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ENGINE OPERATION
STARTING THE ENGINE
1. Open the engine compartment door and check that
the fuel shutoff valve located to the left of the fuel fil-
ter housing is in the open position (lever to be in line
with the hose).
2. Check for proper oil level on the oil dipstick. Close
engine compartment door.
3. Remove all plugs connected to the AC power recep-
tacles.
4. Set IDLER switch to “AUTO”.
5. Set the RUN/STOP switch to RUN. Observe that
all engine protection lights momentarily turn on.
Some lights may turn off before starting. Check the
fuel gauge (K1639-2 only) to make sure that there
is an adequate fuel level.
6. Press and hold the engine START button for a min-
imum of two seconds.
7. Release the engine START button when the engine
starts.
8. Check that the indicator lights are off. If the LOW
FUEL light is on (K1639-2 only), the engine will shut
down 30 minutes after starting. If any other indica-
tor light is on after starting, the engine will shut
down in a few seconds. Investigate any indicated
problem.
9. Allow the engine to warm up at low idle speed for
several minutes before applying a load and/or
switching to high idle. Allow a longer warm-up time
in cold weather.
COLD WEATHER STARTING
With a fully charged battery and the proper weight oil,
the engine should start satisfactorily even down to
about 0°F. If the engine must be frequently started
below 10°F, it may be desirable to install the optional
ether starter kit (K825-1). Installation and operating
instructions are included in the kit.
STOPPING THE ENGINE
1. Switch the RUN/STOP switch to STOP. This turns
off the voltage supplied to the shutdown solenoid. A
backup shutdown can be accomplished by shutting
off the fuel valve located on the fuel line.
BREAK-IN PERIOD
The engine used to supply power for your welder is a
heavy duty, industrial engine. It is designed and built
for rugged use. It is very normal for any engine to use
small quantities of oil until the break-in is accom-
plished. Check the oil level twice a day during the
break-in period (about 200 running hours).
During break-in, subject the Commander 500 to heavy
loads. Avoid long periods running at idle. Before stop-
ping the engine, remove all loads and allow the engine
to cool several minutes.
The heavy loading of the engine during break-in, with-
in the rating of the machine, is recommended to prop-
erly seat the piston rings and prevent wetstacking.
Wetstacking is an accumulation of unburned fuel
and/or lubricant in the form of a set, black, tar-like sub-
stance in the exhaust pipe. The rings are seated and
the break-in period is complete when there are no
longer any signs of wetstacking, which should occur
within the first 50 to 100 hours of operation.
Using your welder at low amperages with long idle run-
ning periods during the break-in period may result in a
glaze forming on the engine cylinder walls and the
rings not seating properly. No amount of loading will
properly seat the pistons rings after they are glazed
over.
TYPICAL FUEL CONSUMPTION
Refer to Table B.2 for typical fuel consumption of the
Commander 500 engine for various operating
scenarios.
B-8 B-8
OPERATION
COMMANDER 500
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CAUTION
CAUTION