I know nothing about generators

[Yadkin]

1. Make sure you have the main breaker off so you aren't bleeding power to the street.
2. Turn off all unused circuits.
3. I assume that you have LED light bulbs (who wouldn't). They are susceptible to low voltage and frequency fluctuations. The AC load is probably causing this.

[Aerovette]

Originally Posted by Bruze

I thought you were the resident Electron Guy?

Natural organic electricity from the ground, not the artifical kind made by a generator.

[Rodnok1]

If the generator is surging the mixture is wrong and should be able to be adjusted.
Flickering power will kill appliances, they don't like low voltage at all.
Download the manual for engine.

[zsr22]

Have you tried timing your eye blinking with the dips so you don't notice them?

[Bruze]

Originally Posted by Aerovette

Natural organic electricity from the ground, not the artifical kind made by a generator.

You mean like carnivore electrons?

Maybe this will help.

[Bruze]

On a more serious note, I've had a Cummins WH 18kw for 6 years now. When the power goes out, I get a 1-2 second interruption and the gen kicks on. I have to reset my microwave but that's it, life goes on as normal.

TV, water pump, water heater, fridge, lights, Wifi, all is normal except for the hum of the gen. When the utility power comes back on I can usually hear the transfer switch (but no interruption in power) the gen does a 5 minute cool-down then shuts off.

Last Saturday a week ago the power was out for over 4 hours for all 12 of us on my road. Come to find out there was a yooge poplar tree on my property that had fallen over the lines.

Good luck, Arrow-Guy. I'm assuming you were in the path of the Texas storms? I didn't even know you lived in Texas til Dill Baniels posted offering help.

[Tikiman]

Originally Posted by Yadkin

1. Make sure you have the main breaker off so you aren't bleeding power to the street.
2. Turn off all unused circuits.
3. I assume that you have LED light bulbs (who wouldn't). They are susceptible to low voltage and frequency fluctuations. The AC load is probably causing this.

[lrobe22]

Originally Posted by Aerovette

I'm running a window AC and TV in my room. The refigerators are running. Everything else is off. TVs are cheap. If it dies, it dies.

[Yadkin]

Originally Posted by Tikiman

[simpleman68]

Hey Jeff, shoot me a call later today if you want to knock some ideas around. I know a bit about gennies but my lifelong friend is a 30+ year licensed electrician and certified through Generac and a few others.

He does not recommend Generac btw

Scott

[Aerovette]

Originally Posted by simpleman68

Hey Jeff, shoot me a call later today if you want to knock some ideas around. I know a bit about gennies but my lifelong friend is a 30+ year licensed electrician and certified through Generac and a few others.

He does not recommend Generac btw

Scott

Will do. I'm doing yard clean up today, so it may be later in the day when I call.

[6spdC6]

Originally Posted by simpleman68

Hey Jeff, shoot me a call later today if you want to knock some ideas around. I know a bit about gennies but my lifelong friend is a 30+ year licensed electrician and certified through Generac and a few others.

He does not recommend Generac btw

Scott

I have heard that a few times. I have a whole house Generac.(10 years now) Just a casual drive around up here at the lake and you will see that Generac is by far the biggest name.

FWIW we are quite rural and can get serious power outs (days) and even if propane generator is loud its a very reassuring sound!

[Bruze]

Originally Posted by 6spdC6

I have heard that a few times. I have a whole house Generac.(10 years now) Just a casual drive around up here at the lake and you will see that Generac is by far the biggest name.

FWIW we are quite rural and can get serious power outs (days) and even if propane generator is loud its a very reassuring sound!

I'm guessing the Generacs are more heavily advertised.

When I got my Cummins in 2018 I didn't even know they made gens, but I knew there were Generacs.

[MadInNc]

Originally Posted by Aerovette

Two questions.

Is it normal/ok for lamps to fluctuate brightness? The lamps I light as I enter a room are pulsing.

Second, it has been running since 1:00pm. How long can it run without rest or cooling off? I may not have power until Tuesday. I can't imagine an air cooled motor running in 95 degrees and not being damaged.

It is a North Star 8000 watt max output. I have roughly a 15 amp load on each phase.

Thanks in advance.

8000W with Gas. ~6000W ON Propane!!!

[markids77]

Check engine oil level at each refuel. It will use some oil, and will shut itself off if the level gets low; but not necessarily in time to avoid damage.

[Yadkin]

Today I was working in the garage and the LED lamps started pulsing. Not a lost but enough to be distracting. This had happened a few months before, and I had tightened the screws on the breaker for that circuit and it stopped. So why did it happen again? After a few minutes it stopped.

A few hours later it happened again, but this time in the kitchen. Then I noticed that the pulsing was at the same rate as the washing machine motor. The machine is a direct drive, so no gears or "wig wag" transmission. The motor turns one way, stops, then turns the other way. I suppose it uses capacitors to store and discharge power during these cycles. When the washer stopped, the pulsing of the lights also stopped.

So a motor with a heavy load, such as the OP's AC, could cause his issue.

[Big bob]

[Aerovette]

Originally Posted by MadInNc

8000W with Gas. ~6000W ON Propane!!!

It's running on gas.

[Aerovette]

Originally Posted by markids77

Check engine oil level at each refuel. It will use some oil, and will shut itself off if the level gets low; but not necessarily in time to avoid damage.

[Aerovette]

The schedule has been as stated below and going forward too. Assuming I get power back Tuesday.

2:00 PM Saturday - about midnight I noticed it went off.
8:30 AM Sunday - 6:00PM off for a little over an hour
7:00 PM Sunday - most likely run until 4:30 AM
I'll start it at 6:00AM tomorrow and it will run until 8:45AM and off for two hours
Start at 10:45 or 11:00 AM Monday and run until 8:00PM. 30 min rest to check and add oil.
Probably shut off around 5:30AM. Fill and start at 6:15AM

Will this ^^^ be risky?