific to your carburetor, but most small engines use the same few carburetor models. If you need help finding it, ask at a local small engine shop. They can be pretty cheap, usually 10-15 dollars. These, along with fresh fuel and a fresh spark plug, will get most small engines starting again.
Od someone needs help finding it. Having it isn't going to do them a bit of good when it is needed. So they might as well wait until it fails to start then take it to the same small engine shop to have it worked on
@@FreedomInc that's a bad perspective! It hurts nothing to have it on hand ESPECIALLY for 20 bucks... You seem like a wet blanket...
I agree, no ethanol fuels for any of my small engines. I use premium from the local co-op (only one I found with no ethanol). Ethanol fuels were causing me all kinds of grief until I changed to non-ethanol fuel.
You can also just run it for a few minutes every month. Just let it come up to temp and the oil will coat everything.
That's what I do. About 15 minutes a month.
I never run it dry (out of fuel) after shutting it off, but I start it every 2 or 3 month for about 10 minutes, I think that's also a good method to prevent gumming in the carburator. I also put Non-Ethanol fuel in small engines. I don't have carburator issues since I do this :P
yup just running it every few weeks is enough....I have to clean the gummed up carb every spring on the lawnmower
Cody - You are putting out really good content. I love these fireside chats. I like the videos that aren't focused on high-priced products. That's not a dig at you. It's just that I am a U.S.-based missionary and can't afford a lot of the things you have 🙂 Anyway, I appreciate the content and hope that you will continue producing.
I honestly have no respect for missionaries, always living on someone elses dime in the name of jesus
In northern California, we use ours year round due to PG&E. If the gas i have stored doesn't get used in 4 months I put it in the cars and refill the gas cans with fresh fuel. I personally change the generator oil every 6 months, but that's because we run them a lot. I also start it every month, and charge the starting battery. Our house is wired with a big switch that takes us off the grid and connects the generator.
I start my generator every first weekend of the month every month, same with the lawnmower and the grass strimmer through the winter months, start them up and run them till they get hot, this way you can trust them when you need them. I was thinking about a diesel generator but they're big and expensive.. Wouldn't need to worry about the fuel going stale.
Make sure you use the correct gauge for your extension cords. Running energy hungry appliances on the higher gauge extension cords can ruin the appliance. I only use the outdoor rated one, not worth the hassle to keep multiple sets. And get the ones the light up on the end so you know they have power. You will save yourself a ton of time troubleshooting issues.
If you store gas for your generator use PRI-G in it as well. Stabil is also a fine product but I think PRI-G (or PRI-D if you run diesel) is the better option.
Here in my part of Canada the 91 octane is often ethanol free, I test my fuel for ethanol every so often now with a small tester bottle just to be sure. I also keep rolls of small engine pull cord I'm a few different sizes as well as the different sizes of fuel line in boxes, different fuel filter types and boxes of spark plugs. That way if I have have an issue with a fuel system component I have the means to repair it. It makes a huge difference.
We should tell them how to find out if it has alcohol in the gas.
Get a small bottle. One that holds about 12 ounces. Add about 1/4 of the way up of water to it. Mark that spot with a grease pencil, tape, etc. You want that level marked off. Add the gas to it. Now shake it up good. Water will bind to the alcohol like a magnet. As soon as you stop shaking it look at the level. If the water is at the same level it's good. If it has alcohol in it, it'll be above that line and there won't be any doubt about it. If you have to squint your eyes, it's good. Let it settle for about an hour. Now you can decant the gasoline out of the bottle.
Another indicator is to have a natural rubber washer around. Adding ethanol to it will start to melt it.
Definitely would recommend getting a generator inlet port and a manual transfer switch so you could hook up your generator to power your home. You can do it yourself for about $200 or hire an electrician for $500-$1000. It is so great to be able to power your home without a ton of extension cords. The best part about it is your hard wired stuff like HVAC can be powered if you size your generator appropriately!
Good stuff. I learned all this the hard way and at great expense. Any gasoline engine that is not used very regularly including things like outboard engines, ethanol free!. Good storage prep will make these engines last nearly forever. Bad storage prep means they won't work when you need them and you get to buy new ones very regularly unless you are handy at rebuilding them.
Love the content Cody i do use fogging oil. However for the fuel i use Aviation 100 LL in all my standby long term storage equipment, it is distilled and wont ever dry out seals and wont go bad for at least 9 years. Just don't run it in anything with a catalytic converter.
M m. M m. M
I used to do that. It started to build up lead on my valves causing them to stick. If you see a white like powder in there, it's lead. I suppose you could use TCP. That's what I used in my '54 Bonanza.
@@robertthomas5906 yes the lead fowling is a problem. However I only use it for long term storage purposes and is run on ethanol free pump gas after the storage av/gas is used up. Short term storage I just use fuel stabilizers if it's less than 6 months.
I have a Honda 2000, I usually put mud into the gas tank and then throw it in the creek for the winter. If I need it, I go dig it out, flip it over once, pee in the tank and it fires up on the 2nd pull.
Put a CAP on the exhaust so that air doesn't go into ur exhaust and past the valves and rust up the engine....the cap solves more than one problem, most people never ever think about that.....glad I could help....!!!!!!!
Buddy of mine worked with someone who worked where they stored hundreds of military quads. Every so often (yearly?) they would pull each one out, tighten the fan belts and run the engine. They would kill the engine by fogging oil into the intake, coating the valves, guides, pistons, cyl walls, etc. Then they'd loosen the belts again, paint the pulley groves and put it to sleep for another time.
I don't empty the tank but I use Sta-bil fuel conditioner and I drain the carb after each use by shuttling the gas line off and running it dry that way.
Have used Stabil for years on generator, weed trimmer, lawnmower, etc and have never had an issue.
I do, however, crank the generator periodically even if there is no power outage or other need for it, AND I'M TOLD THIS STEP IS ALSO IMPORTANT:
I plug a saw or other tool that pulls a lot of juice and rev it up several times then run the gen dry as described above.
REASON: I was told that a generator that doesn't get to "generate" occasionally can have the magneto go bad, rendering it useless. Not sure how true but I've done it for several years as a precaution.
Some who have more knowledge may be able to elaborate or debunk that if its a myth.
In December I also just received two air filter/Fuel filter/spark plug kits i ordered from Amazon for about $20 each. Used one, saved the used ones and stored the other new one.
Maybe add a little bit of compressed air or some from a can into the opening of the carb or the inlet side of the fuel hose that way you can blow out what's hanging around in the float area
I always run premium fuel in all my small engines, lawn mowers, generators, chainsaws. Saves on cleaning carbs when I need to run them. Take your recoil apart and clean the factory grease out of them and relubricate with a white lithium grease. I found that the factory grease is too tacky and makes the recoil hard to pull in cold weather, and makes the rope retraction very slow. Before I did mine I thought the motor was seizing up as I was pulling it over in 0°Celsius weather, and after removing the factory grease it worked perfectly.
Amsoil is great!
I also use Pri-G gas treatment too.
93 octane top tier gas.
Great video.
Thank you!
I pull my three small gensets out every 2 months or so and run each one with a double fixture halogen construction light plugged into it for a load for about half an hour to get it good and warm and bake out any moisture from the system. All of mine have fuel shut off valves so then when I’m done with my load run I just shut the fuel off and let it run out.
I never run anything but 93 octane non-ethanol and I buy it by the barrel and as soon as I open the barrel I pour in a couple of bottles of sta-bil.
All of the units to this day two of which are over 10 years old start on the first pull every time.
It’s all about consistently using high-quality fuel and every year doing an oil/filter/plug change.
If it doesn’t work when you need it what good as having it.
For my large 8000 W unit with a 50 amp circuit I built a portable distribution set up that allows me to run 150 foot cord from the generator out to a box at the end of the cord that gives me eight circuits plus continuous the 220 V path on with a 30A circuit.
It works really well in an emergency if you need to bring power into a building and have the generator outside in a parking lot.
hi mr w
thanks for the info on alcohol in gas... Speedways gas has alcohol 10%. we use that pink stabil in engines to allow to store for some time.
My power went out twice so far this winter, ran the generator for about 6 hours each time, I do a 15 minute run every month & change the oil every year, if I keep gas in it, I drain it every 6 months & run that through the truck, replacing with fresh fuel in the generator. We always keep extra spark plugs, fuel filters and air filters in stock.
We do this on racing engines all the time. During the race season we don't drain the carb(s) or fuel injection but we do in the off season). Its really simple: Remove air filter, hold throttle wide open. Crank engine over while spraying your choice lube (we use WD40 as it repels moisture) and keep spraying till puffs of the WD40 come out the exhaust . That's it, your done. You've coated the carb, intake, ports, valves, guides, pistons and rings, cylinder walls, and exhaust with a good rust inhibitor. Best part is because kerosene is one of the ingredients in WD40 the engine will refire when needed without trouble.
Use Startron additive for ethanol fuel. I keep tank topped off and never run carbs dry and never had a problem. Boaters know this Startron is the best. Had fuel stored over 2 years no problem.
Great tips, thank you! I’ve had good experience with keeping gasoline fresh for a long time in my gas cans with Sta-Bil fuel stabilizer.
Same here. Last week I used some gas from April 2020 stored with sta-bil. Still smelled right and ran my generator great.
Excellent excellent advice I can see we're thinking the same way. I had not thought of the spray foam or evenly 91 octane.
I don't always drain the tank, but, I will shut off the fuel petcock and run it until the engine stalls. I'll definitely install the filter
Just bought one for that SE US deep freeze. Filled it up but didn't need it and never even started it up. Got a hand pump and drew the fuel out. There's just one station with non-ethanol gas near my house, too, and have it for other tools.
Also good to pull the pull cord til you feel compression! That means you valves are closed and the piston is up !
The most genuine channel on UA-cam! Love from India!
Wow you just gave me all sorts of maintenance ideas thank you very much!
I use Sta-Bil in the fuel for all my small engines, especially when you are going to store extra. And I try to run my backup generator once a month long enough to get it to operating temperature because I think it helps keep the seals from going bad...
Run Ethanol Free Fuel also. I keep a small amount of fuel in my Honda EU2200i generator and run the generator once every two months for about 10 minutes. I did the same with a Troy built Generator for 16 years!. That Generator died after the Texas Freeze of February, 2021 after being ran for six days straight. That Troy Built got us through three hurricanes also. I run Ethanal free Fuel and with Stable fuel stabilizer. I got the Honda right after the Troy Built died.
As someone that has managed a gas station in the past in Pennsylvania, I can say unfortunately even high test/octane gas can have up to 10% ethanol in it here. If you are in the area and need ethanol-free gasoline go to KwikFill. The other good part of going there is that all the gasoline is completely a USA product from the crude to the final gas, so you aren't sending money to our enemies.
Do not forget to put a load on that gen. once a month.
Just got a rebuild kit last month just to put in the shelf. Amazon delivery will stop one day and power can’t wait the times it will take to find parts
Had my house wired with a 220v 50A plug on the outside so that I can wheel a 13KW generator onto the porch (22 HP v twin Honda engine). It meets code because it’s got a break before make set of switches to prevent me from frying Walt the Lineman - something quite important, especially if you are Walt.
I was told that it’s not good for the generator to sit idle (unused) for too long - that something with the windings and magnetization can degrade when they sit in one position too long. So at one time I’d run my generator once a month for 15 minutes or so… but then I got lazy. But your comments for a small gas engine are spot on.
Transfer switch is what it is called. And its major waste of money .
Anyone else can kill the main breaker. Run the generator to the dryer outlet with only one leg of the 220 hot. And it will run everything on that legs of the panel.
@@FreedomInc fortunately I had the house wired for generator use when it was built. I’ve got a main panel and a sub panel for the generator circuits. My dryer is on my second floor, so running a cord there would not be practical. I could have gone a cheaper route, but with a gazillion dollars flying around during the house construction, the extra $600 bucks for wiring for the generator was a no brainer to me.
@@fatboyrowing point still stand. Ok,anyone else can wire in a dryer outlet anywhere that makes it easy. The 2k in extra panels material, and labor is unnecessary
@@FreedomInc fortunately I was only charged $600. And yeh, plugging into the dryer outlet is a very good option if it’s accessible…. just need to remember to throw the main switch.
All great advice. Many people don't know about non ethanol fuel.
I bought a cheapo 5 kW electric unit heater to put some load on the generator when I exercise it once a month. I have heard it is good for the electrical components to actually have some load rather than just running the engine with no load periodically. The unit heater is the most convenient way I have found to put significant load on a large portable generator. I got sick of plugging it into the house just to exercise it.
Outstanding video brother short, complete and to the point. Great tips for preparedness and the home owner, especially for the homesteader! Keep walking with our KING!
Not a bad idea to know how to clean a carb jet. Easy to do and this is what usually keeps my small engines from running.
It's the ethanol gas. I used to have the same problem, even during summer.
We've got a dual-fuel gas/propane unit. It has NEVER been run on gas - the tank has never seen a drop (unless they did a test-run at the factory on gas). And I intend it to remain that way until we have no other choice. No gasoline, no chance of gumming up, and no ethanol-related troubles.
Another good thing is to go out and just start it once a month for about 10-15 minutes....that way oil stays up on the top of the engines....the carb doesn't have a chance to gum up. And it gives you a chance to inspect belts, hoses, etc.
Fuel should be topped right up. Ethanol free (premium) and put a fuel stabilizer of your choice (seafoam for me)
Don't need to do anything else.
Every piece of equipment I have including motorcycles and such sits for 6+ months a year between seasons for the last 15 years like this and never had to clean out a carb.
Great advice, I'm thinking about getting a propane adapter for my gas genny for fuel options in the future
Got a generac with a 500gal propane tank now. Along with some gas/propane generators and a transfer switch on the house
Yes put oil into the spark plug hole. A big problem is carbon drying up, causing rings to stick, that lowers compression, and can cause damage when it does start up. This is a common problem with older cars that have been parked a long time.
Every time I use a chainsaw I dump the gas out and run it till it dies. It's a lot cheaper to dump out $.50 worth of gas than to buy a carb and deal with the problems and inability to use it. I only run the good stuff in my jugs. I fill all my tanks to the top when I'm done so they don't get condensation in the tank, turn the fuel off and drain the bowl. They always start right up the next spring. The pull rope is a very good point. I've already been through that one and managed to wrap a rope on the flywheel and start it but it was dangerous as heck haha.
If you made a book called, "Professional Homeowner" in the style of "New complete book of self sufficiency" with cartoons and illustrations, I'd pre-order it. Your life has been full of terribly important things that most people never run into since they don't work Emergency Services or Farm equipment.
Again if you write a book I'll pre-order it. Hold me to it.
I really like that book but it wouls be a lot of work and maybe even lot's of redundancy if Cody makes one alike.
I second (or 3rd) that motion!!
It would bee too expensive. He would have to sell volumes on specific topics. "Professional Homeowner Encyclopedia".
They also have an additive you add to gas for long storage
My Predator that I have never used for anything gets started once a year, has 3+ year old fuel in it and and starts up and purrs like a kitten first pull!
For storage I turn off the fuel valve and run the carb dry. Still use non-ethanol aka supreme, but just in case. Also dump in some seafoam in the tank so I don't have to siphon any unused gas.
Have you ever tried aspen petrol? It's way cleaner than normal gas. It's made to go in small engines like chainsaws and such. It also stores way better so it can sit in the engine without destroying them. You should check it out, I know you like the swedish quality stuff!
Yup, I use Aspen 4 in my mower...
At the end of summer, I clean it, leave the fuel in, come spring, it fires straight up!
My sparkplugs have never been cleaner too...
I should run my generator once a month. I was told while in the Army, run it under load. I connect a small space heater to it set at half power 750W. I run the generator for one half hour.
Premium here is typically ethanol only a few station have a special separate pump they call recreational fuel 90 octane ethanol free
Here in Alaska we don’t have ethanol
Transmission fluid in the carb helps
Love your videos man.
Cheers from Canada 🇨🇦🍁
I have used my gen in the summer as much as the winter. It gets plenty of exercise
Good preparation to get through any event, gives peace of mind as well as ability to accomplish your mission. Please continue, “running the race set before you and finish well.” We love your channel and al, you share with us.
I have the None ethanol only policy in gas cans as well it stores better in the can or small exuipment.
40 year old EM-3000 honda generator starts on second pull.
We so need it here with the grid so flaky and new england snowstorms.
Non-ethanol is impossible to find under $25 a gallon, I use a fuel stabilizer which help loads with the higher octane even if it has ethanol here.
Kitty liked the sound of fuel filter packaging.
Unfortunately here in the north east affordable non ethanol fuel is very hard to find unless you live way north. Where i live in Mass there is none available at the pump in the entire state, only VP race gas in 5 gallon cans at $80-100 a can which is way too much money to run in small equipment. The closest i can get it at the pump is a 3 hour drive north each way.
That said i have not really had a lot of issues with ethanol. I do take precautions like running marine Stabil( the blue stuff) in every can of fuel i buy. I also do not buy more than i can use quickly and i do not let it sit in float bowls if i can. Doing those things i have had zero problems in almost 20 years of having to use it. I have a lot of power equipment, multiple dirt bikes and a boat its been a non issue for me.
When it comes to generators for emergency you kind of need to have fuel for it around or you wont be prepared for an outage when you cant get fuel. This is exactly why i got a dual fuel generator that can run off propane as well as gasoline. Propane stores really well and a 100lb bottle will run my generator for over 3 days straight. My garage heat runs off 100lb bottles too so i have 6 total plus a couple of 20lb grill tanks as well. 2 run the garage heat and 4 full to swap when the garage heat runs out. When the garage runs out i rotate two full ones in and refill the empty ones so i always have 4 of them full on hand. Based off what i have seen running my 4kw inverter generator off propane it will run about 12 days off those 4 bottles if i ran it 24 hours a day.
southern man here... what is winterizing?
I've been researching. a natural gas generator as I have gas heat and stove etc. I have I have 2 large military refurbed ones. One for the house and one for my shop and barn.
Just throwing this out there... The military came up for something like this, storage of missiles actually, it's called WD40. Inhibiting corrosion is what it was developed for.
At 0:22 fill the tank with 100 LL Aviation gas and problem solved ! It has no additives and lasts for years ... 👍 Works on chain saws , lawn mowers , dirt bikes and airplanes .😁
Many Midwest states put ethanol in all grades of gas. Certain stations will offer ethanol free for a premium, above 91 prices!
Thanks for the reminder to change the oil on it... I use ethanol-free gas and even add Sta-Bil as a bit of extra insurance.
My 9000W Start/7250W Run generator runs the whole house when hooked into the breaker box via the mains-interrupt I installed to stay legal/within code. Nice to have power with no extension cords when the mains are down.
brand ? fuel consumption ?
@@dimmacommunication I bought the Predator from Harbor Freight before the prices shot up. With three fridges and a chest freezer, plus lights and nat-gas furnace blower to run, it goes through the 8 gallon tank in about 13 hours. That's what they claim the rate is at "50% usage", so potentially longer at lower lower wattage rate.
You can find some good reviews on long-term usage rates and consumption on YT by doing a simple search.
Kudos for doing this safely and correctly and not backfeeding like some of the idiots here.
@@BestSpatula Yeah, I'm not interested in hurting the local linemen working to fix a power outage while powering my house to keep the food from spoiling.
Big thanks to my late father for teaching me basics around home electrical, too.
Pull the disconnect on your heatpump, get a 240 volt plug to connect to your generator and wire it in to line side of the disconnect. That way, you can feed 240v to your panel. Just turn anything that is actually 240v off at the breaker and all your 120v outlets will have power.
Edit: Turn the main disconnect, (200 or 100 Amp breaker in your breaker box) off!
Its far more simple ans you are not out in what is probably bad weather to just plug it into the dry outlet.
People should do drills for power outages the same as fire drills. Pick a long week end and turn off the main breaker. Stay home dont leave dont cheat. The only way to refine your plan of action is to put to the test with controlled consequences. A million dollar plan isn't worth a nickel without any practice. Do it one time just to prove the plan is valid. If its not valid refine and repeat at later oppertunity.
thats what i did,im on disability with a bad back and through practice i can have lights on and making coffee in about 7 minutes
What a great video, and excellent practical wisdom! Thanks!
I made a cord that plugs into my electric cookstove outlet. Just turn off the main and I'm good to go.
I fire mine up once a month, my generator has a eco carb so a fast and slow rpm , I run it for 10 minutes on high rpm and I use seafoam and trufuel , a little pricey for the fuel but it’s 93 octane and the seafoam coats the internal parts and it only uses a small amount, during that 10 run I plug my air compressor and fill that up and the most important part of that is it exercises the electrical end . I store rec fuel mixed with seafoam
No ethanol and start/run once a month. Works for me, many years. One pull start, as well.
I'd love to have my generator sitting idle for years without needing to run it except once in a while for maintenance, but unfortunately I live here in OR with you and I lose power because of ice storms in the winter or wildfires in the summer. It doesn't sit idle for long
A lot of this applies to RV generators, even the built-in ones!! I can't count the number of folks that incurred genset issues from lack of use and improper storage prep.
I just bought a generator. I intentionally got one that will run on propane. A 100lb DOT cylinder will run it 24 hours. Propane won’t go bad in storage like gas or diesel will.
The only problem with running the fuel dry is the needle might stick on the carburetor. When you go to start it after you've let it run dry for a period of time check to see you got fuel coming into the bowl If not just take and knock on The carburetor that should unseat the needle. If that doesn't work there's plenty of UA-cam videos on how to take a carburetor apart
Thanks for your informative videos. Much love from the cold Canadian prairies
Our 91 here has ethanol to boost it to 91 rating. I run 87 in my gen, it has lower ethanol content.
Non Ethanol in all small engines period!
Having or installing a fuel shutoff is Also a good idea
For us Southern folks there is no off season. Tornadoes and power outages can, and do, come at all times of the years. Moisture is only a problem IF it gets into the cylinders. Following other manufacturers recommendations putting a Tbsp of motor oil in the spark plug hole is all that is needed for cylinder protection. Storing the tank empty is certainly the best method for long-term storage but it doesn't bode well for needing your generator when the power goes out. I'd prefer to keep the tank as full as possible without over filling it and causing it to "leak" out under pressure changes. I use Briggs & Stratton's fuel treatment as it last for 3 years. Long-term storage doesn't allow me to test the generator periodically either. Who wants to have to fill, test, and then drain the tank every few months?
The single cylinder engines do not alway draw all the fuel out of the carb when the fuel stops. They need the drain on the bowl opened. The carb is vented to the open air, so the fuel will evaporate or the ethanol can pull in water. With the fuel valve off, the fuel in the tank stays good for a while, just like fuel in a property sealed fuel can.
Question. Why wouldn't the manufacturers use ethanol friendly parts?
Great advice as usual. Thank you
Here’s a question I’ve just thought up: In the upcoming struggle, how would one siphon gas from vehicles and use it, if gas goes bad after six or so months?
I just run ever engine about every month lawnmower too
N Ont we use gennys ALL year long..
I'm from California, Gas stations are against the law. What should i do ?