Now the Generator!

[jp10558]

Well, my cheapish portable generator I use is really giving me trouble again. Well, it's the first time for this one, but I already replaced one. They seem to work on the occasions I need them for ~ 2 years. Then somehow they crap out without warning. This one is a DuroMax XP9000iH I got from Amazon to replace my last one that died. It's very strange - it has the push button start, and it will turn over, start to catch and then die. It ends up flooding the spark plug. Carb is good, it's doing auto choke, we saw spark wasn't consistent at the wire to the plug, so replaced the coil, and spark plug cause it came in the kit. Now it sparks consistently, but still dies the exact same way.

On the potential good side is reddit at least seems to think DuroMax is pretty good at customer service, and the generator had a 3 year warranty. So now to see what tech support says to my message, hopefully tomorrow, but I'm ready for it to take days for an e-mail back. Well, I hope there's a fix that doesn't need me to spend a bunch of money again.

 

[TUGBrian]

first test for me would be to see if itll run on carb cleaner or starter fluid sprayed right into the intake.

if so its a fuel problem (delivery, or bad gas)

 

[jp10558]

first test for me would be to see if itll run on carb cleaner or starter fluid sprayed right into the intake.

if so its a fuel problem (delivery, or bad gas)

I'm pretty sure my BIL tried that. The gas is new, treated with stabil and getting to the plug.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

Since you are only running it every couple of years, it is a good idea to drain the tank after use and start the generator and run it until it stops running. That way there is nothing in the carb to turn to varnish. I did that with a number of my gas engines. It made a huge difference.

I've also used SeaFoam to help clear out a gummed up engine. Pour it in, and let it sit for a few hours. Sometimes I would drop the bowl on the carb to make sure that some gas with SeaFoam made it to the carb.

 

[geist1223]

My Portable Generator runs on Propane.

 

[easyrider]

I'm pretty sure my BIL tried that. The gas is new, treated with stabil and getting to the plug.

Sometimes when some generators get tipped, the oil moves out of place which can cause the oil sensor to shut it down.

Bill

 

[isisdave]

I have a dual-fuel model (Firman, from Costco a couple of years ago) and always run it on propane. I test it quarterly (it's on my calendar) to make sure it starts OK. That's how I discovered the battery was weak and replaced it, as I'm pretty sure I couldn't start a 3500w generator with the Armstrong Method any more.

 

[jp10558]

I have a dual-fuel model (Firman, from Costco a couple of years ago) and always run it on propane. I test it quarterly (it's on my calendar) to make sure it starts OK. That's how I discovered the battery was weak and replaced it, as I'm pretty sure I couldn't start a 3500w generator with the Armstrong Method any more.

I tried running mine on propane, it wouldn't work. Not enough pressure when it's cold, so not useful to me only when it's 65+ degrees.

 

[TUGBrian]

I have a dual-fuel model (Firman, from Costco a couple of years ago) and always run it on propane. I test it quarterly (it's on my calendar) to make sure it starts OK. That's how I discovered the battery was weak and replaced it, as I'm pretty sure I couldn't start a 3500w generator with the Armstrong Method any more.

the little portable USB jump packs are ideal to keep around just for this....will even start large diesel trucks! they are a lifesaver and super simple to use.

 

[jp10558]

Well, after a lot of harassing the manufacturer by phone, it turns out the issue was the CO sensor. The Internet claims this is common because the CR2032 battery dies in the sensor and then it just turns off the generator. We found the instructions to jumper the white and yellow/green wire to bypass the thing, and it started up just fine! Ran for 30 minutes charging the starter battery. Tested powering a portable fan, was good.

However, somehow we pulled 2 green wires out from the bottom of the carb (well they go back there, it's the other end that came out of who knows where. Apparently those are what let it turn off the fuel with the solenoid, so now the various buttons won't shut the generator off, we have to turn the manual fuel cut off and wait for it to use up the gas in the carb. No idea where the wires went, and not entirely sure they're necessary as further reading seems to think running the carb dry will be better in the long run for the generator not gumming up with bad gas or something from sitting. I did ask the manufacturer tech via e-mail where the wires plug in, but it doesn't seem 100% necessary.

 

[TUGBrian]

i like to run them dry as well, ethanol fuel left in a carb for months at a time is just a matter of time till it gets all gummed up and starts causing issues.

fuel stabilizer can help! I personally like stabil!

 

[jp10558]

i like to run them dry as well, ethanol fuel left in a carb for months at a time is just a matter of time till it gets all gummed up and starts causing issues.

fuel stabilizer can help! I personally like stabil!

Yea, as long as you don't have an automatic transfer switch (which I don't) then turning a knob vs flipping a switch is a lot of not much difference to me. I will say, if you're not an idiot, having a literal watch battery timer to disabling the generator (in around 2 years) seems like a horrible design decision, especially with a 3 year warranty LOL. I'll keep an eye to bypassing these if I ever get another similar generator.

 

[jp10558]

Well, the generator SAGA continues. Had another power outage last night, tried to run off the generator and it failed - exhaust was cherry red, it melted some of the plastic. We tried playing with the throttle a bit to see if it just was stuck, no dice. It also backfired A LOT. This morning called the generator company again and they said, oh, do you have a claim? I was like, "what?" What have the calls and e-mails and videos so far been?

Anyway, now I HAVE A CLAIM... whatever good that does me. Some more videos for them - I should have thought to video it last night, but it was dark, snowing and I was in PJs. Anyway, today of course it runs really rich and smokes a little but goes 30 minutes running the whole house just fine. So I turn it off and go to turn it back on to make sure it wasn't a fluke. Wait a couple minutes to turn it on. No dice - doesn't start at all.

IDK, I'm now starting to agitate for a tech or someone who actually is an engine / generator repair person rather than me half assing it and obviously not fixing it. If they will honor their warranty anyway.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

Well, the generator SAGA continues. Had another power outage last night, tried to run off the generator and it failed - exhaust was cherry red, it melted some of the plastic. We tried playing with the throttle a bit to see if it just was stuck, no dice. It also backfired A LOT. This morning called the generator company again and they said, oh, do you have a claim? I was like, "what?" What have the calls and e-mails and videos so far been?

Anyway, now I HAVE A CLAIM... whatever good that does me. Some more videos for them - I should have thought to video it last night, but it was dark, snowing and I was in PJs. Anyway, today of course it runs really rich and smokes a little but goes 30 minutes running the whole house just fine. So I turn it off and go to turn it back on to make sure it wasn't a fluke. Wait a couple minutes to turn it on. No dice - doesn't start at all.

IDK, I'm now starting to agitate for a tech or someone who actually is an engine / generator repair person rather than me half assing it and obviously not fixing it. If they will honor their warranty anyway.

This is strange because running rich will typically cause the engine to run less hot. Running lean is more likely to cause temp problems. When I've had an engine run lean, the speed tended to "hunt" - - that is speed up and slow down. Good luck.

 

[jp10558]

Well, they sent me a new "control module" which I installed. It managed to run the house (though with occasional screeching noises) for 45 minutes in a test, so I guess it's sort of working now. Though I cannot get it to turn off without shutting off the fuel and waiting for it to run out of gas now. I'm not sure if it's worth it to keep bitching at them to send a tech or something - it does seem to be mostly working, though I can't say I'm confident lol. I'm just so tired of taking hours on weekdays calling, waiting on hold, waiting on them to call me back (sometimes 2x).

 

[JudyH]

In the early 2000s we had two on the farm. After a year we learned to run them every 6 weeks and drain or run them dry before turning off. It only took a few storms without them to keep us keeping them useful. We talked about getting the newer ones or the whole house one here in Florida. However my “trust that they will work when you need them” level is not very high, so we just leave town.

 

[geist1223]

I assume your generators used Gas. Our generator uses Propane. I would not get a whole house generator unless I had Natural Gas run to the Property or installed a Large Propane Tank.

 

[easyrider]

Well, they sent me a new "control module" which I installed. It managed to run the house (though with occasional screeching noises) for 45 minutes in a test, so I guess it's sort of working now. Though I cannot get it to turn off without shutting off the fuel and waiting for it to run out of gas now. I'm not sure if it's worth it to keep bitching at them to send a tech or something - it does seem to be mostly working, though I can't say I'm confident lol. I'm just so tired of taking hours on weekdays calling, waiting on hold, waiting on them to call me back (sometimes 2x).

It might be that you disconnected the kill switch. The green wires are often used as a ground to ground out the coil. If the exhaust is getting that hot that soon you might need to clean it. The exhaust has to flow and if there is a clog, the back pressure caused by the clog can make the engine run like crap. It wouldn't hurt to remove the spark arestor and give it a good brushing.

Bill

 

[jp10558]

I assume your generators used Gas. Our generator uses Propane. I would not get a whole house generator unless I had Natural Gas run to the Property or installed a Large Propane Tank.

I have a large 500 gallon propane tank for cooking and heating. The propane company won't give me a hookup to a sort of inexpensive portable generator that can run the house. I had them come out even. The generator won't run off 20lb tanks, I tried. Once it's 45 degrees or below it just stalls out because the propane can't keep up the pressure needed. I'm not super interested in paying for a 100lb tank, both because it doesn't seem like it'd give me the required runtime and because getting it filled is a massive PITA over the delivery for the 500 gallon tank, or the ease and light weight of 5 gallon gas cans.

 

[jp10558]

It might be that you disconnected the kill switch. The green wires are often used as a ground to ground out the coil. If the exhaust is getting that hot that soon you might need to clean it. The exhaust has to flow and if there is a clog, the back pressure caused by the clog can make the engine run like crap. It wouldn't hurt to remove the spark arestor and give it a good brushing.

Bill

The exhaust stopped getting that hot - it only happened once - you know when I actually needed it. 2 tests afterwards for 3-4x the time and it didn't get unusually hot at all. I still don't have a lot of confidence, but I don't think I can convince the warranty people to do anything till I could show it failing again, and I can't make an insurance claim again till it actually fails hard.

Let's just say that I'm going to look up the CO sensor on any new generators and figure out how to bypass it real soon after getting it and figure I won't have other issues cause I won't end up diving in to change coils etc wrongly.

 

[dioxide45]

In the early 2000s we had two on the farm. After a year we learned to run them every 6 weeks and drain or run them dry before turning off. It only took a few storms without them to keep us keeping them useful. We talked about getting the newer ones or the whole house one here in Florida. However my “trust that they will work when you need them” level is not very high, so we just leave town.

Whole house generators start up on a schedule even if the power is on to ensure they don't sit idle for long periods of time. So they should work when you need them.

 

[TUGBrian]

I have a large 500 gallon propane tank for cooking and heating. The propane company won't give me a hookup to a sort of inexpensive portable generator that can run the house. I had them come out even. The generator won't run off 20lb tanks, I tried. Once it's 45 degrees or below it just stalls out because the propane can't keep up the pressure needed. I'm not super interested in paying for a 100lb tank, both because it doesn't seem like it'd give me the required runtime and because getting it filled is a massive PITA over the delivery for the 500 gallon tank, or the ease and light weight of 5 gallon gas cans.

that seems odd, most whole home standby generators are hooked up to large propane tanks like this (mine certainly is).

id try reaching out to a generator company, id bet they would be happy to come out and install one for you if you bought it from them.

 

[PigsDad]

Whole house generators start up on a schedule even if the power is on to ensure they don't sit idle for long periods of time. So they should work when you need them.

I just replaced my whole house generator, and this new one not only does a test run weekly, it also calls up to the mother ship to report that it is ok. My generator contractor monitors that and if there is a problem, they will proactively come out and service it. I also have an app where I can see the status as well. (All for a small yearly fee, of course...)

Kurt

 

[PigsDad]

I have a large 500 gallon propane tank for cooking and heating. The propane company won't give me a hookup to a sort of inexpensive portable generator that can run the house. I had them come out even. The generator won't run off 20lb tanks, I tried. Once it's 45 degrees or below it just stalls out because the propane can't keep up the pressure needed. I'm not super interested in paying for a 100lb tank, both because it doesn't seem like it'd give me the required runtime and because getting it filled is a massive PITA over the delivery for the 500 gallon tank, or the ease and light weight of 5 gallon gas cans.

I had the opposite situation -- when we bought this house, it had a buried 500 gallon propane tank for the whole house generator. The previous owners had also put in an outdoor kitchen, but the grill and burners were hooked up to 20 lb tanks under the grill (the house is all electric, otherwise). I had someone come out and run a line from the buried tank to the outdoor kitchen so I didn't have to mess with refilling those little tanks.

Kurt

 

[jp10558]

that seems odd, most whole home standby generators are hooked up to large propane tanks like this (mine certainly is).

id try reaching out to a generator company, id bet they would be happy to come out and install one for you if you bought it from them.

Well, it's not a standby generator, it's a inexpensive portable generator that can power the entire houses load. It costs ~$2,000 vs a professionally installed one that I've heard starts at $12,000 and goes up from there. I know it's not going to be as reliable, but it's much cheaper.