I have a generator (cheap end) never used for 7 years so going to get it working and sell on. I only intend to mix up a ltre of petrol to a small amount of oil for the 2-stroke mix. Just to get it working for test purposes. For my purposes could I use either oil I have for the car or some oil I have for the chain saw. for my short running time would the oil be that important?
Cheapskate! Besides there are rumblings that this sort of engine will be outlawed for pollution reasons pretty soon so I'd shift it before that happens!
I have one of the smaller (600VA?) ones that seemed quite popular a while back that is definitely a two stroke.
The 3kW is a 4/ and Honda powered. ;-)
I also have a little 12V 2/ genny and whilst it 'ran' the last time I tried it, it wouldn't tick over (or even run a lowish revs) very well and that was probably down to crank seals. ;-(
I gave my other 3kW genny (Honda clone powered) to a mate and he keeps it in and runs it from his van.
The cheap ones, around £100 or less, tend to be 2 stroke. There are a number which are 'badged'- typically 650-850W, with a petrol tank make of pressed steel. They often have a 'cup' under the petrol cap to measure the oil/petrol mix and the correct mix is marked on the tank (from memory 50:1).
A four stroke will have somewhere to fill the 'sump' and possibly a drain plug for same. The small Hondas don't have a drain, you tip the beast up and pour the oil out of the filler.
Chain saw oil is the last type I'd use. Engine oil perhaps but the proper stuff isn't expensive and why risk wrecking the engine?
Chances are the air filter has dried out. These are normally the foam type. Wash in soapy water, rinse, squeeze, let dry. Then add just enough engine oil to make dampish.
If it was left with petrol in the carb, chances are it will need cleaning out. You may be lucky or you could try one of those sprays and some 'carb cleaner' in the fuel.
Not really practical to ban them retro respectively, heaven knows how many there must be on chainsaws, lawnmowers, motorbikes, generators,...
They could stop the sale of new ones but trying to stop people using existing ones would be virtually impossible.
Even if they stopped the sale of 2 stroke oil, people would use something else - probably generating more pollution.
For running power tools etc the 2 stroke generators are fine. I have one I used to use charge batteries but I've now got a 4 stroke invertor one which runs off propane (or petrol). The 2 Stroke one was under £100 new, the 4 Stroke nearer £1000. You can see why people like the 2 stroke ones.
I'm pretty sure it's a very basic unit and so likely (then?) only a very simple alternator with some basic voltage regulation?
I get that (therefore) it wouldn't put out as much (electrical) power at low revs but I wasn't really interested in that at the time, just that it could tickover before being used to do something real (like charge a car battery as a form of boost charger).
I don't know about small generators, but why would a simple generator have a tickover speed, even on low or no load? It needs to maintain a frequency of around 50Hz, so it needs to run at around 3000 rpm (for a simple two-pole generator).
If it's a simple alternator it has to run at 3000 RPM to produce 50 Hz output - no reason for it to run at any other speed. It's not smart smart enough to idle until something starts drawing current, although there may be a manual switch to do that.
"I also have a little 12V 2/ genny and whilst it 'ran' the last time I tried it, it wouldn't tick over (or even run a lowish revs) very well and that was probably down to crank seals. ;-("
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