Yamaha Generator Efficiency

I just picked up my 6600 Yamaha yesterday from the dealer, it needed a tuneup. I was speaking with the mechanic about what things I should do maintenance wise. One thing he mentioned that really surprised me was to run the generator once a month with a load on it. He said that over time the generator will lose it's charge and that it will not be able to produce max power.
Has anyone heard of this? There is no mention of this in the owner's manual, but it seems like the guy knows what he's talking about.
Thanks In Advance, -a12vman

"a12vman" wrote in message :I just picked up my 6600 Yamaha yesterday from the dealer, it needed a : tuneup. I was speaking with the mechanic about what things I should do : maintenance wise. One thing he mentioned that really surprised me was to : run the generator once a month with a load on it. He said that over time : the generator will lose it's charge and that it will not be able to produce : max power. : : Has anyone heard of this? There is no mention of this in the owner's manual, : but it seems like the guy knows what he's talking about. : : Thanks In Advance, : -a12vman : : Maybe he thinks the permanent magnets will lose their polarity or something like that. It -can- happen, in which case there are solutions, but not from not being run monthly ... the running a gennie once a month is more to keep the fuel/oil/air system in working order and not gummed up so it'll start when you need it. Right advice, wrong reasoning, it sounds like.
I check over and make sure I run mine every 4 to 6 weeks, but it's just to be sure it's startable and functional; battery not dead, carb not gummed up, oil is OK, etc..
HTH,
Pop

"a12vman" wrote in message

I just picked up my 6600 Yamaha yesterday from the dealer, it needed a tuneup. I was speaking with the mechanic about what things I should do maintenance wise. One thing he mentioned that really surprised me was to run the generator once a month with a load on it. He said that over time the generator will lose it's charge and that it will not be able to produce max power.
Has anyone heard of this? There is no mention of this in the owner's manual, but it seems like the guy knows what he's talking about.
Thanks In Advance, -a12vman

The rotor of a basic genhead, AC or DC, can demagnetize over time. This is because the traditional genhead contains no permanent magnets. It uses the current it generates to excite AC electromagnets in the rotor. But to get started, there has to be enough residual magnetization left in the rotor to generate some initial current flow.
However, I get the impression that modern generators, at least those with electric start, are immune to the effect, because part of the starter circuit remagnetizes the rotor.
The type of genhead found in modern inverter-generators, which has a rotor composed of permanent magnets, is immune to the effect.
Your mechanic is an old hand. I doubt this applies to a 6600. The timespan over which the effect has been seen is more like six months. But you should run your generator monthly in order to prevent motor corrosion and dry starts.

I own a generac portable 7500 and was told by one of their people in charge at the factory that it needs to be run no longer than every 6 months with any load, or the gen could loose residual magnatism since it is not a unit with an exciter. If magnitism is lost it will generate no power at all, there is a procedure in their repair manual they sent me called "flashing the field" to restore magnitism. Running every month or month and half is not necessary. You should store your unit without gas, run it dry. but periodic testing must be done with a load 100 watts is fine. It will either make full power or none, there is no inbetween that periodic running will help. Every four to 6 months is good enough to keep it from demagnitising.

"m Ransley" wrote in message

I own a generac portable 7500 and was told by one of their people in charge at the factory that it needs to be run no longer than every 6 months with any load, or the gen could loose residual magnatism since it is not a unit with an exciter. If magnitism is lost it will generate no power at all, there is a procedure in their repair manual they sent me called "flashing the field" to restore magnitism. Running every month or month and half is not necessary. You should store your unit without gas, run it dry. but periodic testing must be done with a load 100 watts is fine. It will either make full power or none, there is no inbetween that periodic running will help. Every four to 6 months is good enough to keep it from demagnitising.

Flashing the field is just an inconvience, Ive done this on one occasion and it wasnt a big deal. You just need to know when to do it ;D

OK My son is bringing an old Onan 4KW RV generator back to life in Power Tech class in high school. It has been 4 years since the generator was run, and I do not know if it was putting our power even then. I did see it run before I bought the unit. It is out of a 1973 motor home. He got the 2 cyl engine running last week. When he reports back after the new year, they will try to get AC power out of it.
Does anybody have an overview of how "Flashing" a genset is accomplished? Or a link?
I seem to recall that automatiive generators had to be polarized prior to functioning correctly.
Thanks
Mark ( Ignorant on this, too) Dunning markshere2 at yahoo dot com
"Martin Riddle" wrote in message

"m Ransley" wrote in message I own a generac portable 7500 and was told by one of their people in charge at the factory that it needs to be run no longer than every 6 months with any load, or the gen could loose residual magnatism since it is not a unit with an exciter. If magnitism is lost it will generate no power at all, there is a procedure in their repair manual they sent me called "flashing the field" to restore magnitism. Running every month or month and half is not necessary. You should store your unit without gas, run it dry. but periodic testing must be done with a load 100 watts is fine. It will either make full power or none, there is no inbetween that periodic running will help. Every four to 6 months is good enough to keep it from demagnitising.
Flashing the field is just an inconvience, Ive done this on one occasion and it wasnt a big deal. You just need to know when to do it ;D

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In article , "Mark Dunning" wrote:

OK My son is bringing an old Onan 4KW RV generator back to life in Power Tech class in high school. It has been 4 years since the generator was run, and I do not know if it was putting our power even then. I did see it run before I bought the unit. It is out of a 1973 motor home. He got the 2 cyl engine running last week. When he reports back after the new year, they will try to get AC power out of it.
Does anybody have an overview of how "Flashing" a genset is accomplished? Or a link?
I seem to recall that automatiive generators had to be polarized prior to functioning correctly.
Thanks
Mark ( Ignorant on this, too) Dunning markshere2 at yahoo dot com

You might want to check out the Old Onan Geerator Board on SmokStak.com... Lots of guys with many years of Onan Expertiese hang out there....
Me

"Mark Dunning" wrote in message

OK My son is bringing an old Onan 4KW RV generator back to life in Power Tech class in high school. It has been 4 years since the generator was run, and I do not know if it was putting our power even then. I did see it run before I bought the unit. It is out of a 1973 motor home. He got the 2 cyl engine running last week. When he reports back after the new year, they will try to get AC power out of it.
Does anybody have an overview of how "Flashing" a genset is accomplished? Or a link?
I seem to recall that automatiive generators had to be polarized prior to functioning correctly.
Thanks
Mark ( Ignorant on this, too) Dunning markshere2 at yahoo dot com
"Martin Riddle" wrote in message "m Ransley" wrote in message I own a generac portable 7500 and was told by one of their people in charge at the factory that it needs to be run no longer than every 6 months with any load, or the gen could loose residual magnatism since it is not a unit with an exciter. If magnitism is lost it will generate no power at all, there is a procedure in their repair manual they sent me called "flashing the field" to restore magnitism. Running every month or month and half is not necessary. You should store your unit without gas, run it dry. but periodic testing must be done with a load 100 watts is fine. It will either make full power or none, there is no inbetween that periodic running will help. Every four to 6 months is good enough to keep it from demagnitising.
Flashing the field is just an inconvience, Ive done this on one occasion and it wasnt a big deal. You just need to know when to do it ;D

Not sure about your particular model.

But the unit I worked on, (50hz ac powered generator) needed the exciter disconnected from the field and I applied 12vdc @ 500ma. This was enough to get things started. My advice is not to over do it, you just need enough residual magnetism in the field to get some voltage out of the stator so the exciter will start to function.
Merry Christmas !!