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Thread: Generator for RCBS casting furnace.

  1. #21
    Boolit Grand Master tazman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by W.R.Buchanan View Post

    Also those Honda E2200's can be stacked in parallel to increase output. They are excellent small gen sets probably the best out there.

    Randy
    I wasn't aware of that. Good thing to know. Thanks for posting.

  2. #22
    Boolit Master
    AZ Pete's Avatar
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    Generator for RCBS casting furnace.

    Quote Originally Posted by georgerkahn View Post
    Scrounge (and others) -- I bought my Honda 2000 primarily for portability and to take/use at camp. I bought it online about eight years ago from a place called "the Generator Shop" or something similar -- and I paid $899.00 for mine. A "plus" for the vendor I selected was the free shipping and NO sales tax exacted. I believe mine is now kind of obsolete -- been updated to the 2,200 watt model. Mine runs and runs like the proverbial Energizer rabbit. My only complain is in their design you shut motor-electric and fuel valve simultaneously. Hence, you cannot readily run it out of petrol (my ideal) for storage. Three things I ALWAYS do is 1/ Use nothing but Ethanol-free petrol; mix 1 ounce of Sta-bil to 2 1/2 gallons of petrol; and, I add one ounce to each gallon of petrol, SeaFoam. These OCD's surely help -- but, after a few-month hiatus -- starting has been on occasion -- a challenge. However, I generally need just remove the spark plug, squirt in a bit of petrol from an oil can I use just for this purpose -- and it (knock wood) has always started and run quite well. An unbelievably quiet unit, too... If this one broke -- I'd not hesitate a millisecond before replacing it with a similar unit!
    there is a screw on the bottom of the carb for draining the fuel for storage. My EU2000i is about 15 years old and has been a reliable camping generator, easy start, quiet and has required no more maintenance than annual winterizing, air cleaner rinse, oil change and cleaning the spark arrestor screen and replace the spark plug every ten or so years.
    NRA Endowment Life Member

  3. #23
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    The key to keeping any small engine alive over time is to ALWAYS make sure you either drain the fuel out of it or run it dry!!! The garbage they put in gas nowadays is toxic to engines, it will kill a carburetor in as little as one month. Two months it is junk.

    Most of the really nice Onan RV Generators (6.5KW) have suffered with this problem. The one I have, I bought for $100 and it has a dead carb. You can't really rebuild them either as the benzine and that red stuff in the fuel etches all the little fuel passages in the carb body and you can't get them clean no matter what. So the engines speed will hunt and the governor won't smooth it out. I've been told this by every Onan Tech I've talked to. Luckily replacement carbs are readily available on Ebay for about $100 so it is fixable. These generators will literally run forever if you take care of them. Since they all get fuel from a remote tank you just set them up with a fuel shut off and then run them dry after each time you use it. Unless you are going to use it frequently. Still eventually you will forget about it and ruin another carb so best to run it dry every time you use it.

    If you are going to use it as a Stand By Generator for your house then it needs to be ran for 30 minutes at least once a month. Most in place Stand By Generators have an exercise program built into them that automatically starts the generator every week or so and runs it for a few minutes. This keeps everything juiced up so it will run when you need it to.

    One thing you need to know is that if you hook a Aux Generator up to your house you need to shut off the Main Disconnect to the house, Failure to do this will result in frying your generator as it will be trying to power your whole neighborhood, and it just can't do that!

    hope this helps someone .

    Randy
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  4. #24
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    I purchased a Powerhouse.
    I want to say its 7500 surge and 6500 continuous or something like that.
    I run ethanol free premium fuel in it.
    I also put stabil in the tank.

    When I first got it I ran my shop off of it minus that Master Caster and air compressor.
    I ran it for two hours the first day. Topped it back off.
    It sat for 6 months unused. Fired it off due to a downed tree that kept the power off for 12 hrs.
    I back feed from the shop to the main house.
    In my shop my Hatch Automated casting panel plugs into a 4 prong outlet. The Master Caster plugs into the panel as it has a PID.

    When the power is out I turn off the house main breaker and all the 240 double pole breakers except the shop 100 amp
    I go out to the shop and I unplug the casting panel. Then I plug the generator into the outlet.
    I turn off all the breakers in the shop panel except the Caster outlet and the main.

    Fire off the generator and then I am set.

    The generator is large enough that I can run all my 120v items in my house that I typically use on a daily basis. It isn't big enough to run everything at the same time but we never have every light on in the house.
    I have a tankless natural gas water heater and I can use it.
    I have a gas furnace downstairs and I can also use it because I am only powering the blower motor and controls.
    In power outages I don't use the microwave but I can use the stove because its natural gas.

    To get back to your question, most little pots like a Lee 4-20 pot only pulls around 8 amps.
    8 amps at 120v = 960 watts

    If all you want to do is run your casting pot then a small inverter generator like the Powerhouse 2300 surge/1800 continous will work just fine.
    It will cost you a 1.5 gallons of fuel to cast for 8 hrs
    Don't like being hammered by the Cast Boolits Staff, then don't be a nail.
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  5. #25
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    Forgot to mention, you need to start it up at least once a year or every 6 months would be good.

    Cheaper generators retain power in the generator coils. Over time it dissipates and will no longer produce electricity even though technically nothing is wrong with it.
    I didn’t start a generator for two years and when I needed it, it ran perfectly but produce no power. This was a unit with three run hours on it.

    You can re-energize the coils (you can google it).
    But unfortunately I couldn’t bring this unit back to life.
    Don't like being hammered by the Cast Boolits Staff, then don't be a nail.
    The rules are simple to follow.

  6. #26
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    Yes, the Sta-Bil will keep your gas from going sour for a while, but it will eventually go south, still a better idea to run it dry. Letting it sit for a year is not good.

    Some machines absorb neglect better than others. The Onan Gensets I spoke of above have little tolerance for non use. Used frequently they will run forever. I have actually seen an Onan 2 Cylinder Generator that had 100,000+ hours on it and it was still running perfectly. I also had a friend who had a MBZ 240D that he personally had for 30+ years and it had 950,000+ miles on the original engine. He drove it full throttle everywhere it went (you kind of had to with those) and drove it 60 miles to and from work every day for close to 30 years. It got the Oil changed religiously every 5K and it was kept in the garage when he wasn't driving it. The original paint still looked as good as mine, which only had 290 K on it when I sold it for $3K more than I paid for it. It never sat outside in it's 35 year history.. See Pic.

    Rule #1 for machines,,, They like to be used, and not using them usually results in premature death. This is especially true of certain types of machines. Nothing kills a car faster than letting it sit. They just rust rot or mildew. With German Cars if you use them hard they tend to last longer and give better service. That's assuming you actually take care of them in the first place?

    I have little respect for people who don't take care of their stuff. They usually smell bad too!

    Randy
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Scrambler 375.jpg  
    Last edited by W.R.Buchanan; 12-05-2021 at 08:25 PM.
    "It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,,It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do!"
    www.buchananprecisionmachine.com

  7. #27
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    Applicable to nothing, I chuckle at gas station signs carefully stipulating the price of "unleaded" fuel. Thing is, Congress forbid "lead" in all highway fuels in the mid 1990s so for about 25 years it hasn't been legal to buy anything else. ????

    Let's go Brandon!

  8. #28
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    Just bought a used Honda 2000 ($600 out the door)to replace my old Kawasaki 1000. The K1000 is loud and I needed a bit more wattage. One time I hadn't started the K1000 for 10 years or so, but had run the gas out of it. Put fresh gas in it, squirted a bit of chemtool down the carb throat and it started on the third pull!!

    Plan on mixing avgas and non alcohol gas. IIRC, avgas has a 5 year shelf life

  9. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by 1hole View Post
    Applicable to nothing, I chuckle at gas station signs carefully stipulating the price of "unleaded" fuel. Thing is, Congress forbid "lead" in all highway fuels in the mid 1990s so for about 25 years it hasn't been legal to buy anything else. ????

    Let's go Brandon!
    Sure, you can find leaded gas at a few stations. Anything close to a race track is sure to have leaded gas.

    @rockrat, it seems to me that Avgas doesn't smell funny after a winter, like typical gasoline, but I think you are very optimistic on a 5 year shelf life. There are not a lot of fuels that will last that long, and almost certainly nothing for a modern engine. Maybe kerosene?

    Edit: I thought of one, propane. A quick search shows a 20 pound propane tank, which shores pretty much forever, would run a generator about 8 hours. Maybe acceptable for an emergency backup generator for minimal maintenance, not really practical for anything else.
    Last edited by megasupermagnum; 12-07-2021 at 01:47 AM.

  10. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by megasupermagnum View Post
    Edit: I thought of one, propane. A quick search shows a 20 pound propane tank, which shores pretty much forever, would run a generator about 8 hours. Maybe acceptable for an emergency backup generator for minimal maintenance, not really practical for anything else.
    The problem with 20 pound or even 100 pound tanks is freezing the tank. Running water over the tank works in an emergency. If you are going to pull much power a large horizontal tank is better. For me emergencies are cold and wet and propane needs to pull heat from the environment as it converts from liquid. Pull vapor too fast and it will freeze the liquid propane and recovery stops.

    Not a criticism. Propane is safer to store, doesn't degrade but has different needs.

    Oh Ya. Another vote for Honda generators. I have the 3000IS inverter. They only run as fast as they need to supply power so they are economical and quiet.
    Last edited by Mal Paso; 12-10-2021 at 06:39 PM.
    Mal

    Mal Paso means Bad Pass, just so you know.

  11. #31
    Boolit Buddy 414gates's Avatar
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    If you have basic metalworking tools, and a free weekend, you could make yourself a gas powered melter.

    https://ysterhout.net/docs/melter/melter3.htm

  12. #32
    Boolit Buddy gnappi's Avatar
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    Hmmm... interesting question. I've become aware of power issues with my RCBS and Lee furnaces by using long / light gauge extension cords on my patio when casting. Both had issues one day coming up to temperature and when I changed over to a shorter heavy duty extension the problems went away. I've never run anything but the fridge, TV and some window shaker AC units from my 8Kw genset but I know for a fact they do not deliver power (freqs or voltage) as clean as the local power company.

    That said, given my extension cord issue with my furnace, I'm now wondering if the AC from generators is "clean" enough for a pot.
    Regards,

    Gary

  13. #33
    Boolit Grand Master tazman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gnappi View Post
    Hmmm... interesting question. I've become aware of power issues with my RCBS and Lee furnaces by using long / light gauge extension cords on my patio when casting. Both had issues one day coming up to temperature and when I changed over to a shorter heavy duty extension the problems went away. I've never run anything but the fridge, TV and some window shaker AC units from my 8Kw genset but I know for a fact they do not deliver power (freqs or voltage) as clean as the local power company.

    That said, given my extension cord issue with my furnace, I'm now wondering if the AC from generators is "clean" enough for a pot.
    Given that lead pots are basically a heating coil with a temperature controlled thermostat(unless you are using a PID), I can't think there would be an issue since your fridge and AC work okay with it. Those are much more complex devices than a lead pot.

    I also had to go with a heavier extension cord for my Lee 4-20 pot. I found the plug in at the end of the extension cord was heating up. Changed to a heavier cord and the issue went away.

  14. #34
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    Mal Paso's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gnappi View Post
    Hmmm... interesting question. I've become aware of power issues with my RCBS and Lee furnaces by using long / light gauge extension cords on my patio when casting. Both had issues one day coming up to temperature and when I changed over to a shorter heavy duty extension the problems went away. I've never run anything but the fridge, TV and some window shaker AC units from my 8Kw genset but I know for a fact they do not deliver power (freqs or voltage) as clean as the local power company.

    That said, given my extension cord issue with my furnace, I'm now wondering if the AC from generators is "clean" enough for a pot.
    There is a huge difference in power quality between generators. If you've ever run a saw on a cheap generator and wondered where the power went, you know. The AC waveform on a self excited unregulated generator isn't as good at transferring energy. As you go up in quality voltage is regulated and windings get better.

    The "new" inverter generators do not have to run at a particular speed to produce 60 cycles like regular generators do. Instead they make polyphase AC which is rectified to make DC electricity, just like your car alternator, which is stored temporarily in a capacitor. An inverter takes the DC electricity and builds it into a digital AC waveform in real time. It constantly monitors power output and runs the motor just fast enough to produce the power needed. The power quality of the Honda Inverter generators is as good or better than the utility.
    Mal

    Mal Paso means Bad Pass, just so you know.

  15. #35
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    Quote Originally Posted by georgerkahn View Post
    Scrounge (and others) -- I bought my Honda 2000 primarily for portability and to take/use at camp. I bought it online about eight years ago from a place called "the Generator Shop" or something similar -- and I paid $899.00 for mine. A "plus" for the vendor I selected was the free shipping and NO sales tax exacted. I believe mine is now kind of obsolete -- been updated to the 2,200 watt model. Mine runs and runs like the proverbial Energizer rabbit. My only complain is in their design you shut motor-electric and fuel valve simultaneously. Hence, you cannot readily run it out of petrol (my ideal) for storage. Three things I ALWAYS do is 1/ Use nothing but Ethanol-free petrol; mix 1 ounce of Sta-bil to 2 1/2 gallons of petrol; and, I add one ounce to each gallon of petrol, SeaFoam. These OCD's surely help -- but, after a few-month hiatus -- starting has been on occasion -- a challenge. However, I generally need just remove the spark plug, squirt in a bit of petrol from an oil can I use just for this purpose -- and it (knock wood) has always started and run quite well. An unbelievably quiet unit, too... If this one broke -- I'd not hesitate a millisecond before replacing it with a similar unit!
    You are working too hard!
    There is a screw you can remove, pull the starting pull cord a few times, and when the bad gas has drained out of the carburetor it is fixed. Maybe three minuted and only one screw removed. Replace the screw, turn it to on, set the choke, and start it. Adjust choke and you are ready for business.
    I got mine at the same place for the same price!

  16. #36
    Boolit Buddy pull the trigger's Avatar
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    If your well pump or A/C is 220vac, then you need one that at least has that, if you really want it for back up. Wasting money on a small one otherwise. Just my opinion, based on hard lessons.
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BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
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