Home Generator
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Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 6,305
Likes: 18
From: Boulder Creek, Ca
Home Generator
Question: can I continue running the generator or drain the tank and add standard Ca. toxic ethanol fuel?
Recently purchased a Honda EM6500SX and I believe made the mistake of adding 2 stroke ethanol free fuel (at $30/gal) to the 4 stroke generator. I added 5 gals to the generator and there is approximately 2.5 gals remaining and not sure if I should continue to run the engine on the ethanol free 2 stroke fuel or drain the tank and add the standard ethanol gasoline, believe the ethanol content is around 10%? .
Comments/Suggestions appreciated!!
Recently purchased a Honda EM6500SX and I believe made the mistake of adding 2 stroke ethanol free fuel (at $30/gal) to the 4 stroke generator. I added 5 gals to the generator and there is approximately 2.5 gals remaining and not sure if I should continue to run the engine on the ethanol free 2 stroke fuel or drain the tank and add the standard ethanol gasoline, believe the ethanol content is around 10%? .
Comments/Suggestions appreciated!!
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Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 6,305
Likes: 18
From: Boulder Creek, Ca
Thank you for the feed back!!.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,467
Likes: 107
From: Staten Island, NY
Given the cost of Honda generators (I have 2) I wouldn't continue to run it on the wrong fuel. Drain it, fill it with either mid grade 89 octane or premium 93 octane gas and use marine grade Sta-Bil (the blue stuff) in the gas.There's no need to spend the extra money on ethanol free gas. Every time you run the generator, shut it down by closing the fuel valve and letting it run dry.
My first Honda generator is over 15 years old and it still runs like new since I've been following this procedure.
My first Honda generator is over 15 years old and it still runs like new since I've been following this procedure.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 7,128
Likes: 1,945
From: Sportsman's Paradise
The oil in the fuel is so dilute it won't harm anything. Worst case scenario it might foul the spark plug but that's a long shot in itself. Just top off the tank with what ever fuel you normally use and worry not.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 6,305
Likes: 18
From: Boulder Creek, Ca
Checked and there is little over 1 gal in the tank, intend adding 4 gals of non-toxic 4 stroke fuel to the tank. The generator has approx. 24 hours so bout time to change the oil and check spark arrester and plug.
Considering buying a hourly timer but appears independent of the engine requiring manual setting when the generator is running??
Appreciate the comments/suggestions!!.
Considering buying a hourly timer but appears independent of the engine requiring manual setting when the generator is running??
Appreciate the comments/suggestions!!.
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i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,554
Likes: 5,590
From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
for a unit that gets a lot of low hour run time, a hour meter is a good investment.
my 2,400watt Kawasaki inverter is 6 years old and has 54 hours on it. i change the oil once a year, or every 10 hours run time.
my 2,400watt Kawasaki inverter is 6 years old and has 54 hours on it. i change the oil once a year, or every 10 hours run time.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2010
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From: Reynoldsburg, Ohio
FWIW Honda generators can be converted to run on propane by using an adapter kit made by these folks: Honda Generator Propane Conversions
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Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 6,305
Likes: 18
From: Boulder Creek, Ca
FWIW Honda generators can be converted to run on propane by using an adapter kit made by these folks: Honda Generator Propane Conversions
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 7,128
Likes: 1,945
From: Sportsman's Paradise
If you wish to run propane or natural gas you'll want a motor snorkel. I put them on my last 2 portable gens. They work great and allow you to still use the built in gas tank so you have a tri fuel generator.
Motor snorkel
Living in hurricane alley has given me a lot of experience with how to do what with a generator to keep the lights on lol.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 6,305
Likes: 18
From: Boulder Creek, Ca
They make an hour meter that auto runs when the engine does as you wrap it's wire around a spark plug wire. It gets it's feed from that. I put one on my last generator. Simple to install and no maintenance.
Hour meter
If you wish to run propane or natural gas you'll want a motor snorkel. I put them on my last 2 portable gens. They work great and allow you to still use the built in gas tank so you have a tri fuel generator.
Motor snorkel
Living in hurricane alley has given me a lot of experience with how to do what with a generator to keep the lights on lol.
Hour meter
If you wish to run propane or natural gas you'll want a motor snorkel. I put them on my last 2 portable gens. They work great and allow you to still use the built in gas tank so you have a tri fuel generator.
Motor snorkel
Living in hurricane alley has given me a lot of experience with how to do what with a generator to keep the lights on lol.
I thank you for the link, Motor Snorkel definitely appears to be a viable option particularly since Ca. just passed a low that by 2024 gasoline power equipment will be banned, what a joke!!
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 7,128
Likes: 1,945
From: Sportsman's Paradise
Just have to take the NG line loose from the big one and connect it to the little one.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 6,305
Likes: 18
From: Boulder Creek, Ca
Update: Picked-up the hour meter and questioned the mechanic whether adding 2 stroke 50-1 ethanol free fuel would present a problem if mixed with the 4 stroke fuel who stated it would not pose a problem as long as ethanol free fuel was used. I purchased couple gal cans of the 4 stroke ethanol free gasoline, then drained the generator and added the fuel at $30/gal. Interesting, friends who reside in the great state of Arizona attached a photo of the price they are charged at the local gas pump for ethanol free gasoline, $3.69 per, go figure.
Anyhow, generator is ready to go so when the utility co. declares a ' safety power outage' I be ready??
Anyhow, generator is ready to go so when the utility co. declares a ' safety power outage' I be ready??
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