Suitcase generator ? What's the hot/go-to choice ?

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weeksy
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Re: Suitcase generator ? What's the hot/go-to choice ?

Post by weeksy »

Well this stopped running on the weekend. With the oil light. Which when i look it seems to have none in there :D :D

I've only had it 5 years i guess it was due a bit of oil.

When taking the side covers off i do seem to have 'some' oil on the insides... but i wonder if that's where the Gennie has fallen over previously or whether it's an indication of a bigger issue. Due to not having the right type of oil here i can't test it today though, i've ordered some SAE30 and we'll see how that goes once it's in there. we're not talking it having oil pouring out, just a small smattering.
The motor still runs etc, just stops after 30s when it realises it has no oil..
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Re: Suitcase generator ? What's the hot/go-to choice ?

Post by Skub »

Petrol mowers do the same if there's either not enough or too much oil.
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weeksy
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Re: Suitcase generator ? What's the hot/go-to choice ?

Post by weeksy »

Right then, we're getting to the bottom of this.

I filled (200ml) the oil and the gennie runs like a dream... However i noticed there's oil at the top end that shouldn't be there

ImageIMG_20250505_130146 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

ImageIMG_20250505_130202 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

ImageIMG_20250505_130511 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

Further diagnosis shows there's a split in the oil hose below that clip. Sadly there's not enough length in it to cut the hose below the split and re-attach it. I can remove the top end hose clip and then the hose, but the bottom inside the sump is firmly attached, no amount of pulling is getting it out...

I'm guessing then the answer is to get a piece of hose, then trim the split one below the split and then use a 'joiner' of some description to mate the 2 ends together and then reattach at the top.
That sound about right for the plan ?

If so.... what's the joining piece and where do i get one ? If not... what are you recommending instead of that ?
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Re: Suitcase generator ? What's the hot/go-to choice ?

Post by weeksy »



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Re: Suitcase generator ? What's the hot/go-to choice ?

Post by cheb »

8mm copper pipe with an olive soldered onto each end to stop the rubber pipe slipping off.
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Re: Suitcase generator ? What's the hot/go-to choice ?

Post by weeksy »

cheb wrote: Tue May 06, 2025 8:55 am 8mm copper pipe with an olive soldered onto each end to stop the rubber pipe slipping off.
1. don't have copper pipe
2. can't solder or have soldering kit
3. simple options preferred :)

I've managed to cut off the split and it 'JUST' about fits on and is secured... the good news is that there's no leak now i've done that, so we're deffo onto a winner. Just a question of a longer term fix.
Don't need it for a while anyway, so no actual rush on this.
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Re: Suitcase generator ? What's the hot/go-to choice ?

Post by Bigyin »

weeksy wrote: Tue May 06, 2025 8:57 am
cheb wrote: Tue May 06, 2025 8:55 am 8mm copper pipe with an olive soldered onto each end to stop the rubber pipe slipping off.
1. don't have copper pipe
2. can't solder or have soldering kit
3. simple options preferred :)

Duct tape :thumbsup:
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Re: Suitcase generator ? What's the hot/go-to choice ?

Post by MrLongbeard »

weeksy wrote: Tue May 06, 2025 8:57 am Just a question of a longer term fix.
Replace whole pipe or replace plastic joiner with brass joiner, see Amazon ASIN B07MV45D5H
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Re: Suitcase generator ? What's the hot/go-to choice ?

Post by weeksy »

MrLongbeard wrote: Tue May 06, 2025 1:45 pm
weeksy wrote: Tue May 06, 2025 8:57 am Just a question of a longer term fix.
Replace whole pipe or replace plastic joiner with brass joiner, see Amazon ASIN B07MV45D5H
Can't remove it to replace it, it goes inside the sump and i assume would mean splitting the engine etc to get to the bottom of it.
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Re: Suitcase generator ? What's the hot/go-to choice ?

Post by MrLongbeard »

If it was put together it can be taken apart
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Re: Suitcase generator ? What's the hot/go-to choice ?

Post by Felix »

I went 2nd had and got this for £200

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke- ... generator/



20230916_145510.jpg
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Re: Suitcase generator ? What's the hot/go-to choice ?

Post by cheb »

weeksy wrote: Tue May 06, 2025 8:57 am
cheb wrote: Tue May 06, 2025 8:55 am 8mm copper pipe with an olive soldered onto each end to stop the rubber pipe slipping off.
1. don't have copper pipe
2. can't solder or have soldering kit
3. simple options preferred :)

I've managed to cut off the split and it 'JUST' about fits on and is secured... the good news is that there's no leak now i've done that, so we're deffo onto a winner. Just a question of a longer term fix.
Don't need it for a while anyway, so no actual rush on this.

Find someone who can. I'd offer but I'm in Haverfordwest and am traveling for the next week.
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Re: Suitcase generator ? What's the hot/go-to choice ?

Post by weeksy »

doesn't matter mate. It'll work fine with the above part i'd say. This isn't an industrial motor running for months at a time, this is a 3-4 time a year thing run for an hour or two. But thank you anyway.

I doubt it'll be used again in the next month...
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Re: Suitcase generator ? What's the hot/go-to choice ?

Post by weeksy »

So i've used a brass fitting, 10mm ID and it seems pretty decent and hold well, however the only downside is that the pipe is slightly kinked due to where/how it is joined. I've trimmed the joining piece a little bit shorter than it came, but still isn't perfect. But i can't see/think of a better way to do it in truth.

I've got this which is the document from the manufacturer
Imagelubrication by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

So the pipe is #3 which implies that at the bottom end it's held into that little reservoir by a hose clip... However, i can't see that, my pipe about 30% of the length down into a housing... So i'd need to get the housing off to get to that... Which is a minor issue as that's encased in the overall casing... so i'd have to completely remove the whole motor/internals from the casing to be able to do that... Mmmmm
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Re: Suitcase generator ? What's the hot/go-to choice ?

Post by Count Steer »

Is the kink because the brass fitting is a certain length and so the routing is difficult/compromised?

Got a pic with the fitting in situ? (Interested in the type of fitting and whether there's a way of modifying one to route better). Looks like a fiddly space to work in - but that's inevitable with such a compact piece of kit I suppose.
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Re: Suitcase generator ? What's the hot/go-to choice ?

Post by weeksy »

Count Steer wrote: Mon Jun 23, 2025 3:01 pm Is the kink because the brass fitting is a certain length and so the routing is difficult/compromised?

Got a pic with the fitting in situ? (Interested in the type of fitting and whether there's a way of modifying one to route better). Looks like a fiddly space to work in - but that's inevitable with such a compact piece of kit I suppose.
A bit but also because the distance between the housings is so small as well.

The pic just up in the thread shows how close both openings are to eachother.
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Re: Suitcase generator ? What's the hot/go-to choice ?

Post by weeksy »

maybe this would work better

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/355085632674 ... UOSk_9PzZQ

10mm > 10mm but 90deg.
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Re: Suitcase generator ? What's the hot/go-to choice ?

Post by Count Steer »

weeksy wrote: Mon Jun 23, 2025 3:45 pm maybe this would work better

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/355085632674 ... UOSk_9PzZQ

10mm > 10mm but 90deg.
Yeah, I'd been wondering about these:

https://www.screwfix.com/p/flomasta-bra ... pack/38805

The 'bump' in the outside could act like the soldered olive that Cheb proposed.
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