| |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS |
| Q. |
How
do I start a genset - How and when do I change the Fuel
knob? |
| A. |
A
genset can be started by following the below given steps:
  Drain
the kerosene from the carburetor
Turn
the fuel cock to “Start” position
Switch
“ON” the Engine switch
Pull
the Recoil briskly towards yourself
Once
the Engine starts, Turn the Fuel Cock to run Position
|
| Q. |
How is Four-
Stroke Engine better than Two - Stroke Engine? |
| A. |
Honda
Four-stroke engines are superior to two-stroke engines
in a number of respects. For example, they exhibit outstanding
power and durability, and operational noise is exceptionally
low. Also, exhaust is cleaner and there is less smoke
with Honda four-strokes, since there is no need to blend
oil with the gasoline. And while we can say that fuel
consumption is lower with Honda four-stroke engines that
with comparable two-stroke engines, this is especially
true of Honda’s OHV engines – they consume
approximately 30% less fuel and 50% less oil than side
valve engines. In comparison with diesel engines, gasoline
engines emit less operational noise, are lighter in weight,
and cost less to purchase. |
| Q. |
What is frequency
of current? |
| A. |
In India
all the Power Supplies are of 50 Hertz or Cycles per Second
which is the Frequency of the current where as the normal
Voltage Output is 220 Volts. |
| Q. |
What is the difference
between AC and DC current? |
| A. |
With
DC (Direct current), the current always flows in one direction
with no relation to change in time, as is the case with
a dry cell battery or a car battery. (The DC output of
Honda generators is for charging batteries only.) Alternating
current, on the other hand, reverses its direction at
uniform time intervals. Almost all-household electrical
appliances are made to run on alternating current. |
| Q. |
What is the wattage
required for motor based appliances like Refrigerator,
Cooler, Water Pump etc. Will 500 W Water Pump run with
500 W of load consideration? |
| A. |
Well,
let’s use an example to illustrate why. When moving
a heavy object, more power is required to get it moving
than to push it once movement has begun. This same principle,
which is called “electromotive force”, applies
to motors. A motor requires more than the indicated amount
of power to get it started. When a motor is to be powered
by a generator, the generator must have a maximum output
level equal to from 1.0 ~ 1.5 times (for series motors)
or 2.5 ~ 5.0 times (for induction motors) the designated
power consumption of the motor. That is why a 400 VA generator
can not be used with a device incorporating a 400W motor. |
| Q. |
What
is the difference between Watts and KVA? |
| A. |
“W”
indicates actual power consumption, while “VA”
is potential power. The electricity used by electrical
appliances when they are actually working is called power
consumption (W). |
| Q. |
Can a Generator
starts and switches Off Automatically? What is a change
over switch? |
| A. |
Yes,
a generator can switch off once the power comes if a ‘Change
over switch’ is installed. For automatic start,
a device AMF (Auto Mains Failure) can be installed with
the genset. |
| Q. |
Why
do you need petrol for start and kerosene for running? |
| A. |
This
is because Petrol has lower Flash Point (temperature at
which it burns) compared to Kerosene. Hence the ignition
(Start) is faster & easier with Petrol, so once the
Generator starts we then change to Kerosene. |
| Q. |
Can LPG based
genset be used in Cold temperature areas? |
| A. |
Honda
does not recommend usage of LPG Genset at places with
extreme cold climatic conditions. In Indian LPG, butane
is the main constituent, which do not have pressure
in cold temperature.
To
fill the gas in cylinder, it is compressed to 5~7 Kg/Cm2
at normal
temperature.
When
we withdraw gas from cylinder, it takes latent heat
from atmosphere
through the walls of cylinder
for conversion from liquid to gas.
In cold temperature, conversion of liquid petroleum
into gaseous form gets slow due to lack of adequate
latent heat. Hence, if the gas is continuously withdrawn
for long period, small droplets / icy layer accommodate
around the cylinder wall and ultimately gas supply is
reduced drastically. |
| Q. |
What is the noise
what does dBA means in noise? |
| A. |
Generator
is an engine driven equipment and therefore it is subjected
to produce noise while in operation. In fact, dB (decibel)
is the measuring unit of Sound Power Level and A is the
class of noise level. All the Honda generators produce
noise less than 86 dBA that is the limit prescribed by
the Government of India. |
| Q. |
What
is the function of a circuit breaker? |
| A. |
Circuit
breaker is provided to prevent the genset from overloading.
In case the genset is loaded beyond the Specified load
capacity, the genset will trip and Engine will come to
No load condition. The Circuit breaker will have to be
manually reset after removing the extra load. |
| Q. |
What is the difference
between Rated and Maximum Output? |
| A. |
Rated
output is the output at which a generator can be used
continuously for an extended period of time. Maximum output
is the maximum electrical output that a generator is capable
of, but at which it cannot be used continuously for an
extended period of time. |
| Q. |
How does a key
start work? |
| A. |
Generally,
recoil is pulled to start the generator. However, key
start feature has been designed to start the generator
without any extra effort.
When we rotate the key, battery backup of the generator
energise the motor as a result gear mechanism of engine
takes rotation and the engine gets started. Once the engine
starts, gear mechanism of self-motor gets disengaged.
Battery of the genset gets charged automatically while
genset is in operation. |
| Q. |
What
is Oil Alert system for? |
| A. |
When
the Oil level in the genset comes below the specified
limit the Oil Alert bulb will blink indicating that the
oil is low. Also the Genset will not start till the oil
level is refilled. This facility protects the genset against
engine seizure. |
| Q. |
How often should
I change the oil? |
| A. |
Engine
Oil should be replaced with every 100 hours of running
of the genset. Honda recommends use Engine Oil of API
- SF grade 20W40 & 15W40 |
| Q. |
What are the
changes required to operate a genset at high altitudes? |
| A. |
At altitudes
greater than 1,500 meters, the air is comparatively thinner,
so a generator’s fuel mixture becomes richer. As
a result, the diameter of the main jet in the carburetor
must be reduced. It should be noted, too, that output
is lower due to the thinner air |
| Q. |
What sort of
procedures should be taken to prepare a generator for
long-term storage? |
| A. |
Drain
the gasoline from the carburetor and fuel tank.
 Pull
the recoil starter rope out slowly and stop when the tension
increases.
Wipe
the body with a clean, dry cloth.
Cover
the generator to protect it from dust.
Place
the generator so that it sits level, in a spot with good
ventilation and low
humidity |
