PREP Generator won't start

[nomifyle]

The power went out about 6:00 pm and I waited about 2 1/2 hours before asking DH to turn the generator on. The one hooked up to the big propane tank will not start, it has an electric start. We have another that is dual fuel that DH puts gas in it. he had a hard time starting it but finally got it going. We only have a few lights on and all the fridgs and freezers and my computer.

I'm looking at this as a blessing because its been awhile since we've turned this generator on. Better to find out now that there is an issue than when everything is out.

 

[Millwright]

its been awhile since we've turned this generator on.

Where things usually go downhill.

 

[nomifyle]

Where things usually go downhill.

of course, its better to find out now when something can be done about it.

 

[fi103r]

drain gas, refuel
with fresh, alcohol free/ethanol free
fuel, check spark and then try to start
had a tiller that was running but now does not will check points/condenser this weekend and then test genny

 

[fi103r]

going back to quarterly test of systems

 

[nomifyle]

He thought he had just checked them but I think its been awhile. He will check them out tomorrow. We both agreed it was a blessing to happen this way.

 

[WalknTrot]

Generators can be a pain to maintain. That's why I set up the place to do heat, lights, water, cooking, communications without one. Fridge/freezer is an outlier, but here a person can make ice outside about 7-8 months of the year.

 

[Dobbin]

Generators are prone to issues. Owner says that most "contractor grade" generators have an actual service life of about 100 hours - figure two weeks service in the back of a pickup truck before first failure.

Owner's generator is the typical Briggs & Stratton motor coupled to the usual generator head. There is a plug which leaves the side of the generator head and connects it to the "operator's panel" where the meter and plug receptacles are located.

On one of the "test runs" Owner is noticing that one of the two receptacles was dead. A check of the 240V receptacle confirmed that half the generator was not generating. He finally traced the issue back to the plug in the side of the generator head. Merely undoing the plug and cleaning the prongs restored the current path in the plug.

And this is the sort of mechanical BS one encounters with this level of back-up.

Dobbin

 

[Twisted]

I try to run my 3 every month because of the humidity and dirt dobbers around here. Got a 4th until I'm replacing the head gasket on just for my truck and camper now. Always keep spare parts tucked away just incase too

 

[Illini Warrior]

electric start - just about anyone can do a MONTHLY check run - I'd put a date minder on the computer and fire that baby up - make sure you put a draw on it to actually energize the generator side and not just run the engine ....

 

[Millwright]

Small screamers are maintenance hogs.

A pain to keep working.

The chicom components are relatively fragile and difficult to find replacements for.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Generators can be a pain to maintain. That's why I set up the place to do heat, lights, water, cooking, communications without one. Fridge/freezer is an outlier, but here a person can make ice outside about 7-8 months of the year.

Same here, although we can't make ice here in the South. We can live without that, though. Cary checks our generator about every 2 months. We really only need the big generator to keep the freezers and fridge going. We do have other back up generators, too.

 

[CaryC]

Just an FYI:

We have 2 - 2000 watt genies made by Champion and are regular gas. They are the quite kind made for RV parks.

Have had them for about 10 years.

I crank them according to the directions AND shut them down according to instructions. Have never had a problem with them. I run them with a load, so it's not only the engine but the genie part as well, that gets a work out.

Takes maybe a couple as compared to one pull on the easy pull start and it's running.

That doesn't mean we won't have problems with them in the future, but so far, all is good.

 

[nomifyle]

Two of ours are Champion and the third one is much larger, I'm not sure of the brand. With this outage its lighting a bee for him to get working on them. He almost never throws his hands up and says he can't fix it. He's also talking about getting something else, we'll see. Even if the one with the electric start worked I'd be in a world of hurt because I can turn the main off, my hands just don't have the strength.

 

[Hfcomms]

Good thing you have a spare and when it comes to prepping have a backup to your backup is the rule of thumb. I have three generators myself. My primary is the electric start Honda that is run for thirty minutes every other week or so. My backup is a pull start Yamaha and that one and the Honda are inverter generators and then my contingency generator (backup to the backup) is my thirty year old Generac.

Have to run that one with a bit of choke to make it run smoothly. I hadn’t run that one for three years as it had a leaky gas tank but last fall I pulled it out, fixed the tank and it fired up on the fourth pull. Also run them on premium gas with no ethanol. Ethanol causes all kinds of trouble with small gas enginex.

 

[hd5574]

We have 4 gennys...from large in it's own shed down to tiny
really put the large one to the test in January a couple years...we had a huge ice storm...no power for over a week..
We have the dreaded propane non electric gas stove...lol...fjb....we just didn't do laundry ...big enough to run the well pump...
Since DH is a full time small engine mechanic at a local tractor dealership...no worries about ..things working...we keep cans of marine gasoline for it..
He is a blessing ...he can fix most anything that breaks. ..

 

[DFENZ]

Generators need exercised regularly to stay ready for when you need them; particularly diesels. I have a couple of them. The main one is an air-cooled diesel, military MEP-002A that does an excellent job of tuning diesel into decibels as the saying goes, but it will run 24-7 with minimal issues. I do load-bank it for about 4 hours every 5 months or so. Runs the whole place, 220v well pump, air-conditioning and the whole deal. It is very important to let those warm up to prevent the engine from wet-stacking from running too cool under no load conditions. Also have a couple of parts units in case anything does wear out, but it's very dependable. I backfeed that one from the subpanel in the machine shed so I don't even hear it from the house. After a derecho a couple of years ago and 5 days without power, it was nice to have.

The other generator is a small, Honda eu2000i, suitcase type generator. It comes in really handy for powering up anything 120v and is almost easier using that than dragging an extension cord for remote work; battery chargers and the like. And it's a fuel sipper and super quiet. During the derecho I ran that one through the night just to keep some fans and the fridge running. Saved a lot of fuel that way. The problem with the Honda is that it is so fuel efficient that it doesn't prime well, and is a bitch to start after sitting for more than a month or two. It really should have been designed with a fuel primer bulb. But after it has been primed and started once, it always starts on the first pull.

 

[Shadow]

With your propane unit you may have a 12volt valve before the generator as a safety. Check that it is getting voltage. Maybe tap lightly with a screwdriver handle with it powered. Check the connections for corrosion.

Shadow

 

[nomifyle]

Thanks for all the suggestions, I'll pass them along to DH.

When the power first went out I was just fine. I had all of my hand held battery chargers charged so I could power a small fan, a light bulb, the jackery powered my chair and I could read a book on my phone. What else did I need for the short term. And then as time passed i started to get antsy and when I get antsy I want to eat. I've successfully changed the way i eat or so I thought. This is disgusting, I ate 6 granola bars and never felt satisfied. And I didn't clean the kitchen. I'd cooked a few pounds of ground meat, and I did get that put away. Even when the lights came back on I didn't think about the dirty dishes and pans.

I have to do something about getting anxious. If we have a grid down situation the I'll be in trouble if I don't do something about it.

At first even my cell phone wouldn't work, but eventually came on.

All in all we found some "holes" in our plans that need addressing and that's a blessing.

 

[20Gauge]

The power went out about 6:00 pm and I waited about 2 1/2 hours before asking DH to turn the generator on. The one hooked up to the big propane tank will not start, it has an electric start. We have another that is dual fuel that DH puts gas in it. he had a hard time starting it but finally got it going. We only have a few lights on and all the fridgs and freezers and my computer.

I'm looking at this as a blessing because its been awhile since we've turned this generator on. Better to find out now that there is an issue than when everything is out.

If you are like me and fail to start the gas generator on a regular basis, then you need to get some carb cleaner or spray ethonal. Then spray some into the air filter ( gasoline engine only as I do not know about propane ) then try and start it. It makes it a bit easier to start.

 

[Tripod]

My 7KW gen is coming up on 25 years and gets exercised every 30 days for about 30 min with half load.
My theory is if it started 30 days ago it will start today. Six months or more ya have to roll the dice.
Mike

 

[Hfcomms]

The problem with the Honda is that it is so fuel efficient that it doesn't prime well, and is a bitch to start after sitting for more than a month or two. It really should have been designed with a fuel primer bulb. But after it has been primed and started once, it always starts on the first pull.

The Yamaha is like that. Just the fuel shut off valve and in the winter with it close to zero you would have to pull that cord 30x or more before it would start to get the mixture rich enough. Fortunately there is Ether but I avoid using it too much as the lack of lubrication makes it hard on the engine when it's just starting but sure is a lifesaver saving your shoulder joints.
My Honda doesn't have a primer bulb either but it starts up pretty good even when its below zero out. Good gas, regular maintenance and exercising them regularly is important.

This past spring a co-worker had a power out and since he lives close to the river he has three sump pumps in his basement which is why he has a generator. Lots of water ingress in the spring so those sump pumps are important. Unfortunately he failed to exercise it every month and do maintenance so the result was a generator that wouldn't start and a flooded basement.

Having a prep doesn't do you a lot of good if you either don't know how to use it or fail to maintain it. Me and Mr. Murphy always had a good working relationship and I could always depend on him and his law to come into effect at the mosts inopportune moments in life.

Learning about him saved my bacon several times;

 

[33dInd]

Drain the carb bowl
Use carb cleaner on the insides
Blow out all the little holes
Replace or clean spark plug
Fire it up

 

[nomifyle]

Update on the generators. We ordered a replacement push button for the main generator, although DH has it running, he has attached a car battery to it because it has a small battery that powers the electric start.

The second generator is running fine.

And the third generator that is very old he is going to junk, just no way to get it started.

And we have decided to buy a back up generator and store it in the cabin for when it is needed.

Praise the Lord, we also have the cash to pay for a new one.