I now have a portable generator for the garage. Very old, but can't complain at a 1.5kW for 80 quid.
It has no instructions, and although I've put some unleaded in and started it to confirm it runs and produces electricity, I don't know what to do about oil. It's a 2 stroke, I gather, but has a seperate "oil fill" cap. Do I still have to put oil in the petrol as I gather is normal with 2 stroke engines? What kind of oil is needed? Is there a proper 2 stroke engine oil? And does the same stuff go in the "oil fill" cap?
It's incredibly loud so I'm thinking of building an enclosure around it- essentially a frame to hold some insulation. Does anyone have recommendations on insulation I can get easily and cheaply (i.e. Wickes or Screwfix) that will bring the sound down to more manageable levels? Will expanded polystyrene roof insulation do a decent job?
There's no exhaust pipe or air pipe- just holes somewhere. So I'm thinking of a pair of holes with small-ish fans in, pushing air in at the bottom of one side and taking it out at the top of the other. Does this sound adequate? Guess I can always double up to increase the airflow through the same holes if I need to.
-- Dr. Craig Graham, Software Engineer Advanced Analysis and Integration Limited, UK.