PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-591
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 591
FEBRUARY 2002
PS 591
21
PS 591
FEB 02
20
Exercise
Your generator needs regular exercise. That
doesn’t mean just before each trip to the field,
either.
Exercise is best when it’s regular and
often—like about 15 minutes or more every
week. Without it, seals and filters dry out.
Gaskets crack. Batteries get weak or die.
Before exercising the generator, remove it
from the carrier and hook it up like it says in
the -10 TMs. Then.
..
1.
Start the carrier’s engine, then the generator.
2.
Switch off the carrier’s engine.
3.
Turn on the carrier’s lights. That gives the
generator a load so it runs a little hotter and
prevents carbon deposits in the carburetor.
Don’t Be Fuelish
•
Clean the fuel sediment bowl before
each use of the generator. Otherwise,
the carburetor plugs up and the genera-
tor won’t start.
•
Never grab the first can of fuel you
find and fill the fuel tank. The 4.2-KW
generator uses
gasoline only.
Diesel fuel stops it cold. Spark plugs
won’t ignite the fuel. The fuel tank and
lines have to be drained and cleaned.
If your commander OKs it, label all
fuel cans DIESEL or GASOLINE in
flat black lacquer. Get a quart of lac-
quer with NSN 8010-00-166-3147.
•
When you pour fuel from cans, make
sure the gas tank’s screen is in place
and clean. Its job is to screen out dirt
and gunk that foul fuel and clog filters.
•
Store fuel cans at least 50 feet away
from the generator and always have a
fire extinguisher handy when fueling.
•
Never add fuel to a hot engine. A fire can shut down your generator—and you—
for good.
Air Filter Facts
Don’t change the generator’s air filter more often than necessary. Sometimes
the red shows only because the indicator’s been bumped, not because the filter
is clogged.
With the engine running, push the
release button. If the indicator turns
red again, then the filter’s clogged
and needs to be changed.
If the indicator stays clear after
you push the button, the filter’s still
good. Keep on generating.
In a pinch, your mechanic can
clean the filter by blowing a low
pressure (30 psi) jet of air from the
clean side and out the dirty side.
If replacement filters, NSN 2940-
00-876-2212, are in short supply,
wash dirty ones in mild soap and
water to extend their life. Rinse well
and dry the filters thoroughly before
you put them back in service.
Never, ever, run an engine without
a filter. Dust or dirt in your engine is
more trouble than a dirty filter.
Indicator red? Retest once
before changing filter
Wash filters
in a pinch
More to Do
•
Make sure all hardware is tight
before operating your generator.
When traveling cross-country, the
generator vibrates enough that
nuts and bolts can shake loose.
•
Cover things like cables and
the fuel sediment bowl before
spot painting. Paint will crack
rubber hoses and keep you from
seeing when the sediment bowl
needs cleaning.
•
Line up connections when you
hook up the NATO slave cable to
the generator. If the cable is con-
nected at an angle, it could cause
arcing and damage the connector.
Empty fuel sediment
bowl before operation
Label fuel
cans
I need
to be
exerciseD
regularly!
hey!
you’re not
done just
yet!
591. 18-21 (X)
1/8/02
1:29 PM
Page 3
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