I posted previously about the brand new Harbor Freight generator I swapped for. Being the tinkerer that I am, I couldn't leave it alone.. Right after I got it, I followed advice I'd read and changed out the plug and cap for NGK items. At the same time, I added a fuel filter and better quality fuel line. An hour meter came next, one of those small digital ones that wrap a thin wire around the plug wire.
I've got about 8 hours on the generator, running a 40:1 mix for break in. It runs and starts like a champ.
Still tinkering, I went onto EBay and found a neat little 0-500VAC digital meter. For a dollar and a half. It got here yesterday, so I started figuring out where to put it, and how to hook it up.
I took the tank off, and found the perfect spot for it. Directly to the left of the off-on switch. Drilled a 7/8" hole in the panel and it fit perfectly. Wiring it was even simpler. I cut the 2 red wires, and spliced the meter wires in, secured with a couple wire nuts.
I started the unit up, and was getting voltage readings between 90 and 135 volt, no load. As soon as I put a 600 watt heater on, the engine ran very smoothly, and the meter read a rock solid 117 volts. Turning the heater to 900 watts saw a pretty steady 105-110 volts, and trying the 1500 watt setting made the unit run like crap and produced wildly varying voltage around 80 volts.
I've got about 8 hours on the generator, running a 40:1 mix for break in. It runs and starts like a champ.
Still tinkering, I went onto EBay and found a neat little 0-500VAC digital meter. For a dollar and a half. It got here yesterday, so I started figuring out where to put it, and how to hook it up.
I took the tank off, and found the perfect spot for it. Directly to the left of the off-on switch. Drilled a 7/8" hole in the panel and it fit perfectly. Wiring it was even simpler. I cut the 2 red wires, and spliced the meter wires in, secured with a couple wire nuts.
I started the unit up, and was getting voltage readings between 90 and 135 volt, no load. As soon as I put a 600 watt heater on, the engine ran very smoothly, and the meter read a rock solid 117 volts. Turning the heater to 900 watts saw a pretty steady 105-110 volts, and trying the 1500 watt setting made the unit run like crap and produced wildly varying voltage around 80 volts.