visch 1 I often though the same thing , after all when new they sit in a box for a long time before there put into use, some body help us under stand ,why they got bad just siting?
I know enough to question a lot of what I read in most of the forums on topics from gardens, cars, boats etc. A lot is good intentioned but often misinformed. Its like my father did it that way as did my grandfather, so it's got to be correct because thats the only way I know. For instance, a lot of people buy boat trailers with expensive multi rollers to roll the boat on and off yet sink the rollers under water to float the boat on and off which a cheaper and better bunk trailer is designed for. WHY, because thats the way, fill in the blanks.
visch1 wrote: .....
Any ideas where the idea came from that the charging part of a generator needs to be exercized. WHY? Facts please.
I know is that a few years back, a poster on alt.RV (a usenet group) said he let a 2.8 or 4.0 Onan sit for a few years. When he tried to start it, the generator section jammed up. On tear-down, they found the iron laminations of the rotor and stator had rusted. The rust was on the inner surfaces, between layers. It forced the individual lams apart, and basically made the whole thing 'grow'.
Condensation will form on any cool surface at night if there's humidity in the air. I think that's what Onan's concerned about with the 'exercise' requirement. I don't think any mfg'r deliberately creates unnecessary maintenance requirements for their products, thus making them more of a hassle to own.
According to an Onan-Cummins shop mgr, Onan will void the warranty on an under-run unit. It's a requirement in my manual, anyway. 2 hrs every month at 1/2 load, with a single long run preferred over several short ones.
Jim, "Mo' coffee!"
'06 Tiger CX 'C Minus' on a Silverado 2500HD 4x4, 8.1 & Allison ('Loafer's Glory'); '07 Forester 2.5 ( the 'HANDBSKT'); '95 Toyota SR5 V-6 4x4 pickup, ARB locker, Bilsteins, Warn hubs & M8000, etc;
'94 968, M030 swaybars ('DOPPLER')
visch1 wrote: Hello again and thanks for the above info. I’ve used Sea Foam for years in my outboard engines, snow blower, house gen, lawn mowers etc. for both its stabilization quality, cleaning ability, both gum and carbon. I have in back of my head a statement, probably a bit overstated but in the ball park: this new gas lasts about as long as milk stays fresh. I used to run the carb bowls dry then it was pointed out that gaskets and seals will dry out and be a problem.
Any ideas where the idea came from that the charging part of a generator needs to be exercized. WHY? Facts please.
Here is a key to the answer you are looking for. If Onan was just concerned about the engine part of the powerplant "why" would they have the requirement to run the thing "under load" for specific periods of time every month? Thats not necessary for the engine for sure. Tex
With the normal swing of temperature, condensation collects in the windings and on the brushes. If you don't run it enough to heat it up to where it dries out, you get rust and corrosion. You can kill a generator faster by letting it sit around unused than you can by running it all of the time.
Bobbo, Linda and the furry kid (German Shepherd)
'07 Winnebago Outlook 31C on a Ford E450 Super Duty Chassis
NRA Life Member
Near N35 12 17 W89 50 57
Your generator ain't a lawnmower. Stale gas in the engine is not the main problem. As others have pointed out, condensation and corrosion of the lamanates, bearings and brushes of the generator (not the engine) is the concern. A long run, under load, heats the windings enough to dry everything out.
2001 Monaco Knight
2004 Dutchmen Dorado
1999 Jeep Wrangler
100% Solar Powered Home
When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.
So now you have the reason, and its not just Onan, all generator Mfrs recomend some regiment of run maintenance. My home LPG Generac and all Generac home units start and run every week for 15 min automatically, the newer units do this (Exercise) every two weeks, and so do the Onan home generators, and all brands I know of.
Generators being exercised is common, its even the state law in hospitals, in Calif the emergency generator must be run for 20 min under load every week. But for us its just good maintenance, like Onan says in there book, "use it or loose it". Lack of use cause more failures than any other thing.
2001 27' Four Winds Class-C E-450 V-10.
Buick Park Ave Ultra, Ford Ranger PU, JD 500 backhoe.
1941 Farm All "A"
So... is it safe to say in the high desert where you have humidity in the single digits, it's probably not as critical to dry out the windings every two weeks?
2005 Winnebago "Minnie" 31C (was a three-time Jayco owner)
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