[GenKnot]

I'm experimenting with upwards of 100 hour oil changes, and varying the brand of syn oil.

Keep us posted on that as it will be interesting for many. I am using Castrol Edge 5W-30 (it will have 03084C on the back just above barcode) after my conversion to NG. I was using 10W-30 when running on gasoline. I switched to 5W because my gen is pull start and I'm not a spring chicken anymore.

 

[drmerdp]

Gees a 25 hour oil change interval. 50 is completely reasonable. 100 or more is feasible with proper level checks and good oil. I just bought a case of Amsoil 10w-30 small engine oil. I do 50 hour oil changes on most things, some earlier some later. I tend to spoil my machines though.

 

[iowagold]

Power was out for approximately 32 hours. Generator was running continuously except for refueling. I am getting an average of 11 hours on 8.3 gallons of gasoline. Engine did not burn a drop of oil. Oil still looks "new" with a small trace of color in the oil. At 10 hours I changed the break-in oil.

I am going to change the oil every 50 hours or once a year. I know the manufacturer says every 25, but I believe that is excessive.

if you run the oil magnets and synthetic oil they can run a bit longer on the time on non filtered systems.
100 hours in non dusty areas works well...

and on the filtered systems 200 hours to 250 if you run the oil magnets and larger filter material or remote filters even longer
the tip is to use the gauge on the by pass for the pressure to indicate that the filter is full of junk material.
Donaldson makes a real good cool setup! gauge, dual filters, and sensor for remote light or wifi alarm.
we use the remote filter plates and use the super large filters...
then they can go a long time before oil filter change is needed.
just test for acid etc.

 

[Curious_George]

My wife and I also own & operate a campground adjacent to our home and the lawn equipment (zero-turn mowers, John Deere tractor, etc) all use various brands of 15W-40. The 15W-40 has worked out well for this equipment.

I just switched the generator to 15W-40 as well and will use that for normal service. I used 10W-30 for break-in and the second oil change. This was the 3rd oil change.

 

[drmerdp]

My wife and I also own & operate a campground adjacent to our home and the lawn equipment (zero-turn mowers, John Deere tractor, etc) all use various brands of 15W-40. The 15W-40 has worked out well for this equipment.

I just switched the generator to 15W-40 as well and will use that for normal service. I used 10W-30 for break-in and the second oil change. This was the 3rd oil change.

Diesel oil?

 

[ajnuzzi]

My wife and I live in north central NC (slightly west) in the Piedmont Triad area close to the Virginia state line. We live in a rural area, but only 10 minutes from a Walmart, so it's not too rural, but enough to be out of the big cities and enjoy the countryside. I recently purchased this generator for portable standby service for the house. I have a propane range, hot water heater and heat pump w/ gas furnace assist so this helps ease the power requirements.

I installed a Reliance PB50 power inlet box outside and that is running to a Generac 60 amp manual transfer switch (#6333) in the basement. I swapped out on of the 60 amp transfer switch breakers for a 100 amp (Note: the 60 amp and 100 amp Generac transfer switches are identical except for the breakers they install in them). The transfer switch is then connected to a 100 amp sub-panel that I installed. The reason I swapped out a 60 amp breaker for a 100 amp breaker is so that I could run all the circuits in the sub-panel while connected to the utility side of the transfer switch.

Wired into the 100 amp sub-panel are the following circuits pulled from my main panel(s):

• 2.0 ton heat pump (upstairs) & air handler, only one of the heat pumps & air handler will be switched in at any given time.
• 2.0 ton heat pump (main floor & basement) & air handler
• Kitchen fridge, microwave, light/ceiling fan
• Living room lights, receptacles
• Home office w/ various office equipment (needs to be on generator to run our business)
• 2 storage freezers
• Main bedroom lights, receptacles
• Main bathroom lights, receptacles
• stairwell lights
• Front & back porch lights
• Outdoor 50 amp RV temporary power pedestal (only switched in if both HVAC's are not connected)
• Various other small current draw circuits for other areas of the house

With all of the above circuits switched in (and only one HVAC unit switched in, as indicated) the voltage on each leg from the generator at the 100 amp sub-panel was 118 and 117 per leg. With all the circuits connected and the HVAC switched in last, the generator rpm dipped slightly momentarily and then stabilized. I ran this test for about 30 minutes and there were no issues.

I also unbonded the neutral (white) from inside the generator case to ground (green/yellow).

I have this same generator running into a 50amp inlet/breaker and an interlock. What exactly are the benefits of unbonding the neutral?

 

[GenKnot]

What exactly are the benefits of unbonding the neutral?

Neutral-ground bond should only be at one location. Since gen is connected to a panel, then bonding is done there. It is bonded there even without a gen.

 

[ajnuzzi]

Neutral-ground bond should only be at one location. Since gen is connected to a panel, then bonding is done there. It is bonded there even without a gen.

So I'm just curious is it going to hurt anything by being done at the panel and at the gen? I'm only reluctant in case down the road I end up using it as a standalone for whatever reason and forget it needs to be grounded

 

[GenKnot]

All neutral currents should return back to the source on the neutral wires and not on the ground wires (NEC 250.6 Objectionable Currents). It's a safety issue.