TOPIC: LOAD TESTED - Chicago Electric 7 HP 3050 watt gene

I grooved this generator some time back and tested it under a "light" load (really).


Test parameters, 600watt load (electric oil heater), 75watt bulb and the electric clock.

Set the clock at 12:00:00, turned everything on and started the generator.

I did this twice, first time there was no effect,seemed like it was running pre-groove.
Pulled the carb off and checked the groove.
Ran the bit through the groove to make sure I got all of it at the correct depth and the full 4 to 8 smile.

Popped a small hole, which was easy to fill.

Second run, 16oz of fuel. Run time : 43 minutes

1 gallon is 128oz or 16x8.

43 minutes X 8 = 344 minutes or 5.733 hours on 1 gallon of fuel

With a 4 gallon tank that calculates out to 22.933 hours of run time.














Karl Fortner
Tacoma, Wa.
Gadgetman Tacoma

Karl,
I like the way you did the test.
Craig

Thanks Craig,

It isn't easy to find an electric clock these days, and I figured that was the easiest and best way to determine the run time without being there for the finish.

Karl

You can still use a battery powered clock. Plug a 3v DC transformer (or what ever battery arrangement the clock needs) into the generator. You can find these little transformers at garage sales, and Radio Shack makes selectable a transformer. The plug end of the wire transformer needs to be cut off and striped to bare wire. Connect this to the clock's battery terminals, observing polarity. When the generator runs out of gas, the "batteries" will die also and stop the clock at your time measurement.

Dan Grieve
South-Central Missouri

That was an option I had considered but my mind was set on the real thing.

... some things just aren't the same

Karl Fortner
Tacoma, Wa.
Gadgetman Tacoma

Hi Karl,
Clever testing idea.

So what was the pre-groove and what was the post-groove on your generator? Any gains in efficiency?

Hi Nick,

I use this generator to power my live streaming at hydro races. Better to bring your own than hope there might be electricity at a race site.

Pre-groove

Manufacturer spec is 9 hours under medium load. (This is a 3KW generator)

The reality is that you get about 6 hours of run-time on about 450 watt load. Been there had that. ( 2 computers, 3 monitors, video switch audio mixer, yep about 450watts)

Post groove

Determined by the results of the above testing 22.933 hours of run time capability with a 600 watt load.

So bottom line... better than 300% improvement in efficiency, comparable to what Ron had determined with his.


Karl

sounds great Karl so all you did was groove it with middle size bit, right? dan gadgetman mo.

Hi Dan,

Yes, middle sized bit. from the 4 O'clock position to the 8 O'clock position.

There was one small break into the float bowl. Easy enough to fix, removed the float bowl and float, filled in the spot and put it back together once it was cured.

This being one of my first grooves over 2 1/2 months ago, what I thought was pretty good then turned out to be not as good as I thought.

I swept the tool through the groove making sure it was full depth with a smooth pocket.
That is when I see the groove work its best.

And don't forget the 20% increase in the spark plug gap.

Karl Fortner
Tacoma, Wa.
Gadgetman Tacoma

Since I have plans on using the generator in two weeks I should get some additional data on its run time.

So, this time it went as follows

Fuel : 1 gallon
Load : 900 watts
Total run-time : 4hrs 17 minutes

Keep in mind manufacturer's spec On the 4 gallon tank is 9 hrs on medium load.

realistically, I was getting approximately 6hrs under a light load, ie:
two laptops, a Hot spot, monitor and digital video camera.

Starting setup:



Load device : electric oil heater




Finish, ie: out of gas.




Other data

Heater temp:





exhaust temp:





In conclusion, with the 900 watt load against manufacturers spec's, there was an 88% improvement in fuel efficiency. If you use the reality numbers, the improvement was 183%.


Oh yeah, total run-time for the four gallon tank... 17 hours.

Karl Fortner
Tacoma, Wa.

Pretty awesome, Karl. Pretty good test as well.

Luke

The final steps...





Karl Fortner
Tacoma, Wa.