Ok for the vehicle to idle for 3-5 hours?

[tahoe_highcountry]

Hi everyone,

I have a 2023 Tahoe diesel engine.

I live rural in a temperate climate with rainstorms. During fall/spring at least once a month the power goes out because trees fall.

Anyway, during this time we need to charge our electronics and hang out in a warm spot because power doesn’t get fixed for 1-2 days.

Is it ok for the engine to idle for 3-5 hours at a time? We use this time to charge our phones and iPads.

Thank you.

 

[strutaeng]

Why don't you buy a generator if it's a reoccurring thing?

Excessive idling is not too good in general, although it's probably worse if you are stuck in traffic than in your case. I otherwise don't know the answer TBH.

 

[tahoe_highcountry]

Had the house for less than a year. Good idea I will look into buying a generator. Thank you.

 

[ReaperHWK]

Well it’s not a good thing to do but a diesel is way more forgiving for idling. Truckers do it all night.

That being said get a generator if you can.

 

[Stbentoak]

It won't help it... but it won't hurt it either... Just take it for a good romp after power comes back and all will be well....
I've stopped worrying about what will "hurt" my vehicle. It's here to serve me in whatever way I need it.....

 

[GMCChevy]

Why risk any potential issues doing that when you can get a generator that can power more for a fraction of what the Tahoe costs. Especially when you seem to need it that often.

 

[B-train]

All new diesels hate their life.......they are made to run like stallions and forced to breathe through wet paper bags. Idling for hours on end is not what they can handle. Sure, they can DO it, but a regen is right around the corner.

Gone are the days when 10L Cummins could lull a guy to sleep at 450 rpm, consuming maybe 0.5 GPH after working all day pulling 82K lbs worth grain at 6 mpg.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

As folks above have stated, the most effective hedge against power outages is a portable generator (less than $1000). If you want to get fancy, you can get an automated standby generator which will automatically start when the power goes out ($5000).

We periodically lose power here in NH, and my first experience with an extended power outage was when we lost power for a week, after a winter ice storm. After power was restored, and I fixed the burst water lines to the radiators, I purchased an 8000 watt continuous power generator (when they came back into stock). I can run my whole house on it with prudent power usage monitoring, and I would never be without one again.

 

[Doubeleive]

Hi everyone,

I have a 2023 Tahoe diesel engine.

I live rural in a temperate climate with rainstorms. During fall/spring at least once a month the power goes out because trees fall.

Anyway, during this time we need to charge our electronics and hang out in a warm spot because power doesn’t get fixed for 1-2 days.

Is it ok for the engine to idle for 3-5 hours at a time? We use this time to charge our phones and iPads.

Thank you.

so in the past so far this last year.....when the power has gone out for 1-2 days what has been the game plan with say things like food? have you just thrown up your arms and said 0'well I guess all that frozen stuff can just go in the garbage can and well go buy more? well just sit here in the dark but hey we can go run the suv and charge are devices so we can all pokemon.......
this makes no sense to me.

 

[tom3]

I sure agree with the generator deal. Many (many!) years ago I spent a couple hours hauling 5 gal. buckets of water up out of our small basement to keep the furnace and hot water tank dry. Bought a generator, best insurance I ever bought, never actually had to use it. I keep it ready and a couple 5 gal cans of fresh gas just in case.....

 

[89Suburban]

I sure agree with the generator deal. Many (many!) years ago I spent a couple hours hauling 5 gal. buckets of water up out of our small basement to keep the furnace and hot water tank dry. Bought a generator, best insurance I ever bought, never actually had to use it. I keep it ready and a couple 5 gal cans of fresh gas just in case.....

View attachment 445055

WOW that's old skool B&S generator, love it!


Ran many of those old engines on mini bikes and go carts I built when I was a teenager.

 

[homesick]

I sure agree with the generator deal. Many (many!) years ago I spent a couple hours hauling 5 gal. buckets of water up out of our small basement to keep the furnace and hot water tank dry. Bought a generator, best insurance I ever bought, never actually had to use it. I keep it ready and a couple 5 gal cans of fresh gas just in case.....

View attachment 445055

Is there a particular reason you chose gasoline over propane? Propane always struck me as needing less attention, between uses, to remain reliable.

joe

 

[Stbentoak]

Is there a particular reason you chose gasoline over propane? Propane always struck me as needing less attention, between uses, to remain reliable.

joe

We use REC-90 gas in FL for generators. No alcohol in it. With some Marine STA-BIL it can easily go 2 years in a generator. When 2 yrs are up? Dump it thru your car or mowers with no ill effect and repeat. When a big one comes into the gulf, I go get 25 gal and we are good for a week +. If not needed, into the vehicle it goes. No money lost or wasted. Been thru 3 hurricanes in 2 years. Including a direct hit from IAN. 7KW Honda fuel injected gen on manual 10 breaker transfer switch. Flawless and can run everything we need. Up and running in less than 15 min.

 

[B-train]

Being that I did generator field service for a good many years, my go to is a diesel 20kw unit (or similar kw rating). I haven't installed a permanent one yet, but have a diesel 3kw unit that just sips fuel and a 10kw unit with a 16hp Briggs V-twin - again not bad on fuel considering 3600 rpm.

I usually load bank them 2 times a year with a high amp heater or a transfer test. Gets them hot, and ensures proper electricity production. I hate the gasoline one because I got burned by ****** gas one time and had to clean the carb jet to use it. I much prefer a 100 gallon tank of diesel that won't go bad......for year-za and that cute little fella will just sit there and sip it for days.

 

[GMCChevy]

Is there a particular reason you chose gasoline over propane? Propane always struck me as needing less attention, between uses, to remain reliable.

joe

Around here unless you already heat with propane and can hook up to that gas is a lot more available.

 

[Jetskier77]

Dave (of Dave's Auto Center in Utah) is a diesel specialist. He says never let these newer diesels idle any more than necessary and shows evidence why. He says the quickest way to damage these diesels in consumer vehicles is lack of oil changes and excessive idling. You cant compare an automotive diesel engine to those in commercial trucks - 2 different animals.

 

[Shunto]

Maybe one of those "do it all" powerboxes? They can charge a lot of devices.

 

[homesick]

Around here unless you already heat with propane and can hook up to that gas is a lot more available.

For a permanent install, I always figured tapping into the city's gas line was the best long term approach.

For a portable, I figured propane over gas, even real gas. Diesel's just nasty, messy stuff.

I already have propane tanks, and it's a neat, clean set-up; and it has a shelf life of forever [AFAIK].

joe

 

[GMCChevy]

For a permanent install, I always figured tapping into the city's gas line was the best long term approach.

For a portable, I figured propane over gas, even real gas. Diesel's just nasty, messy stuff.

I already have propane tanks, and it's a neat, clean set-up; and it has a shelf life of forever [AFAIK].

joe

For sure if you already have a gas hook up.
We're stuck with getting propane from Costo or the odd gas station that sells it so with no power for long enough time to need more fuel I'd rather have the convenience of going to any gas station to fill up if I don't have enough in jerry cans already.
I think the one advantage to diesel is that stuff lasts a long time without going bad, but I'm not sure if there's an issue with the parts gumming up over time sitting? And i don't think cheap diesel generators are as common as gas or propane.

 

[jerry455]

I have a 6500 watt Lowes generator and put on a tri fuel carburetor kit. I can run gasoline, propane or natural gas. I run gasoline when I need more power but run on natural gas when it needs less load. I am going to buy a bigger whole house gen set in the future.