Great videos. You are the first person I have seen on YT using a Kill-O-Watt meter to set the genny output via Hz under load. And there are a lot of videos out there about setting the RPM to 3600 with no load. That is all fine and well, but, Hz is by far the most important aspect of output. I have been doing that with the units I service ever since buying the Kill O Watt meter. I used to set them under load using voltage and RPM only. Great tool for those that repair / service generators. I saw another of your videos talking about making the generators more quiet. Next time you get a Suburu powered generator with the OHV / OVC, put your decibel meter on it and see how quiet they run vs a push rod motor. I have a meter on order and have both a Suburu OHC and push rod generators in the shop. That should be interesting to find out. My thought is the push rod engine will be much louder due to the timing gears and the valve train noise. I guess I'll find out soon enough. Thanks for your videos.
I have a Powermate 1800 with a 4 HP Suburu and a 5 HP Honda EG2200X in the shop. When I finally get that meter, I will let you know what I find. Amazon has been SLOW getting my parts to me as of late. Probably just that time of year with the holidays.
ok, using a A/C analog clock as a test tool, is incredibly smart. My hat's off to you! That is some damn good advise, thank you for passing it on. From a former ITT grad, class of '86.
For sensitive electronics that I care about (like the expensive computer controller on my gas furnace) I will also put a battery-backed UPS inline with the generator and the furnace. The AC power coming out of the UPS is a digital sine wave and (so long as your battery on the UPS is good) remains at 60Hz even if the generator isn't. Thanks for another pair of great videos!! I have this exact same generator..complete with horrible over-spray green paint job.
Someone reminded me today that some UPSes have a pass-thru circuit that essentially allows the direct AC power through to the outlets while a battery charge circuit charges the UPS battery. So I think the take-away from that is that unless you have tested the output of your UPS while connected to a generator, you should probably assume it has one of these pass-thru's. Maybe just charge the battery on the UPS, disconnect from the generator then use the charged UPS battery to power whatever AC system you are interested in. Pretty hacky, but it beats frying your sensitive electronics. I do know there are also inverters out there that can plug into the generator and will provide a clean sine wave at 60Hz.
I set mine up so that I could disconnect the furnace from the panel box and power it via an external power source. I only use this in the event of a prolonged power outage emergency. I did all this work during an outage..which I don't recommend given your patience will also be on short supply at that moment too. Better to think it out ahead of time. I do know UPSes just for furnaces are sold..I just don't know how long they'll operate for or how much they cost.
I'm not familiar with what a UPS (other than the guy who delivers packages to my house) is? Can you provide any additional info? I learned the hard way about that controller on my furnace, wife does not want me to do that again. I have an inverter I can use, but my "big" generator I would use for an extended outage is just a larger version of the one in this video.
Tim theToolman Sure. A UPS in this context means an "Uninterruptible Power Supply". They first became available for consumers as short-term battery backup and surge protection for your computer. They give your computer just enough "on" time in the event of a power outage to save your work then close down the computer correctly. There are larger units meant for emergency power of radios and lights like the stuff at goalzero.com. There are also manufacturers of whole-circuit systems that will automatically provide power to a certain number of circuits in your breaker panel for a length of time dependent on how many batteries you have installed (or can afford..batteries are very expensive!). Then you have companies like Tesla who are making "power walls" that purport to provide whole-house power for "N" days on battery power: www.tesla.com/powerwall. All this to say that none of this is cheap to do or even recommended..or even commercially available! The path 99.99% of all tradesmen will recommend to you is install a transfer panel and a generator that will power a number of circuits in your home.
Harbor Freight also sells a multi meter that measures Hertz (as well as a bunch of other stuff) and also contains a Sound Level (dB) meter which is kind of nice to see how loud your generator is? Your neighbors might be upset you have power, and they don't, but hopefully they wont complain about the noise. I like your quick and easy quieting video also. Great video, Thanks.
I just looked it up on their site. It seams a little pricey for a HF item, but neat none the less. I have used their free multimeters and though basic work until the wires on the leads snap off. Based on that I purchased their 11 function 25 dollar one(37772) 4-5 years ago because I needed something to measure capacitance of capacitors. It crapped out a couple times within the 90day warranty and I was able to swap it out. It works great for the price and I've used the last one I swapped out for the past 4 years.
You, sir, are a GOD! I was given a large generator (Vanguard V-twin) that I thought sounded like it was over reving.... but knew nothing about correct speed (3600), hz or how to adjust until I watched/ learned from your video!!! When I checked it with my meter, it showed 234hz!!!! And @ 150v!! Between your video and another guys about the governor adjustment, I’m now at 62hz and 124v!!! I hate to think of the fire hazard I potentially had on my hands if I would have used it in a power outage- your video might have just saved 1 more house fire from NOT HAPPENING!!!! THANK YOU, SIR!!!!! Dave
Those out-of-whack values may be the reason the machine was given away! I acquired my Generac GP-5500 on the side of the road (because it wouldn't start with 2 year old gas) and now it runs like a champ (after taking the carb and gas tank off and super-cleaning all parts). Only had 39 hours on the meter!! It's amazing when you see some of the things people throw away nowadays that turn out to be perfectly good--many items with engines are just unloved and have had very little (or no) maintenance.
Good video. Remember start the generator let it warm up then plug equipment into it. Unplug equipment then shut down generator. The voltage and frequency will vary at startup and shutdown.
This is the first video I have seen that addresses adjusting the Hz on a generator. Great informational video. Just an FYI for those who may not have a meter that can measure Hz but have a Tachometer you can also calculate Hz by the using the engine RPM. 1 RPM is equal to 0.0166667 hertz for a small engine that runs at 3600 RPM. Multiply the engine RPM by .0166667 to get Hz. For engines running at 1800 RPM you will have to multiply you answer by 2.
GREAT Video because your explanations are perfect ... "BIG Help" since I just purchase a DuroMax 1200 and the thing came running at 3700 RPM and was putting out way too much voltage!! ... Bravo!!
Thank you for your video. After adding about 6k watt load to my generator (firman t07571), I noticed the Hertz was fine but the volts was at 258. Should I be concerned about the over voltage?
The HZ needs to be as close to 60hz or dead on under load as this controls the speed of motors(fridges, AC units, etc). Voltage however is far less important. Is the 258v under load or static? 258v would mean 129v per phase which is higher but still barely within the 110-130v acceptable range.
Moe....You're the man. I wasn't aware of the hertz being key to properly setting these up. Time to go tune the home back up GenSet 4kw generator and the little 3200 stand by for the shop! Thanks for this information buddy...Zippo learns every day and today you're the teacher! Cheers my good Friend! Zip~
That was great info. Thanks! I just bought an older generator and the motor was running way slower than 3600 RPM and I was focusing on adjusting the voltage only.
Thanks man! I have an antique 1800 rpm onan putting out 158 V under load making my rv transformer make funny noises! I put a homemade propane carb on it and adjusted it to sound but not rpm, hertz or even volts under load! I imagine it is just too high an rpm! I cant wait to go up there now and check it and adjust the rpm!! Your presentation of how the "Hertz" works really clicked for me and I get it!
Good stuff Man! Thanks. I concluded my 10Kw Gen with a 670cc V-Twin Honda clone under light load showing 63.x hz, was making my UPS freak out (line/bat/line/bat...) and logging 'noise' events and/or not
I just tore down my Coleman generator from my grandpa's day. I'm just wondering how much I can actual fix to make it run. I think I want to use hho and maybe connect 2 cap banks as booster packs that alternate between the two. Is this a good feasible project? Oh and the exhaust will be harvested for automation once I know it's production. So....?
What would you consider the bare-bones minimum Hz for a nearly loaded Generac GP-5500? Usually has 2 medium window units, a refrigerator, and a power strip with electronics like computer and big screen TV. It usually drops to 57-58 Hz and the V is usually between 117-119V. Is 61 Hz under no load with 122-124V. My opinion is to bump the RPM up a little. This particular generator was at the side of the road and was being thrown away by my neighbor because he didn't maintain it and had 2 year old gasohol in the tank. And that smell was awful coming from the carb and tank. It only had 39 hours on the machine. I've had it 5 years now and give it the necessary love it needs to start on the first or second pull when I really need it to work. It's not too strenuous of a job to change the friggin oil once a season and to clean/ replace the plug and air filter. Oh, and to run it out of gas when it's likely to sit for months. It's amazing how many people don't even do these tasks and can't figure out why they wont start when the hurricane is 48 hours away.
I would bump it up. The voltage is beautiful and anything from 110-130v is no issue at all. The HZ though on motors controls the speed. The the fridge and AC units operate the best at 60hz. TV, computers etc generally don't care as they convert AC power to DC to run and generally accept anything from 50-60hz and 110-230 volts.
@@sixtyfiveford I'll make the adjustment this AM. I just bought a $18 gizmo off Amazon that was delivered Friday. It reads voltage and Hz simultaneously, so adjusting will be easy. This Generac has never damaged anything I've plugged into it and I've used it to charge phone batteries and power tool batteries as well. I didn't realize how important the cycles were until I watched your video. Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I've been a subscriber for a couple of years now and really enjoy your content. Have a blessed day and greetings from Louisiana!
I've rebuilt several of these coleman generators and I set it at 62-63 hertz so when put under it naturally decreases down to approximately 60 hertz unload .
60 hertz? Nah....you want an IDG an integrated drive generator from a jet aircraft. They run at 400 hertz three phase! Not good for home use though! Great video Moe. This is an often overlooked step in dialing in a portable generator. Thanks for sharing!
Ya really good explanations actually gives a person enough information to build his own generator from a generator head and engine/motor. My only issue is there are tons of different generator heads and tons of different engines. If you get a generator head how portable is it to mounting it onto any old engine/motor. And if you ran a generator head on a more powerful engine what would happen would it make it generate more power, amps, volts or would it just max it out , damage it or any other thing? Just curious as i am not sure the specific internals of these generator heads only what the spec's say there rated for. Obviously from physics i get how there working with change in magnetic field inducing electrical current but thats not enough to know from the engineering side whats going to happen in practice.
The magnets constant strength @ certain hz and number of them is fixes so it seem like it only max it out you wouldn't get more out of it unless you increased the hz in which case not sure how much off 50/60 hz range you could run stuff like not sure if you tried running stuff at 100hz or 200hz what would happen on this one. Though the crankshaft to generator head assembly probably limits the hz range a lot to. So you may never have that ability to get up to alot of ranges of hz.
Thanks for this video, I have issues with my generator duromax 10000 dual fuel, the idle switch does not apply, the engine RPMs do not peak when the generator receive load, when load is apply the engine RPM decrease and increased when the load is retired. When putting breaker out them engine accelerate more than normal when compared to the first days used. Actually generator is about 210 hrs total time used.
I know this is old, but you seem to be really helpful in the comments. Just wondering, how would I do this with a large 13KW generator, that I only use the 240V/50 amp outlet to power my home panel when I backfeed it? All of my Cyberpower UPS's in the home, do not recognize this as real power I guess, because none of them will go back to AC when the generator is powering the house. They just click back and forth from battery, to AC power. I want to tune this generator, and I'm wondering if I need to put something into between the 240V outlet and the breaker panel while under full load (which seems challenging), or if I can just set it up for the load, and test the normal 120V outlet on the generator that's not being used and get my readings there to adjust the governor. Thanks in advance.
Contrary to what you would think, most electronics are not picky about what electricity they get. This is because they use power transformers(TV's, Cell Phones, Laptops, etc) and convert 100-250v AC 50-60hz to a DC power source to power the device. Electric motors (Air Conditioner, fridge, fans etc) on the other hand that run off straight AC power are sensitive and tuning the output really helps with longevity and performance. A motors speed is dependent completely on the HZ.
@@sixtyfiveford ...I thought the same as to what the issue is with computrs being seen as sensitive and needing inverter style generators to avoid damage. My laptop can run at 120-240 V and 50-60 hz...so I asked ( on another vid), why it's still a problem. They answered like this--> "The problem with dirty power is that it varies unpredictably. Your (laptop) transformer is built to detect the voltage and switch accordingly, but it's not built to filter voltage drops and 3-4hz variations in the AC modulation, and that's what damages the electronics. You would need a full AC-DC-AC converting UPS to clean the power. Those are expensive and big."
Thank you for the info, I got a champion 3650 running watt and just by ear it sounded a little to fast and it was at 73hz no load and I got the same killawatt meter you have, and I wasn’t sure at first how exactly to tune it, so I found a hair dryer and it pulled 1675watts and I tuned it to right at 60hz and it bounces around a little bit but under load the voltage goes from 119.9 to 120.5 I assume where the engine isn’t super steady, but that’s as smooth running as I can get it, and the governor reacts super quick so I think I should be alright, the engine should smooth out more as it gets broken in right?
The voltage will fluctuate and stuff you run off of it won't care as long as it is roughly 120v(110-125v is the average across the US). The nature of any gas powered generator is you'll always get a little fluctuation. The engine should sound steady though. The voltage is controlled by a circuit board(AVR) built into the generator where the HZ is controlled strictly off the engine RPM.
Wouldn’t it make the most sense to have an inverter tied directly to say 2 decent size truck battery’s ? The battery’s take the load shock .. the generator runs a constant low rpm,,, and slowly raises the rpm as needed?
Hi, I just clean and started a hold onan 2500 gen. Modèl 205AJ-1P / 1c. Serial 57B553451. 110 volts that I got 2years ago. But therme is no currant comming out. Where do i start to check thé problème ? Dont know nothing about électricity but like to learn even at 61 ! Triyng to find pdf but no succès.. tanks for the verry informative video . 👍
If I’m running generator on different fuel sources with the Hz vary? I have a tri fuel that I’ll use with gasoline or natural gas that’s 9k start 8k running but will be at 7k on natural gas. Set the Hz to about 63 if I’m doing 5-6k on nat gas?
sixtyfiveford it’s 8000 running 9000 starting trifuel Winco. Has a Briggs and Stratton engine. I’m getting the kill a watt device tomm to adjust based on Hz. Love your videos. Such great advice.
Thanks for posting. I never knew how to adjust the HZ on a generator before I use the brush less generator on my Honda welder it will put out about 7.4 kw. But it so unclean it will easily burn out any appliance I put on it even a drill with out me even knowing it. I notice that when I have use the drill by the time I notice the smoke coming out of it the drill wrecked. I have had the same voltage tester as you have there for a while now. I use it in power outages with my 2.8 kw AVR generator. To make sure I have enough power to run ever thing But I never thought about using it on the welder generator. Though the voltage currant on my welder generator is so awful Before I never would dare try to run a house with it. it a bit more to it then that its only generates a squire wave. My AVR generator generates a squire wave and it will run fridges LCD TVs computers ever thing but in a power outage I just don't have enough power to run the 3kw water heater and run the house as well I thought before If had enough power to run ever thing It be great And if my welder generator did not burn appliances out it be wonderful. if only I could get it cleaned up it could easily run my whole house.till now I never knew
@@sixtyfiveford That's OK And again thanks for taking the time to post it. After watching your video and learning what you said about the carburettor adjustment I remembered I once got a new carburettor for it off E bay months before But when I got .the carburettor for the welder generator. I put it on the bench in the garage, and then just forgot about it , until I saw your video. So I spent the last after noon installing the new carburettor. the battery gone on the starter So I dreaded the thought of pulling over a 13 hp Honda engine. this use to take ages to start But when I pull the cord and it started almost instantly. It even ran better. quieter Im from Australia here we run on 240 volts AC I tested the voltage it was a study 239 volts. it never done that before. So I plug in one of the lamps Before the lamp use to glow brighter and duller brighter and duller it got a bit annoying after a while LOL But this was a steady brightness. So from what I learn off you and your video I was able to fix it the voltage is so study I know it will run other thing I try it to morrow So again thank you. so very much.
@@sixtyfiveford I did but now it seem to have stopped producing power. Last night I notice the engine runs great. but there no power coming from it I suppose I expect to much from it as it very old I use it more as a generator then a welder I will have a look at it this morning Should be some simple I try a drill in it at first and use the drill to excite it then I test Image result for stator windings. As I can remember from before as long as it got 5 volts it OK. then last Ill test the 20 uf capacitor
@jcr65566....Your Quote.... "My AVR generator generates a square wave and it will run fridges LCD TVs computers ever thing "...so what about others warning me that dirty power will ruin my stuff? So your experience running these things is good?
Another informative video. I never knew to adjust a generator. I have an old noise maker that I haven't started in a long time and I have a killawatt meter like that from harbor freight.
@@sixtyfiveford Power outage there are very simple thing you can do to cut down generator noise I use to place the generator next to the garage wall and then learn a board over it .it will bring the noise down from 75db to 60 db But the best one just place it in a box trailer on the side and then lean a thick board over it. it bring it down to 55 db.
I have that exact generator. Checking yesterday revealed that it is putting out 146 volts, checking it with my multimeter under no load. Is this high voltage normal? Also, where exactly is the idle adjustment screw?
I want to make sure I completely understand this 100% before attempting something like this...So the idea is to adjust/match a 60hz output from a Big Box store Chinese type made generator to a most commonly used wattage electrical load device with sensitive electronics by turning/adjusting the carburetor screw on the generator and doing this will protect the sensitive electronics inside an electrical device just like a much more expensive Digital Inverter Generator will?.... Okay I have a small space out in the Boondocks and grid power fails for several hours at a time about 3 times per year. I can buy a neighbors Chinese Knockoff Sportsman Sandstorm Generator for $35.00 and I heat the place with one electric 120Volt AC Quarts Infrared Space Heater with a small squirrel cage blower that pulls 1452 Watts upon start up but drops down to 1372 Watts while running (a KillAWatt meter checked the wattage) The Sportsman Sandstorm generator is supposed to supply 2000 watts surge power and 1400 watts continuous - If I can get this generator to run at 60hz output while drawing 1400 watts then this should not fry the Quarts Infrared elements, sensitive Electronics Board or the squirrel cage blower inside the Infrared Heater like a more expensive Inverter generator will while keeping the place warm and cozy when the power goes out in winter? Thanks for any reply.
@@sixtyfiveford yup,that kill a watt thing is something i would never think i needed ,till i got one. and on the little cheap gen i got it is great to be able to set voltage with load by just turning the idle screw. need to use 200 foot extension cord? no problem. turn it up a bit.
what I would do. it really concerned with frequency variation. I would build my own generator. or replace the engine with one about 2x the tq. and HP. a small Diesel would be better. like a 5000 watt gen head. connected to a 15-18hp diesel or 20-24 HP gas. it may not be as fuel efficient. but could take full load without slowing the least. keeping the 50 or 60 Hz . depending on where you are. or build a inverter generator. use a engine and car alternators and a good pure sine wave inverter . and it would have a small battery backup. then it would only need to run about half the time. just a idea!
I am trying to understand the issue with "sensitive electronics". My laptops, cameras, mobile phones and other devices all run with power supplies that specifies AC voltage input of 100 to 240 VAC. So, running on a 120VAC generator, why would spikes to 140VAC etc or drops to 110VAC be a problem?
I've asked the same question....and they tell me it's not a question of tight control of voltage or frequency, but how "pure" the sine-wave of the produced power is ("clean" sine wave vs "dirty" square- wave).
Is a brand new 4375 (3500 running watts) starting-watt generator without an inverter safe to run a 6.5 amp refrigerator on? How about a flat-screen LED TV? Thx for the info. I'm new to generators and I'm thinking I should have bought an inverter generator but will have to work with what I got.
6.5x120=780watts running. You will have a few second surge when the fridge starts but this shouldn't be more than 2000 Watts though. All modern electronics regulate their own voltages internally so they don't really care what voltage they receive. Most are designed for world wide use and can take anything from 50-60hz and 110v-250volts.
sixtyfiveford That is really good to know... and thx for the reply. I don’t want to swamp you with questions but I’ve read that a bad sine wave can destroy a refrigerator compressor motor. If you have one more minute... is that a real concern that I should be trying to correct with some kind of “line conditioner”? And is “sine wave” just another term for hertz/frequency? Many thx.
@@DaveBowman345 Sine wave is the visual appearance of AC power on a graph. At 120volts it goes up and down(alternating current) like a wave from positive to negative 120volts at 60 times a second(60hz). I've heard a lot of talk about sine wave, but I really don't think it could destroy an electric motor. I've seen it on many oscilloscopes; good vs bad but never proof it damages anything. It may add interference like noise/static on something like a radio but nothing else. Others will contest me on this as nothing looks as smooth as sine wave from your homes grid power. I think more important than anything is the Hertz at which the sine wave is oscillating (60hz/60 times per second) as this is what controls the electric motor speed.
@@sixtyfiveford It's surprisingly difficult to find answers to these kinds of questions but you've provided more info than anyone else I've contacted. Thanks again! 👍
@@DaveBowman345 I did a little bit more personal research after we talked. I guess the main thought behind bad sine waves ruining an electric motor is that it won't run as efficient so it could run hotter and the heat could possibly, maybe shorten the lifespan of the electric motor. This is all theoretical and I could find no proven data backing any of this.
All good information! Liked the tools you use to check and set. Especially the old analog clock with a second hand! So if I have a horizontal shaft engine, did you say I could get the electrical box at HF? I'm going to go watch the sound suppression video you linked us to! Thanks so much!
HF used to sell a generator head but I think they discontinued it(it was a huge 10k requiring 20hp). Small generators like the one in the video can generally be picked up in non running condition for $50 or less on classifieds. Generator heads will generally have propitiatory tapered engine shafts that aren't interchangeable with the typical straight keyed shaft you would see on an old horizontal motor.
Thanks for the info! I bought this same generator at a community swap meet, Coleman Powermate PM54-2000 puts out 2250 watts. The electricity was shut off for three days days due to high winds so I got to use it worked perfectly. I'm looking for a owners manual tried googling it no luck if anyone knows how to get a owners manual would greatly appreciate!
where do you get your thermal fuses I just found a bad one on my small maintainer charger. 1.5 amp charger. I have not been able to locate them or know what the term for name is.
Ebay has always had them for me. They come in a bunch of different temperature ratings. Generally the temperature rating is written on the side in Celcius.
Good video , But I still use a surge protector between my generator and my electronics. For I don t trust them generators cause they vary in speed at random or when ever they feel they should burn our electronics . So it is safer to to use a surge protector on them generators . No offence also keep up the good work..
Not really. The governor keeps the rpm set which keeps the HZ at 60hz. Changing the muffler won't make it quieter but will kill some of the performance.
I've never used a digital clock for this. It would have to be an analog with a second hand. The electronics and everything in a digital clock would probably skew it. If it was an analog clock 37 seconds in a minute would mean the engines running at essentially idle.
im in the UK, and run at 50hz 230v AC.... Bought a generator that needs some tuning... What RPM would my engine need to be, under load, to achieve 50hz?
@@sixtyfiveford the carb only has 1 jet. and it idles lovely :) I did strip and leave the carb to soak for 12+ hours. AS it wouldnt run off choke.. It runs fine now though..
I have a powermate 4000 and a killawatt meter as well. The engine runs pretty smoothly, but the hertz bounces around between low 50s and high 60s, sometimes even hits 70. When I plug the meter in to my home outlet its a solid 60, so there's nothing wrong with the meter. I suspect something with the gen head. Any suggestions to correct this?
I've ran my Kill a Watt on nearly 100 generators and never had a situation like this. Is the generators engine rpm consistent or is it surging? The HZ is directly related to the engines rpm.
@@sixtyfiveford It sounds pretty steady but I will check it with my spark plug wire meter (if the battery is still good). I don't believe it's replacable.
@@itseyegore8654 It doesn't have the idle kickdown does it? Where it idles down when there's no load on it. It could be your automatic voltage regulator just not telling the generator to produce a real power output until a load is sensed. It would have to be surging a lot to vary from 50 to 70 hz.
Update: The rpm's are steady. The frequency bounced around like that with no load. When I added a load, the hertz leveled off and only fluctuated by .1 or ,2 So I set the rpm at 3700 which gave me approx. 60 hz under 1000 watt load. I'm gonna have to be good with that. Thanx for your response and your helpful video.
Not really. If the generator is running full speed you should be in the realm and the hz will be close. There are a couple different ways these work. In the past 30 years they pretty much all have a AVR (automatic voltage regulator) that controls the voltage. HZ is the only thing 100% reliant on engine rpm. You can check your brushes to make sure they're making good contact. You can also try exciting it by plugging in a corded drill and while running and pulling the drill trigger, spin the chuck by hand.
@@sixtyfiveford The rectifier and brushes on my unit are one assembly and I replaced it with a new unit with no change. I've tried the drill method but in reverse with no luck. I didn't try going in forward direction though. Appreciate the response.
The AVR(automatic voltage regulator) should do this automatically for you. It is very common for this to burn out or go bad. The HZ should be set manually though.
I think we have all had to be happy with "Close enough!!", i dont think there will be anything that wont work with that generator. They cope quite well for there simplicity :-).
zx8401ztv one thing about brush less generators ever if the stator gone they are really easy to fix if it just a broken wire just solder it and epoxy it if it realy bad and you cant ford the $100.00 for new winding wire unstrap the whole burnt winding and then just solder the broken bits and then as you winging it back on slowly tape and epoxy each one of them there usually a diode or a wire of the diode gone then I use to buy cheep bridge rectifiers and only use one half of it.
I disagree with you. The voltage is more important, Hz become important on inductive loads, like a compressor. what is priority volts between 115 to 122.
Both are important, but regardless 60hz is the standard for North America. They are tied together and setting one changes the other. If you set the HZ, the voltage will fall right inline unless something is wrong with the generator head. It also allows you to keep your engine within safe RPM limits. Some older generators are rated to 110 volts, some 115 and some 120 all at 60hz. There is no single voltage standard labeled on all devices for voltage in the US. You will find stuff labeled 110, 115, 117, 120, 125. The average voltage in the US fluctuates anywhere between 108 VAC to 132 VAC and devices are designed to handle this fluctuation. Within reason devices will compensate by pulling more or less Watts at lower/higher voltage. Most people I know use primarily inductive loads on generators: air conditioning, refrigerators, power tools etc. Electronics being a very minor load but those are very forgiving these days and are designed to convert any voltage from 100-240VAC and 50-60hz to 12/5VDC power to run themselves.
I have the same generator. Her name is Jenny. We use her all the time. Would love to replace it with one of those slick little Honda generators. They’re much more quiet. What do you think of the harbor freight generator?
I've had them in my shop and like most Harbor Freight stuff they do function, but barely and for who knows how long. They always need tinkering because a bolt rattled off, a switch broke, a wire came loose, a rubber hose rotted....... If you don't mind the noise these old generators run forever and are cheap. But there really is nothing better on the market than the Honda's. I don't care for much of anything else Honda makes as far as power equipment, but their generators are king of the hill.
Great videos. You are the first person I have seen on YT using a Kill-O-Watt meter to set the genny output via Hz under load. And there are a lot of videos out there about setting the RPM to 3600 with no load. That is all fine and well, but, Hz is by far the most important aspect of output. I have been doing that with the units I service ever since buying the Kill O Watt meter. I used to set them under load using voltage and RPM only. Great tool for those that repair / service generators. I saw another of your videos talking about making the generators more quiet. Next time you get a Suburu powered generator with the OHV / OVC, put your decibel meter on it and see how quiet they run vs a push rod motor. I have a meter on order and have both a Suburu OHC and push rod generators in the shop. That should be interesting to find out. My thought is the push rod engine will be much louder due to the timing gears and the valve train noise. I guess I'll find out soon enough. Thanks for your videos.
Thanks. Yeah, it would be interesting to know which is quieter. I'll have to see if I can find some engines with similar displacements.
I have a Powermate 1800 with a 4 HP Suburu and a 5 HP Honda EG2200X in the shop. When I finally get that meter, I will let you know what I find. Amazon has been SLOW getting my parts to me as of late.
Probably just that time of year with the holidays.
A multimeter is even more accurate - and, a sturdy one will cost less than a Kill-A-Watt. :P
ok, using a A/C analog clock as a test tool, is incredibly smart.
My hat's off to you!
That is some damn good advise, thank you for passing it on.
From a former ITT grad, class of '86.
Thanks.
It never 'hertz' to know how much the generator is putting out. I never checked mine. Good info Moe
HAAA
It hertz so bad, all he could say was "ohm, ohm"
i think allot of people don't even think about this. they get a generator and go from there. great job!
Thanks.
For sensitive electronics that I care about (like the expensive computer controller on my gas furnace) I will also put a battery-backed UPS inline with the generator and the furnace. The AC power coming out of the UPS is a digital sine wave and (so long as your battery on the UPS is good) remains at 60Hz even if the generator isn't. Thanks for another pair of great videos!! I have this exact same generator..complete with horrible over-spray green paint job.
Someone reminded me today that some UPSes have a pass-thru circuit that essentially allows the direct AC power through to the outlets while a battery charge circuit charges the UPS battery. So I think the take-away from that is that unless you have tested the output of your UPS while connected to a generator, you should probably assume it has one of these pass-thru's. Maybe just charge the battery on the UPS, disconnect from the generator then use the charged UPS battery to power whatever AC system you are interested in. Pretty hacky, but it beats frying your sensitive electronics. I do know there are also inverters out there that can plug into the generator and will provide a clean sine wave at 60Hz.
I set mine up so that I could disconnect the furnace from the panel box and power it via an external power source. I only use this in the event of a prolonged power outage emergency. I did all this work during an outage..which I don't recommend given your patience will also be on short supply at that moment too. Better to think it out ahead of time. I do know UPSes just for furnaces are sold..I just don't know how long they'll operate for or how much they cost.
I'm not familiar with what a UPS (other than the guy who delivers packages to my house) is? Can you provide any additional info? I learned the hard way about that controller on my furnace, wife does not want me to do that again. I have an inverter I can use, but my "big" generator I would use for an extended outage is just a larger version of the one in this video.
Tim theToolman Sure. A UPS in this context means an "Uninterruptible Power Supply". They first became available for consumers as short-term battery backup and surge protection for your computer. They give your computer just enough "on" time in the event of a power outage to save your work then close down the computer correctly. There are larger units meant for emergency power of radios and lights like the stuff at goalzero.com. There are also manufacturers of whole-circuit systems that will automatically provide power to a certain number of circuits in your breaker panel for a length of time dependent on how many batteries you have installed (or can afford..batteries are very expensive!). Then you have companies like Tesla who are making "power walls" that purport to provide whole-house power for "N" days on battery power: www.tesla.com/powerwall. All this to say that none of this is cheap to do or even recommended..or even commercially available! The path 99.99% of all tradesmen will recommend to you is install a transfer panel and a generator that will power a number of circuits in your home.
Thank you for the info
Harbor Freight also sells a multi meter that measures Hertz (as well as a bunch of other stuff) and also contains a Sound Level (dB) meter which is kind of nice to see how loud your generator is? Your neighbors might be upset you have power, and they don't, but hopefully they wont complain about the noise. I like your quick and easy quieting video also. Great video, Thanks.
I just looked it up on their site. It seams a little pricey for a HF item, but neat none the less. I have used their free multimeters and though basic work until the wires on the leads snap off. Based on that I purchased their 11 function 25 dollar one(37772) 4-5 years ago because I needed something to measure capacitance of capacitors. It crapped out a couple times within the 90day warranty and I was able to swap it out. It works great for the price and I've used the last one I swapped out for the past 4 years.
The clock to check hertz was a great tip. So simple but I never thought about that. Great video as always Moe.
It's slow but works without specialty tools. That's always a plus in my book.
You, sir, are a GOD! I was given a large generator (Vanguard V-twin) that I thought sounded like it was over reving.... but knew nothing about correct speed (3600), hz or how to adjust until I watched/ learned from your video!!! When I checked it with my meter, it showed 234hz!!!! And @ 150v!!
Between your video and another guys about the governor adjustment, I’m now at 62hz and 124v!!!
I hate to think of the fire hazard I potentially had on my hands if I would have used it in a power outage- your video might have just saved 1 more house fire from NOT HAPPENING!!!!
THANK YOU, SIR!!!!!
Dave
Thanks, I'm glad it was helpful.
Those out-of-whack values may be the reason the machine was given away! I acquired my Generac GP-5500 on the side of the road (because it wouldn't start with 2 year old gas) and now it runs like a champ (after taking the carb and gas tank off and super-cleaning all parts). Only had 39 hours on the meter!! It's amazing when you see some of the things people throw away nowadays that turn out to be perfectly good--many items with engines are just unloved and have had very little (or no) maintenance.
Good video. Remember start the generator let it warm up then plug equipment into it. Unplug equipment then shut down generator. The voltage and frequency will vary at startup and shutdown.
This is the first video I have seen that addresses adjusting the Hz on a generator. Great informational video. Just an FYI for those who may not have a meter that can measure Hz but have a Tachometer you can also calculate Hz by the using the engine RPM. 1 RPM is equal to 0.0166667 hertz for a small engine that runs at 3600 RPM. Multiply the engine RPM by .0166667 to get Hz. For engines running at 1800 RPM you will have to multiply you answer by 2.
Thanks.
GREAT Video because your explanations are perfect ... "BIG Help" since I just purchase a DuroMax 1200 and the thing came running at 3700 RPM and was putting out way too much voltage!! ... Bravo!!
Thank you for your video. After adding about 6k watt load to my generator (firman t07571), I noticed the Hertz was fine but the volts was at 258. Should I be concerned about the over voltage?
The HZ needs to be as close to 60hz or dead on under load as this controls the speed of motors(fridges, AC units, etc). Voltage however is far less important. Is the 258v under load or static? 258v would mean 129v per phase which is higher but still barely within the 110-130v acceptable range.
@@sixtyfiveford thanks for the reply! It's only under load. When I back off, it goes back to, around 246ish
Moe....You're the man. I wasn't aware of the hertz being key to properly setting these up. Time to go tune the home back up GenSet 4kw generator and the little 3200 stand by for the shop! Thanks for this information buddy...Zippo learns every day and today you're the teacher! Cheers my good Friend! Zip~
Thanks Zip.
That was great info. Thanks! I just bought an older generator and the motor was running way slower than 3600 RPM and I was focusing on adjusting the voltage only.
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.
Thanks man! I have an antique 1800 rpm onan putting out 158 V under load making my rv transformer make funny noises! I put a homemade propane carb on it and adjusted it to sound but not rpm, hertz or even volts under load! I imagine it is just too high an rpm! I cant wait to go up there now and check it and adjust the rpm!! Your presentation of how the "Hertz" works really clicked for me and I get it!
Those 1800rpm Onan generators are great machines.
Good tip about the motors affecting the Hz accuracy during adjustment. I didn't know that.
Glad it helped
Never even thought off a clock to measure the out put. Thx for the info. Great video as always. Cheers
Slow but works.
Have you a video of how to install the hour meter? Thanks
Good stuff Man! Thanks. I concluded my 10Kw Gen with a 670cc V-Twin Honda clone under light load showing 63.x hz, was making my UPS freak out (line/bat/line/bat...) and logging 'noise' events and/or not
I just tore down my Coleman generator from my grandpa's day. I'm just wondering how much I can actual fix to make it run. I think I want to use hho and maybe connect 2 cap banks as booster packs that alternate between the two. Is this a good feasible project? Oh and the exhaust will be harvested for automation once I know it's production. So....?
Thanks for th how-to and tool suggestions! Have never considered validating the operation of my 5650w generator that I bought new in 2004 - will now!
I find they're always off a little
What would you consider the bare-bones minimum Hz for a nearly loaded Generac GP-5500? Usually has 2 medium window units, a refrigerator, and a power strip with electronics like computer and big screen TV. It usually drops to 57-58 Hz and the V is usually between 117-119V. Is 61 Hz under no load with 122-124V. My opinion is to bump the RPM up a little. This particular generator was at the side of the road and was being thrown away by my neighbor because he didn't maintain it and had 2 year old gasohol in the tank. And that smell was awful coming from the carb and tank. It only had 39 hours on the machine. I've had it 5 years now and give it the necessary love it needs to start on the first or second pull when I really need it to work. It's not too strenuous of a job to change the friggin oil once a season and to clean/ replace the plug and air filter. Oh, and to run it out of gas when it's likely to sit for months. It's amazing how many people don't even do these tasks and can't figure out why they wont start when the hurricane is 48 hours away.
I would bump it up. The voltage is beautiful and anything from 110-130v is no issue at all. The HZ though on motors controls the speed. The the fridge and AC units operate the best at 60hz. TV, computers etc generally don't care as they convert AC power to DC to run and generally accept anything from 50-60hz and 110-230 volts.
@@sixtyfiveford I'll make the adjustment this AM. I just bought a $18 gizmo off Amazon that was delivered Friday. It reads voltage and Hz simultaneously, so adjusting will be easy. This Generac has never damaged anything I've plugged into it and I've used it to charge phone batteries and power tool batteries as well. I didn't realize how important the cycles were until I watched your video. Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I've been a subscriber for a couple of years now and really enjoy your content. Have a blessed day and greetings from Louisiana!
I've rebuilt several of these coleman generators and I set it at 62-63 hertz so when put under it naturally decreases down to approximately 60 hertz unload .
60 hertz? Nah....you want an IDG an integrated drive generator from a jet aircraft. They run at 400 hertz three phase! Not good for home use though! Great video Moe. This is an often overlooked step in dialing in a portable generator. Thanks for sharing!
That sounds like a fun generator to play with.
Fireship1 You should be able to run most 110 v single phase on three phase
th-cam.com/video/d1quMdHegn0/w-d-xo.html
Thanks Sixty-five. This is very often overlooked by most (myself included) us. Thanks for sharing and teaching this technique.
Thanks. I hope it saves someone some headache.
Great information to know. Very well demonstrated. I love it when I learn something from TH-cam videos and I just did.
Thanks Man.
Ya really good explanations actually gives a person enough information to build his own generator from a generator head and engine/motor. My only issue is there are tons of different generator heads and tons of different engines. If you get a generator head how portable is it to mounting it onto any old engine/motor. And if you ran a generator head on a more powerful engine what would happen would it make it generate more power, amps, volts or would it just max it out , damage it or any other thing? Just curious as i am not sure the specific internals of these generator heads only what the spec's say there rated for. Obviously from physics i get how there working with change in magnetic field inducing electrical current but thats not enough to know from the engineering side whats going to happen in practice.
The magnets constant strength @ certain hz and number of them is fixes so it seem like it only max it out you wouldn't get more out of it unless you increased the hz in which case not sure how much off 50/60 hz range you could run stuff like not sure if you tried running stuff at 100hz or 200hz what would happen on this one. Though the crankshaft to generator head assembly probably limits the hz range a lot to. So you may never have that ability to get up to alot of ranges of hz.
Thanks for this video, I have issues with my generator duromax 10000 dual fuel, the idle switch does not apply, the engine RPMs do not peak when the generator receive load, when load is apply the engine RPM decrease and increased when the load is retired. When putting breaker out them engine accelerate more than normal when compared to the first days used. Actually generator is about 210 hrs total time used.
I would make sure the carburetor linkages are all moving freely. Specifically the main butterfly to governor arm.
@@sixtyfiveford thanks for your soon reply, I will check and I will return to you with findings and/or for more advice.
I know this is old, but you seem to be really helpful in the comments. Just wondering, how would I do this with a large 13KW generator, that I only use the 240V/50 amp outlet to power my home panel when I backfeed it? All of my Cyberpower UPS's in the home, do not recognize this as real power I guess, because none of them will go back to AC when the generator is powering the house. They just click back and forth from battery, to AC power. I want to tune this generator, and I'm wondering if I need to put something into between the 240V outlet and the breaker panel while under full load (which seems challenging), or if I can just set it up for the load, and test the normal 120V outlet on the generator that's not being used and get my readings there to adjust the governor. Thanks in advance.
You can just measure one leg/120v and you'll get the HZ for the entire 240v.
@@sixtyfiveford Sounds good. Thanks!
Very good and informative, exactly what I wanted to know, I did the same to my cheap HF generator and you confirmed that I was right, thanks.
Thanks for watching.
Thanks for the video! does this make it safe to run sensitive electronics like a PC / TV / charge smart phones and tablets and run a refrigerator?
Contrary to what you would think, most electronics are not picky about what electricity they get. This is because they use power transformers(TV's, Cell Phones, Laptops, etc) and convert 100-250v AC 50-60hz to a DC power source to power the device. Electric motors (Air Conditioner, fridge, fans etc) on the other hand that run off straight AC power are sensitive and tuning the output really helps with longevity and performance. A motors speed is dependent completely on the HZ.
Many thanks for your prompt reply. Great info that gives me a much better understanding of the issues.
@@sixtyfiveford ...I thought the same as to what the issue is with computrs being seen as sensitive and needing inverter style generators to avoid damage. My laptop can run at 120-240 V and 50-60 hz...so I asked ( on another vid), why it's still a problem. They answered like this--> "The problem with dirty power is that it varies unpredictably. Your (laptop) transformer is built to detect the voltage and switch accordingly, but it's not built to filter voltage drops and 3-4hz variations in the AC modulation, and that's what damages the electronics. You would need a full AC-DC-AC converting UPS to clean the power. Those are expensive and big."
Thank you for the info, I got a champion 3650 running watt and just by ear it sounded a little to fast and it was at 73hz no load and I got the same killawatt meter you have, and I wasn’t sure at first how exactly to tune it, so I found a hair dryer and it pulled 1675watts and I tuned it to right at 60hz and it bounces around a little bit but under load the voltage goes from 119.9 to 120.5 I assume where the engine isn’t super steady, but that’s as smooth running as I can get it, and the governor reacts super quick so I think I should be alright, the engine should smooth out more as it gets broken in right?
The voltage will fluctuate and stuff you run off of it won't care as long as it is roughly 120v(110-125v is the average across the US). The nature of any gas powered generator is you'll always get a little fluctuation. The engine should sound steady though. The voltage is controlled by a circuit board(AVR) built into the generator where the HZ is controlled strictly off the engine RPM.
Watching this Channel, I become Smarter Everyday
Awesome. Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.
Great info Great video just to the point information without demonstrating how to get the watt meter out of the box etc Thanks
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.
Wouldn’t it make the most sense to have an inverter tied directly to say 2 decent size truck battery’s ? The battery’s take the load shock .. the generator runs a constant low rpm,,, and slowly raises the rpm as needed?
Great very informative video! Thank you for posting. I'm going to purchase one of those tach/hour meters right now.
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.
Cool man. I am in the process of setting up my PTO generator to run mt whole house.
That'll be nice.
Hi, I just clean and started a hold onan 2500 gen. Modèl 205AJ-1P / 1c. Serial 57B553451. 110 volts that I got 2years ago. But therme is no currant comming out. Where do i start to check thé problème ? Dont know nothing about électricity but like to learn even at 61 ! Triyng to find pdf but no succès.. tanks for the verry informative video . 👍
Excellent series...
Thanks.
Thank you! very informative, one of the things I missed the link for the watt meter,any help,
I appreciated very much.
Regards,
Benjamin
This is the one I've used for years: amzn.to/2fdU4kf
If I’m running generator on different fuel sources with the Hz vary? I have a tri fuel that I’ll use with gasoline or natural gas that’s 9k start 8k running but will be at 7k on natural gas. Set the Hz to about 63 if I’m doing 5-6k on nat gas?
It will stay virtually the same. The Natural Gas and Propane will drop off a little more at high loads as they have less power vs gasoline.
sixtyfiveford so if I’m running about 6-7,000 Watts running my house should I set Hz to about 63 with no load?
Yes, that would be about right. I would also test it out with 6-7000 watts just to make sure. I assume you have a 10,000 watt running generator?
sixtyfiveford it’s 8000 running 9000 starting trifuel Winco. Has a Briggs and Stratton engine. I’m getting the kill a watt device tomm to adjust based on Hz.
Love your videos. Such great advice.
Thanks for posting. I never knew how to adjust the HZ on a generator before I use the brush less generator on my Honda welder it will put out about 7.4 kw. But it so unclean it will easily burn out any appliance I put on it even a drill with out me even knowing it. I notice that when I have use the drill by the time I notice the smoke coming out of it the drill wrecked. I have had the same voltage tester as you have there for a while now. I use it in power outages with my 2.8 kw AVR generator. To make sure I have enough power to run ever thing But I never thought about using it on the welder generator. Though the voltage currant on my welder generator is so awful Before I never would dare try to run a house with it. it a bit more to it then that its only generates a squire wave. My AVR generator generates a squire wave and it will run fridges LCD TVs computers ever thing but in a power outage I just don't have enough power to run the 3kw water heater and run the house as well I thought before If had enough power to run ever thing It be great And if my welder generator did not burn appliances out it be wonderful. if only I could get it cleaned up it could easily run my whole house.till now I never knew
Thanks, I'm glad you found the info helpful.
@@sixtyfiveford That's OK And again thanks for taking the time to post it. After watching your video and learning what you said about the carburettor adjustment I remembered I once got a new carburettor for it off E bay months before But when I got .the carburettor for the welder generator. I put it on the bench in the garage, and then just forgot about it , until I saw your video. So I spent the last after noon installing the new carburettor. the battery gone on the starter So I dreaded the thought of pulling over a 13 hp Honda engine. this use to take ages to start But when I pull the cord and it started almost instantly. It even ran better. quieter Im from Australia here we run on 240 volts AC I tested the voltage it was a study 239 volts. it never done that before. So I plug in one of the lamps Before the lamp use to glow brighter and duller brighter and duller it got a bit annoying after a while LOL But this was a steady brightness. So from what I learn off you and your video I was able to fix it the voltage is so study I know it will run other thing I try it to morrow So again thank you. so very much.
@@sixtyfiveford I did but now it seem to have stopped producing power. Last night I notice the engine runs great. but there no power coming from it I suppose I expect to much from it as it very old I use it more as a generator then a welder I will have a look at it this morning Should be some simple I try a drill in it at first and use the drill to excite it then I test Image result for stator windings. As I can remember from before as long as it got 5 volts it OK. then last Ill test the 20 uf capacitor
@jcr65566....Your Quote.... "My AVR generator generates a square wave and it will run fridges LCD TVs computers ever thing "...so what about others warning me that dirty power will ruin my stuff? So your experience running these things is good?
Another informative video. I never knew to adjust a generator. I have an old noise maker that I haven't started in a long time and I have a killawatt meter like that from harbor freight.
They're great for letting your neighbors know your enjoying electricity.
@@sixtyfiveford Power outage there are very simple thing you can do to cut down generator noise I use to place the generator next to the garage wall and then learn a board over it .it will bring the noise down from 75db to 60 db But the best one just place it in a box trailer on the side and then lean a thick board over it. it bring it down to 55 db.
I have that exact generator. Checking yesterday revealed that it is putting out 146 volts, checking it with my multimeter under no load. Is this high voltage normal? Also, where exactly is the idle adjustment screw?
Put a tiny load on it and see where it goes. It should settle below 130volts.
I want to make sure I completely understand this 100% before attempting something like this...So the idea is to adjust/match a 60hz output from a Big Box store Chinese type made generator to a most commonly used wattage electrical load device with sensitive electronics by turning/adjusting the carburetor screw on the generator and doing this will protect the sensitive electronics inside an electrical device just like a much more expensive Digital Inverter Generator will?.... Okay I have a small space out in the Boondocks and grid power fails for several hours at a time about 3 times per year. I can buy a neighbors Chinese Knockoff Sportsman Sandstorm Generator for $35.00 and I heat the place with one electric 120Volt AC Quarts Infrared Space Heater with a small squirrel cage blower that pulls 1452 Watts upon start up but drops down to 1372 Watts while running (a KillAWatt meter checked the wattage) The Sportsman Sandstorm generator is supposed to supply 2000 watts surge power and 1400 watts continuous - If I can get this generator to run at 60hz output while drawing 1400 watts then this should not fry the Quarts Infrared elements, sensitive Electronics Board or the squirrel cage blower inside the Infrared Heater like a more expensive Inverter generator will while keeping the place warm and cozy when the power goes out in winter? Thanks for any reply.
that kill a watt thing is a MUST HAVE when using a generator..
It really is.
@@sixtyfiveford yup,that kill a watt thing is something i would never think i needed ,till i got one. and on the little cheap gen i got it is great to be able to set voltage with load by just turning the idle screw. need to use 200 foot extension cord? no problem. turn it up a bit.
what I would do. it really concerned with frequency variation. I would build my own generator. or replace the engine with one about 2x the tq. and HP. a small Diesel would be better. like a 5000 watt gen head. connected to a 15-18hp diesel or 20-24 HP gas. it may not be as fuel efficient. but could take full load without slowing the least. keeping the 50 or 60 Hz . depending on where you are. or build a inverter generator. use a engine and car alternators and a good pure sine wave inverter . and it would have a small battery backup. then it would only need to run about half the time. just a idea!
I have an Onan 5000 with 14 hp gas motor which holds speed OK
I am trying to understand the issue with "sensitive electronics". My laptops, cameras, mobile phones and other devices all run with power supplies that specifies AC voltage input of 100 to 240 VAC. So, running on a 120VAC generator, why would spikes to 140VAC etc or drops to 110VAC be a problem?
I've asked the same question....and they tell me it's not a question of tight control of voltage or frequency, but how "pure" the sine-wave of the produced power is ("clean" sine wave vs "dirty" square- wave).
Is a brand new 4375 (3500 running watts) starting-watt generator without an inverter safe to run a 6.5 amp refrigerator on? How about a flat-screen LED TV? Thx for the info. I'm new to generators and I'm thinking I should have bought an inverter generator but will have to work with what I got.
6.5x120=780watts running. You will have a few second surge when the fridge starts but this shouldn't be more than 2000 Watts though. All modern electronics regulate their own voltages internally so they don't really care what voltage they receive. Most are designed for world wide use and can take anything from 50-60hz and 110v-250volts.
sixtyfiveford That is really good to know... and thx for the reply. I don’t want to swamp you with questions but I’ve read that a bad sine wave can destroy a refrigerator compressor motor. If you have one more minute... is that a real concern that I should be trying to correct with some kind of “line conditioner”? And is “sine wave” just another term for hertz/frequency? Many thx.
@@DaveBowman345 Sine wave is the visual appearance of AC power on a graph. At 120volts it goes up and down(alternating current) like a wave from positive to negative 120volts at 60 times a second(60hz). I've heard a lot of talk about sine wave, but I really don't think it could destroy an electric motor. I've seen it on many oscilloscopes; good vs bad but never proof it damages anything. It may add interference like noise/static on something like a radio but nothing else. Others will contest me on this as nothing looks as smooth as sine wave from your homes grid power. I think more important than anything is the Hertz at which the sine wave is oscillating (60hz/60 times per second) as this is what controls the electric motor speed.
@@sixtyfiveford It's surprisingly difficult to find answers to these kinds of questions but you've provided more info than anyone else I've contacted. Thanks again! 👍
@@DaveBowman345 I did a little bit more personal research after we talked. I guess the main thought behind bad sine waves ruining an electric motor is that it won't run as efficient so it could run hotter and the heat could possibly, maybe shorten the lifespan of the electric motor. This is all theoretical and I could find no proven data backing any of this.
All good information! Liked the tools you use to check and set. Especially the old analog clock with a second hand! So if I have a horizontal shaft engine, did you say I could get the electrical box at HF? I'm going to go watch the sound suppression video you linked us to! Thanks so much!
HF used to sell a generator head but I think they discontinued it(it was a huge 10k requiring 20hp). Small generators like the one in the video can generally be picked up in non running condition for $50 or less on classifieds. Generator heads will generally have propitiatory tapered engine shafts that aren't interchangeable with the typical straight keyed shaft you would see on an old horizontal motor.
Thanks for the info! I bought this same generator at a community swap meet, Coleman Powermate PM54-2000 puts out 2250 watts. The electricity was shut off for three days days due to high winds so I got to use it worked perfectly. I'm looking for a owners manual tried googling it no luck if anyone knows how to get a owners manual would greatly appreciate!
You are very unlikely to find manuals for these. You can find manuals for the Briggs engine easily though.
@@sixtyfiveford Thanks!
where do you get your thermal fuses I just found a bad one on my small maintainer charger. 1.5 amp charger. I have not been able to locate them or know what the term for name is.
Ebay has always had them for me. They come in a bunch of different temperature ratings. Generally the temperature rating is written on the side in Celcius.
sixtyfiveford thanks, I found them there
Remember it's the hazardous frought or thehomelessdespot if you're Ave. Hahahaha.
Crazy Canadians. Keep you generator in the vise!
sixtyfiveford Hahaha. That too.
I always thought he said Hazard FART.......Hmmmmm...... maybe time for that hearing aid!!! 😁
Gotta love AvE!!! Keep your Vick in a Dice.........🤣
Good video , But I still use a surge protector between my generator and my electronics. For I don t trust them generators cause they vary in speed at random or when ever they feel they should burn our electronics . So it is safer to to use a surge protector on them generators . No offence also keep up the good work..
will changing the muffler , change the rpm? thereby changing the voltage?
Not really. The governor keeps the rpm set which keeps the HZ at 60hz. Changing the muffler won't make it quieter but will kill some of the performance.
My digital clock ticked off 1 min. in 37 seconds. So is that really high hertz or super low ones?
I've never used a digital clock for this. It would have to be an analog with a second hand. The electronics and everything in a digital clock would probably skew it. If it was an analog clock 37 seconds in a minute would mean the engines running at essentially idle.
im in the UK, and run at 50hz 230v AC.... Bought a generator that needs some tuning... What RPM would my engine need to be, under load, to achieve 50hz?
It should be 3000rpm exactly. That would spin the rotor 50 times a second =50hz. So load it to 1/2-3/4 capacity and set it to 3000rpm.
@@sixtyfiveford appreciate it, thankyou, because when i put a decent load on it, it just dies out...
@@RGD-Audio-Repairs If it dies under load, likely the main jet in the carb is plugged.
@@sixtyfiveford the carb only has 1 jet. and it idles lovely :)
I did strip and leave the carb to soak for 12+ hours. AS it wouldnt run off choke.. It runs fine now though..
I have a powermate 4000 and a killawatt meter as well. The engine runs pretty smoothly, but the hertz bounces around between low 50s and high 60s, sometimes even hits 70. When I plug the meter in to my home outlet its a solid 60, so there's nothing wrong with the meter. I suspect something with the gen head. Any suggestions to correct this?
I've ran my Kill a Watt on nearly 100 generators and never had a situation like this. Is the generators engine rpm consistent or is it surging? The HZ is directly related to the engines rpm.
@@sixtyfiveford
It sounds pretty steady but I will check it with my spark plug wire meter (if the battery is still good). I don't believe it's replacable.
@@itseyegore8654 It doesn't have the idle kickdown does it? Where it idles down when there's no load on it. It could be your automatic voltage regulator just not telling the generator to produce a real power output until a load is sensed. It would have to be surging a lot to vary from 50 to 70 hz.
@@sixtyfiveford
I don't believe it has that feature.
I will check the rpms if my meter still works.
Update:
The rpm's are steady. The frequency bounced around like that with no load. When I added a load, the hertz leveled off and only fluctuated by .1 or ,2
So I set the rpm at 3700 which gave me approx. 60 hz under 1000 watt load. I'm gonna have to be good with that.
Thanx for your response and your helpful video.
I have an older Generac that is only producing 50 volts. I replaced the rectifier and it made no difference. Could the hertz output be an issue?
Not really. If the generator is running full speed you should be in the realm and the hz will be close. There are a couple different ways these work. In the past 30 years they pretty much all have a AVR (automatic voltage regulator) that controls the voltage. HZ is the only thing 100% reliant on engine rpm. You can check your brushes to make sure they're making good contact. You can also try exciting it by plugging in a corded drill and while running and pulling the drill trigger, spin the chuck by hand.
@@sixtyfiveford The rectifier and brushes on my unit are one assembly and I replaced it with a new unit with no change. I've tried the drill method but in reverse with no luck. I didn't try going in forward direction though. Appreciate the response.
Ok, way cool .I never knew I could adjust my generator lol. My dumbass just assumed it just worked.
Most are pretty close, but I've seen random ones that were either way low or way to high.
your video mentioned tuning the generator HEAD. You never got into any head adjustments (like voltage) only the engine.
The engine is what sets the generator head.
@@sixtyfiveford Isn't the "head" the section where the voltage regulator adjustment is done once the engine is at 3500 rpm?
Dewalt dxgnr8000 just bought runs 3660 rpm at 30% load not bad about 3750 no load
Where do you buy a killowatt meter?
Online is the easiest place to locate them. I have a link in the video description.
How do I lower my voltage on my Coleman 5000? Right now I'm getting 140 volts.
The AVR(automatic voltage regulator) should do this automatically for you. It is very common for this to burn out or go bad. The HZ should be set manually though.
Thank for explaining. 😃😃
Hey Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.
Awsome teaching!! Thanks
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it.
good stuff.........tony
Awesome video! Thank you
Thanks for watching.
I think we have all had to be happy with "Close enough!!", i dont think there will be anything that wont work with that generator.
They cope quite well for there simplicity :-).
zx8401ztv
one thing about
brush less generators ever if the stator gone they are really easy to fix if it just a broken wire just solder it and epoxy it if it realy bad and you cant ford the $100.00 for new winding wire unstrap the whole burnt winding and then just solder the broken bits and then as you winging it back on slowly tape and epoxy each one of them there usually a diode or a wire of the diode gone then I use to buy cheep bridge rectifiers and only use one half of it.
good informative video, thanks.
Thanks.
Great video.
Thanks Luke.
awesome as always.
Thanks. Your user name cracks me up, every time I see it.
Nice job
Hey thanks
I disagree with you. The voltage is more important, Hz become important on
inductive loads, like a compressor. what is priority volts between 115 to 122.
Both are important, but regardless 60hz is the standard for North America. They are tied together and setting one changes the other. If you set the HZ, the voltage will fall right inline unless something is wrong with the generator head. It also allows you to keep your engine within safe RPM limits. Some older generators are rated to 110 volts, some 115 and some 120 all at 60hz. There is no single voltage standard labeled on all devices for voltage in the US. You will find stuff labeled 110, 115, 117, 120, 125. The average voltage in the US fluctuates anywhere between 108 VAC to 132 VAC and devices are designed to handle this fluctuation. Within reason devices will compensate by pulling more or less Watts at lower/higher voltage. Most people I know use primarily inductive loads on generators: air conditioning, refrigerators, power tools etc. Electronics being a very minor load but those are very forgiving these days and are designed to convert any voltage from 100-240VAC and 50-60hz to 12/5VDC power to run themselves.
This Vedio is important for only 60HZ users, don't apply this method on 50HZ machine ,that is very dangerous your electrical appliances ,
I can make a very good go kart with that engine.
nice job.
Thanks.
Just connect online ups double conversation ones or IGBT pvm based static voltage stabilizer or AC regenerator. Thank me later on.
👍🏼
I have the same generator. Her name is Jenny. We use her all the time. Would love to replace it with one of those slick little Honda generators. They’re much more quiet. What do you think of the harbor freight generator?
I've had them in my shop and like most Harbor Freight stuff they do function, but barely and for who knows how long. They always need tinkering because a bolt rattled off, a switch broke, a wire came loose, a rubber hose rotted....... If you don't mind the noise these old generators run forever and are cheap. But there really is nothing better on the market than the Honda's. I don't care for much of anything else Honda makes as far as power equipment, but their generators are king of the hill.
Can I make a turbine with the head?
There's really no turbine similar components inside the generator head. But anything is possible.
@@sixtyfiveford does it not just spin and make ac ?
@@leadbellyacid5496 Yes but that doesn't resemble a turbine even in the slightest other than it spins.
@@sixtyfiveford but it makes electricity you can feed the head thru a rectifier to charge batteries?
Mmmm I've ran 12 amps for 10 minutes and fried the circuit
AC Electricity hertz.
Yes, it does. haha
Well, THAT is a shocking statement...but true.