Fuel Management in Generators

Interesting Gone Bush, I have one of these also, have had mine for 2 and a bit years now and have never drained the fuel when storing....hasn't been a problem yet...they are a great generator..

Cheers......Borgy

Hi Gone Bush, I had a Honda for over 25 years and never drain it out and also never had any problems what so ever. Now I have a Honda.0 for 4 years and treating it just the same as my previous Geny without hassle, so there.???? (Still have EM500 and going strong)
Regards
dedabato


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Had mine for a while and actually lives in the tool box on the back of the ute. Use it often, a number of times during the week, and it has never failed. They are a Honda engine so are the best you can get. Hondas are renouned for reliability, durability and they can withstand quite a bit of "abuse". I just keep fuel in it, switch the fuel switch off and it starts first pull 90% of the time. The other 10% it is second pull. I leave fuel in it all the time. If it is a concern, just start it every couple of weeks. I have done this will all small engine machinery and then they perform faultlessly. The important part is the oil changes which should be done periodically and with generators, mowers, etc an hour meter should be fitted as you have no idea how long they have been operating for.

Maybe the stories are from older 2 stroke motors running on oil mixed fuel,
If you leave fuel in them during storage the fuel can evaporate leaving oily crud in tank and carb
In 2 stroke boat motors etc, running them until they run out certainly makes them HEAPS easier to start next time

Honda Gennies are 4 stroke I believe, but sounds like they dont have the problem.
JR

Gooday,
Have a fairly new Yamaha 2400, previous a 2800, and when I bought the previous one 3 years ago dealer advised to run carburettor dry if not using it for a few weeks or longer. Said they had encountered several cases where unleaded fuel had evaporated and "gooed" up the Main Jet.
Have always done this when putting the caravan away. Never had a problem.
Also bought a small hour meter for doing oil changes.
Had an equipment Hire company for almost 20 years with over 100 small engines and always turned fuel off at tap, though they never stood around for very long, but REGULAR oil changes were the secret to a long trouble free life.
Cheers,
Boroma604.

In my Yamaha EF1000iS, I keep the tank near full all the time in storage - I run it for 10 minutes every 2 months if not in general use - starts like a bird first pull, and runs with no problems every time. I did leave it for 12 months at one stage and it was a bugger to start - hence the above plan. I change the oil frequently too - it takes so little, that cost is not a factor.

What do you think happens to the seals on a new unit that after manufacture and taking into account shipping time (saay 2 - 4 months), sits in a warehouse for say 6 months then on the retailers shelf for say another 3 months? Probably nothing!

On one occasion my EU10 was stored with a full tank.
Next time I went to start it there was no fuel in the tank.
Where did it go ???
Into the sump !!!!
Somehow the the dial that turns the motor off was turned to the on position after the motor had stopped when previously used.
The dial physically is a tap and also cuts the spark.
I am guessing the fuel has leaked over time with gravity down the carby throat past the piston and collected in the sump. Same has happened with my B&S rideon motor which now has an in line tap. Neither motors got to start stage but I have heard of motors exploding because of this.

The owner manual for the new EU20 gensets states that the genset should be stored with no fuel and even gives instructions for removing the fuel.

I don't know the reason for Honda doing this

Just an observation on these Honda's when you switch them off the throttle fully opens on the carby, the reasion I know is my old EU10i had the throttle stuck while I was at fraser once. It took me two days of frustration trying to find the problem, I now always spray the carby and every thing else with lanolin after a trip.
Wazzaaaa