generator

[brianbrianyi]

hi all you caravaners ive just bought a generator dont no anything about them any help please its a 800 what output what can i run in the van any imformation will be helpful how to use when to conect to van do i plug it straight into van ect

[jims-terrano]

Is it one of those little 2 strokes? I have one and it's a little cracker but they are rough n ready. If it is a 2 stroke don't forget to put oil in with the petrol.

You should be able to run a low wattage kettle, fridge, telly and battery charger without too much trouble. Forget your fan heater or water heater though.

Jim T

[jace]

like the man said nothing to large itll just cut out if its four stroke silent type itll need the sump filling with oil id hope there a tag on it saying no oil in engine,all its good for is charging and powering few lights tv etc

[brianbrianyi]

thanks jim it is a small 2 stroke do they have engine oil in ?

[jace]

no you need to mix two stroke oil in petrol like a chainsaw! stihl sell 100ml capsules full that do one gallon of petrol about pound in shops or you can buy bigger tubbs cheaper and measure out required dose!

[brianbrianyi]

thanks jace

[jims-terrano]

Better still check the petrol filler cap as mine has a plastic cup stuck to the bottom of it. Fill the cup with 2 stroke oil and then fill with petrol. How easy is that :wink:

Jim T

[(RIP) PLANK]

I have had several of those little 2 stroke's with the handle on the top and the filler cap in the lid, they will take some stick I dont see the Honda is much better!

I have even plugged a 2K watt fan heater in and they chug a bit but keep going though the fan heater is cold and slow!

gret value for money they are!

look on the lables of your stuff and add up the wattage! I would forget the kettle and get a gas one, but lights tv dvd, zig / battery charer, all that kind of stuuf Brilliant!!

[ssteve]

800 watts @ 240 volts = 3.33 amps 8O
ssteve

[LouLou]

If it is the 2-stroke cheapy type then make sure you run it regularly. They have a reputation of gumming up easy if you only use it 1-2 times a year :wink:

[mully]

They are brilliant for use in a caravan with no hook up, make sure you get petrol/oil mix correct or you will smoke eveybody out. As LouLou said use it regulary, i use mine when cutting my hedge and strimming or in winter i put my 500watt portable light on it for a few minutes every month.

[jims-terrano]

It's good practice to run any petrol engined power tool or genny every once in a while. These genny's are cheap n cheerfull, not the best regulated for sensitive electrical equipment but pretty good for what they are. B&Q were selling them for £33 earlier this year.

Jim T

[Jocky]

Decent enough engines, but I've found in the cheapo's that the starting recoil unit don't last too long, nothing worse that pulling it a few times and it falls apart. :( quite hard to get spares




:smile:

[brianbrianyi]

i keep reading fuel and oil mixture is 50-1 its got a 4 ltr tank so how much oil do i have to put with fuel

[Terranosaurus]

4L is 4000ml

4000/50 = 80ml

[jims-terrano]

Most of them that I have seen have a plastic cup fastened to the under side of the fuel cap. One cup for every tank of petrol.

Jim T

[brianbrianyi]

thanks very much still learning like being back at school

[(RIP) PLANK]

we have got two of these at the moment both from ALDI, we left one unsed for almost 2 years and it still started, it did smoke a bit at first though! And i have never measured the oil yet I just stick a good dollop in and away they go! I have even used engine oil when out of two stroke oil (I wonder if veg oil would work :lol: )

They do recon if you turn the fuel tap off and run the carb dry it is better for storing it, but i have never bothered and not had any problems.

The only thing i have ever had play up on one of these, and it was a few years ago when they were pretty new to the market, it was a Clarke tools one 650 watt and cost a fair few quid back then about £185 I think, anyway! it used to stop putting power out when it was hot, it turned out to be the earth conections on it, i squeezed the terminals tight pushed them back together and off it went for another few months! I sold it in the end!

[(RIP) PLANK]

I must add however, i dont recommend abusing yours the same way that I have abused the ones i have owned!


I was just pointing to how good they are for the money and that they will really take some stick!

[rossco]

Don't forget to drain the tank when not in use for along time :wink:

And try this for an easy way to get the mixture ratio correct:

http://www.beta.id.au/2%20Stroke%20Fuel-Oil%20Ratios.htm

[brianbrianyi]

thanks rossco thats brilient