Date: 12 October 2021. Gasoline Generator Added
(starting the wrong way) (#3 in series)
©
janice142
This became a multi-part series on power for an off-grid life
afloat. It details the order in
which I added power to Seaweed. In the series I cover both the mistakes made,
and the choices that were spot on. Feel free to learn from my
mistakes.
For those with slower connections I am splitting the series
into smaller portions. It
is far easier to download a smaller webpage especially when the
connection is iffy at best. This is Part Three.
For those that prefer everything
on one page, this is the link you want:
Power from None to Now (the complete
series)
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Shortly after installing the wind genny described in the
Adding an Air-Breeze Wind Generator
article I moved Seaweed to the west coast of Florida. Those winds I was so
used to experiencing became virtually nonexistent where I was anchored.
Though I could power my necessities, decadence was rather sparse.
For those curious, this is the reason I came to Pensacola:
This is the Original Grand. She is wonderful!
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The Original is truly a
grand girl.
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How wonderful you may ask is the Original? Well, let
me tell you
she writes letters. There is something
incredibly special about receiving illustrated thank you
notes. I treasure them.
←She is growing up so
quickly... |
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But I digress...
After the Original Grand was born I headed east from Pensacola along the
Florida Panhandle.
The FLORIDA
PANHANDLE encompasses the region from the
Alabama state line to the "big bend" where Florida curves southward.
Referred to as the panhandle this region is not just
coastal. It includes the area further inland too.
Later, while heading east along the panhandle I met a wonderful
couple. I told you about Frank and Jewell in the
By the Shipyard
article. One thing I did not share in that article was the
blessing they bestowed upon me. First, they allowed me to stay at
their dock for a few days so that Baby could mail me a mi-fi
device, thus enabling me to surf the internet.
That area was brimming with
pelicans.
Jewell was a
true gem to take me to a large grocery story so I could provision.
It had been more than a month since I had visited a grocery store.
My lockers were nearly empty. Alas shopping took longer than I
anticipated. All this happened as I cruised along the panhandle of
Florida.
Jewell and Frank live just east of
PANAMA CITY. It is a beautiful area.
In
addition to their hospitality, Frank and Jewell gifted me an 800
watt gasoline powered generator. That became a part of my power
solution too. Manually starting the generator was possible though it
took a lot of strength.
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My friend Irene over on the east coast opted for a Yamaha1000
specifically because she can start it manually. This is an
important consideration.
Irene made a cover for
her generator →
Decisions I make are made after careful consideration. Of
course I take into mind what will work today, however that is
not all. I MUST believe that any purchases made for such
things as power (generators and the like) will work in the
long term as well.
Boaters like me on a budget have to be wise with our money.
Selecting items that will mesh into my infrastructure takes
a great deal of saving in order to afford such luxuries.
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Folks with poor upper body or wrist strength need to be aware that
pulling a cord to start a generator can be Extremely difficult. It
doesn't matter how wonderful the generator is if it cannot be
started. This is Exactly why I do not own a Honda2k. I am unable to
*cold start it. Now if I could
figure out how to install a starter into that unit... but that's a
matter for another day.
*Cold Start:
A cold start means that the motor has not been run recently. At that
point, starting the generator can be difficult. After the genny has
run for a few minutes it is considered to be warmed up. Pulling the
cord is much easier when the unit is warm.
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How-To start a generator (and this is DEFINITELY
all wrong and bad for said genny) however I have seen
recalcitrant generators started by this method when *all else
failed.
*Definition of all else:
Pulling the spark plug, cleaning same, then blasting
connections with starting fluid. Also, hitting the air intake
with ether sometimes works. Replace the plug and pull cord.
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I
witnessed
some former inmates demonstrate this method... apparently in
the Big House aka prison, the guards do not allow inmates to
use a pull-cord. Instead, this is how they start a generator: |
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First remove the fan casing and fan blades.
There, where the fan blades connect to the unit is a spot where a
socket can be inserted to spin the shaft like the pull cord would do.
They utilized a 12-volt rechargeable drill with a socket to
start the generator. Then they would place a fan blowing at the
generator to keep it cool. |
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WARNING: I am
certain you are not supposed to do this with a generator. I found
the method curious and share it here with you as an anecdote.
I
DO NOT recommend this.
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Alas, due to my
inexperience at the time no doubt, the generator Jewell and Frank
gave me eventually would
not start despite my best efforts. In retrospect, I suspect a carburetor failure. I
would like
to believe I am smarter now.
That generator was later passed along to Lynn and Dave, friends of mine
introduced to you in the
Overnight Guests
article. Lynn is a fun gal. I hope to get to see her again before
she heads off across the Atlantic ocean aboard her sailboat.
Lynn is known for her fabulous New York sourced home-made apple sauce. Hers is
chunky and delicious.
Lynn makes wonderful apple sauce. It is chunky, and tastes almost
like eating the good stuff out of an apple pie. I've tried canning
my own but thus far mine is not as good as hers. Not yet anyway. I
believe next time I will add more sugar.
I am still
working on getting sufficient power aboard Seaweed for all of my
wants. Needs are met, however wants are another thing entirely. For
instance, I cannot run my cube refrigerator... there simply is not
enough power to do so. Not yet. The next article will cover yet
another step in providing power aboard my home.
Stay tuned,
and thank you for reading.
Has anyone else utilized a Harbor Freight type 800 watt
generator?.
And, what is your oldest/most treasured Christmas ornament?
Regarding the Comments Section,
found at the end of every article:
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sure to hit the backspace key. Coding inserts a space in every box.
Your email address will come back as malformed unless you remove
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COMMENTS:
© 2021, © 2023
Categories: Boat Talk,
Characters,
Gear,
Locations,
Wild Things,
Adding an Air-Breeze Wind Generator (#2 in
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