Topic: Exercise your RV generator. It's important!

[78brave1]

When I was at a RV dealership in the spring, Their service department was booked with appointments for generators that either wouldn't start, or if they did start they had that all too familiar surging sound. This was a result of letting the generator sit for periods of time without starting and exercising it. Lack of use is one of the biggest problems with generators.
If you have a generator, remember to exercise it on a monthly basis. In gasoline generators the fuel breaks down and gums up causing hard starting and surging problems. This can happen in as short a period of time as one month. This is some good advice from the LGRVC site!

[Froggy1936]

It is now reccomended to add fuel stabilizer to every fill up (i think this is due to formulation of modern day fuels) especillaly on R/V,s Fuel can deteriorate in just 30 days If you end up camping for a wile you can end up with stale fuel and if you do not exercise or use your generator for any length of time you may need a carburetor rebuild to get it running again I use an electric fuel pump for my gen and when shutting it down i just turn off the pump and let it run out of fuel leaving the carb empty. I also try to add Stabile at the last fill before storing for winter or add it when draining water system for winter If you let it go till fuel turns to varnish you have a smelly monster to repair.  Frank

[gary19734]

My brother owns and operates Delaware Chassis Works also ECTA land Speed Racing Get alot of  carberated hot rods and street cars in and out with serious carberator problems due to the alcohol content in today's fuels pulling in moister. stabul will drastically reduce this but you must buy the marine one removes the alcohol all the hot rod guys say to use it at every fill up.Unless you are going to use fuel with in a 1 month period. I have noticed a big improvement by doing so with my motor home . What the heck another 8 bucks in the fuel tank alot cheaper than a new carburetor . Most damage to the carb from the moister is none repairable. It would also benefit you to install aftermarket fuel filter a large one that looks like a oil filter as we all know a whole lot of fuel passes thru these motors and alcohol loosens up rust deposites etc.

[Froggy1936]

I am able to run the generator carb dry when shutting it off (due to having a electric pump on the gen) I just turn off all the loads then shut off the pump and let it run out of fuel Have been doing it this way for 6 yrs and no gen carb problems Frank

[ibdilbert01]

Gary's brother is spot on.

The biggest issue with US gas is the amount of ethanol congress is mandating in the mix.  The end result is faster "Phase Separation" during storage. 

An Ethanol mix will actually pull moisture out of the air and push it right into the mix.   Eventually it will saturate to the point where it settles to the bottom of the tank, leaving a mix of ethanol and water.   Its becoming a rather large issue.

[tiinytina]

My small engine repair guy said  simpler solution is to always store your rig (and your small engines)  full of fuel, that way there is no air layer to mix with... (as Gone sits half full because I was feeling too "done" with 6 dogs in tow and a entry door that would not lock driving home from Trap Pond on Monday morning) last trip out... so yup.. errand run tomorrow Marine Stabil... 

Tina

[OldEdBrady]

An old topic, but I saw something somewhere that reminded me of it.  Am I ever glad!  Hadn't run mine for about a year.

So, got it fired up (After remembering HOW to do it).  Connected the trailer line to it, and fired up the a/c.  Temp dropped from 110 to 80 in about 10 minutes.

I can't run the a/c on house current due to low amperage circuits, but the genny keeps it going.  So, ran it about an hour, got the trailer cooed down inside, AND gave the genny a workout.

Timely reminder.

[dezertgurl]

Timely indeed! This made me stop and think, when did my Winnie's generator last run? Uhmm, I can't remember so it must be too long! So that's on my errand list for the weekend.

The problems caused by ethanol are no joke, we get a lot of older farm trucks and small gas-powered equipment in our ag repair shop with fuel issues. And don't get me started on biodiesel, it adversely affects newer engines as well as old ones!  But they're here to stay, so all we can do is try to learn what works and what doesn't and pass the word along.

[Winnebago Warrior 94]

I'm trying to put just the ethanol  free gas in my winnebago . .but I know I won't always be able to do this ..I haven't tried my generator out yet ..I do know it will turn over but not sure what all I need to do to it before I try and start it ..I looked at it the other day and i see where the fuel filter is ..I assume I should try and drain some old gas out of it before I try to start it ..I believe the generator uses the gas from the motorhome   itself ..is this correct ? That's why  haven't tried to start it because I got the I don't knows ..lol

[Winnebago Warrior 94]

the good news is I figured out how to operate the generator ..and I got a lot of handy dandy tips from this group ..ive been exercising it pretty regurally to keep it working ..since it was sitting up for a long time ..I  do need to do some maintenance like change the oil and the oil filter..ill get the hubby to do that ..where is the best places to get the oil filters from ?

[Rickf1985]

I don't remember the filter number but a lot of times they will cross over to something at an auto supply. If not than most lawn mower shops will have them since Onans were used on thousands of mowers. And then there is Amazon, I swear by Amazon, don't even have to go out.

[Winnebago Warrior 94]

Thanks for that handy info rick I appreciate  it ...your always helpful 😃

[Winnebago Warrior 94]

I have been exercising my generator and its been purring like a kitten and I might add came in very handy for the hurricane Harvey that hit southeast texas ..we fired it up when we lost power and it helped to save the day ..I haven't had to use the little gasoline suction device anymore when the generator sits for a time ..it been firing up constanly ..the onan is a good one ..thanks agin for yalls help

[WrigleysBraveWin]

It is now reccomended to add fuel stabilizer to every fill up (i think this is due to formulation of modern day fuels) especillaly on R/V,s Fuel can deteriorate in just 30 days If you end up camping for a wile you can end up with stale fuel and if you do not exercise or use your generator for any length of time you may need a carburetor rebuild to get it running again I use an electric fuel pump for my gen and when shutting it down i just turn off the pump and let it run out of fuel leaving the carb empty. I also try to add Stabile at the last fill before storing for winter or add it when draining water system for winter If you let it go till fuel turns to varnish you have a smelly monster to repair.  Frank

Been running off and on and have added Marine Grade Stabil to every tank ..... The Walmart near me has ethonal free gas so I may grab some next time we need gas.

[Winnebago Warrior 94]

I put the ethanol free gas on alot of our stuff ..we was,having alot of problems with lawnmower carburetor gettong clogged but since I have been using the ethanol free no trouble ..I use it in my Winnebago too and its been purring like a kitten except for the vaccume leak .
Lol

[udidwht]

I dump a 32oz bottle of Sta-bil into my fuel tank then top it off. Treats 80 gal (my tank is 60gal). Once I'm topped up I turn the generator on and drive to storage lot (2-3) miles. I also have the roof a/c running and allow it to run for ~20-30 mins. Then shut off the generator. Been doing this since I purchased the RV in Sept 2014. At times it will sit for 3 -6 months or so. Starts up every time. 

[Oz]

I use Lucas ethanol treatment.  It works like Stabil but also cleans and eliminates the problems caused by ethanol gas in pre-ethanol engines.

[penskepartyof4]

Is it ok to disconnect and cap off line from rig gas tank? And then hook it up to an auxiliary tank it for the winter?

I rigged up Evinrude gas tank to hand pump to fuel filter to adapter to our 6.5k onan with ethanol free. I have ran small engines with fuel in it by shutting it off and also running it dry.

I have preferred to keep one in the chamber! If I leave fuel in it, I drain the fuel bowl before starting to check for flow. Throw in a couple ounces of gas behind the plug. Ensure there is oil in gen set. If they have a will to live, they will.

Does the lucas treatment help seals stay lubricated over the winter if you don't run it every month? We have ours parked in a pole barn and its a 1.5 hour round trip that I dont mind going to check on it butt... when it gets stuck in the chair it stays there...

[Oz]

I can't fully vouch for it keeping seals lubricated for extended periods.
Since it's a gas treatment,  obviously it wouldn't for oil seals.  You'd need an oil treatment for that.
But, I did leave my snow blower without running for 9 months and no issue with fuel line or carb seals.