Toro T1800 Generator

[lefty]

Someone gave me this generator.
Toro T1800

I wish I had more because I have some questions about it. But before I ask, I want to give the correct model and serial. Can't seem to find it and thought someone may be able to help. When I look T1800 up on Toro's site it returns just one model, 62018, but several ranges of serial. I can't find a placard or sticker anywhere on it. I found a number on the engine. SE180-021485 and a number on the generator module, Mod: SE1841T No. 30N 536, but no model and serial. Can anyone direct me on where I should be looking?

My questions, once we identify it, are....

This was given to me. It was surging when it came in. I don't have a dump truck full of experience with generators but have tinkered with a few. I cleaned the carb and it runs great but I thought I should dial it in under load.

There are basically 3 adjustments I can make on this. There is a screw on the carb, which appears to be an air mixture screw. It was set to about just under 2 turns when I got it so I went with that. There is an idle screw and then a governor spring adjustment screw.

There are 2 120V plugs on the machine and it says 12.5 amps. I attached a shop vac to it which draws 11.1 amps and the machine had a hard time with it. RPM's dropped and it labored. I'm guessing that there is a peak initial draw on it which may be causing the problems. If I attach a couple of 120V lights to it it doesn't skip a beat.

My ultimate question is, what kind of load should I have on this while I dial it in? Once I have a model and serial, I'm guessing I can get an RPM that it should be running at. It was just up over 3700 which I assumed was high but I don't know for sure. I adjusted the idle screw down a bit to get it closer to 3600. I'd like to set it up with a proper load and then attack the adjustments. Not even sure if that's the proper method. Any help is appreciated.

Thank you.

[bgsengine]

USA gas gensets typically are at 3750 RPM (diesels are usually half that) - remember, RPM affects the HZ output - so 3600 RPM in an ideal world is 60 Hz.. but that is Under Load - Top No Load would be 3750 RPM - Best way to dial in top no load on a generator is with a kill-a-watt meter that measures Hz output, then dial up the RPMs to around 62-63 Hz which should get you to the neighborhood of 3750 RPM top no kload - once genny has a load, they'll slow down a bit and come much closer to the 60 Hz standard .. should not try to dial them in really when under load... if everything's set up right, just set top no load, and you should have correct output when under load.. if it is running good, set your RPM back where it was, and try to not max out the amps draw (or the continuous wattage, which basically amounts to the same)

[Skywatcher]

Hi Lefty

Generally speaking, portable generators are advertised by their starting watts as opposed to their running watts. My guess is your T1800 is probably rated for 1,500 maximum running watts. The best load for a portable generator is a resistance load like an incandescent light (painter's lamp, flood lamp etc.), space heater, water heater or electric kettle as these have the same starting draw as running draw. A 1,000 watt heater would be the ideal test load for your generator. The average tea kettle draws 1,500 watts which would be absolute max sustained load.

With the no load governed speed set at 3720 rpm, you'll get 62 Hz, so anywhere between 3700 and 3750 is acceptable for no load governed rpm. There is always a certain amount of governor droop in any mechanically governed system, so at 75% rated load, the generator should be producing 60 Hz. At 100% rated load, you'll probably find the frequency drops down to about 58 Hz (3480 rpm).

An internal motor powered tool like a Shop-Vac, angle grinder, electric drill has twice the starting draw as running draw, so your Shop-Vac is probably drawing close to 22 amps on start-up which will give the generator trouble. An external motor driven tool like a belt driven air compressor draws 3 times running amps on start-up.

Bruce Perrault (check spelling) the moderator of the original small engine forum was the resident genius when it came to anything to do with portable generators. There wasn't anything that man didn't know about the Onan generators. I still think of the old friends we had on that forum back in the early 2000's. We have some pretty awesome friends on this forum and I love reading some of the banter that goes on between them. All the very best,

Sky

[creia]

Hi Lefty
I still think of the old friends we had on that forum back in the early 2000's. We have some pretty awesome friends on this forum and I love reading some of the banter that goes on between them. All the very best,

Sky

I do too Skywatcher! Of course there was the great forum founder/creator Bruce, and also "Nevada Walrus", and who could forget "T-man" who were still around and participating when I first joined. I am just so grateful (as I am sure MANY are) that bgsengine (Brian) kept it going.
Michael

[bobodu]

I miss Bruce....
And Walt...he had more practical knowledge in his toe than I will ever have.

[KE4AVB]

Model Number 62018
Product Name Generator, T1800
Product Brand Toro
Product Type Misc
Product Series Generators
Engine/Motor Manufacturer Suzuki
Engine/Motor Model SE180
Engine/Motor Size 3.5 hp
Engine/Motor Type 4 Cycle
Engine Starter Recoil
Voltage 12 VDC, 120 VAC
Wattage 1800

You can actually look up the service manual based on the serial number using the model of 62018 at Toro Customer support. On the same web page you can look-up the parts IPL of one of six versions by selecting correct serial number range.

[lefty]

Thanks for all the info. I'll dial it no load to 3750. As far as that governor spring screw, it doesn't seem to have any impact with no load as the idle screw adjustment was set to block the throttle at 3750. I would think in order to get the governor spring right, it would have to be under load?

Or should I back off the idle screw from interfering and then adjust the governor spring to control the speed at 3750 no load?

[Arkie]

The governor spring on gen's is also termed sensitivity spring and sometimes has a adjustment screw/bolt attached and or bunch of little linkage holes.
Most generally adjust the governor for the no load rpms 62-63 HZ the connect a 80% RESISTIVE load and watch the rpms and then remove the load and watch how long it takes the engine to settle on 62-64 rpms. When governor spring is adjusted correctly their will be minimum hunting and the AVERAGE hz will be close to 60. If the governor spring is weak (which is common on older units the HZ will take hunt longer from load to no load.

On some of the smaller emergency gen's that does not have the auto idle (engine idles at no load) you can set the no electrical load idle HZ at 63 with the carb idle screw and apply 80% load and adjust the governor spring for minimum hunting and 58-60 HZ with the 80% load. Using the carb idle screw for no electrical load of 63 hz will keep the engine rpms from drooping as much when the electrical load is applied due to not depending on the governor spring to control all due to having to take care of the initial droop in rpms (HZ) then stop the overrun in HZ. The carb idle screw keeps the engine rpms from going down as much when as load electrical load is first applied and the governor is mostly controlling the over run in high rpms until the engine stabilizes from the changing load. (using the idle screw to set the no load Hertz (frequency) helps control the sensitivity of the governor) so as to stabilize the gen at close to 60 Hertz AVERAGE.

AND
Yes, at the PERR site Bruce bailed me out on the Onan gen's and engines several times, T-Man on the surging and hunting Tecumsehs. Could not bad mouth a Tecumseh engine when T-Man was around. I now have some old Tecumseh engines in operation and no longer DREAD having to attempt repairing one due to T-mans guidance.

Thanks Brian for keeping the site going.

[RoyM]

Lots of good advise here. I learned generators because the people I worked with were scared of electricity or simply weren't willing to work on them. I liked them although got zapped a few times, a portable welder REALLY got my attention. I miss Walt, T-Man and Nevada Walrus as well, learned a lot from them.

[lefty]

Lots of good advise here. I learned generators because the people I worked with were scared of electricity or simply weren't willing to work on them. I liked them although got zapped a few times, a portable welder REALLY got my attention. I miss Walt, T-Man and Nevada Walrus as well, learned a lot from them.

Definitely good information, especially for a noob like me. Thanks again.