Not getting any fire
Almost 90-95% of all the Genset problems found by the factory approved Genset Service Centers
are related to the fact that people don't read the OWNERS MANUAL first, and
just didn't put OIL in the Genset (or the right amount) - as they are shipped from the MFR
without OIL in the units to begin with!!!!
And here I thought everybody KNEW THAT!!
I guess sometimes you just have to ask the most OBVIOUS ??'s first huh (dumb as " it " may sound)?
If you bought your Genset from other then a Home
Depot Store, and it's still under warranty - then you will have to
contact that outlet, and see what they have to say or hopefully can do
for you.
Esp all those Gensets that are Made in China and have flooded the USA
market in the last 10 years or so - no thanks to our representatives in
WASH DC that's for sure. It's a wonder this country even functions with
all this "inferior" Made in China JUNK that keeps prematurely failing
before it's normal time. Sad to say the least!
Some other obvious things to CHECK for that may be the cause of a NO
start condition even after adding proper gas & oil to the brand new
Genset:
1 - Some Genset gas tanks come with a gas cap "blocking insert" under
the gas cap that should be removed according to your manual if it
states this. (Read manual section on "First Time Starting")
2 - Is the gas tank shutoff valve FULLY OPEN? By the same token (even
if the Genset is or isn't brand new) does it have an in-line fuel
filter anywhere in the gas line? If not then esp read #5.
3 - Is the RUN SWITCH set to ON or RUN position (this is purely an
"Electrical Switch" btw)? Is it working properly? Test it using a known good quality DVM
or OHM meter! It's contacts may have become tarnished just from sitting around
too long? Esp where you have saltwater conditions in the surrounding air!
4 - Is the choke being set to the proper position with or without using Ether spray to the Carb?
5 - Does the Carb have a Yellow or Black wire coming off of the bottom
of the Float Bowl? This goes to the GAS CUT OFF SOLENOID mounted in the
Main Jet inside the Float Bowl. NEVER CUT THIS WIRE as some know-nothings have
suggested here and elsewhere in postings, as there are better ways to test the solenoid without doing
that! If equipped with one - This anti-dieseling solenoid has to work
properly or else flooding will occur with the gas shutoff valve OPEN.
6 - VERY IMPORTANT - Is the Float stuck in the CLOSED position not letting gas into the Main Jet? You might try and TAP CAREFULLY on the bottom or side of the Float Bowl
with a hard rubber hammer first to try and see if you can dislodge the
stuck Float inside. If there is a WIRE at the bottom of the Float Bowl
on your model - DO NOT HIT THAT GAS SHUT-OFF SOLENOID WITH THE RUBBER
HAMMER - as you WILL damage it! If this dislodges the stuck Float
then your problem is solved! NEVER
FORCE ANYTHING!! It's possibly that you might have to loosen slightly
and/or totally remove the
Float Bowl (usually 2 screws) to see if indeed any gas is getting
inside to the Float
at all. If gas comes out readily but still no gas is getting into the
Main Jet and intake then you purely have a DIRTY CARB issue and nothing
more!
If you're not smelling gas through the air filter box then you are FUEL
STARVED. ALSO - Many a brand new shipped Genset will have some kind of
NEW gas tank (usually metal gas tanks only) MICRO DEBRIS inside the
tank itself or even in the rubber gas line (I've heard of this before,
and seen this myself 100's of times with cheaper rubber hoses). That is
why an added in-line FUEL FILTER (if your Genset has none) is SO
important!! Usually a common $2-3 item at any auto parts store. Once
gas is added to the tank all this micro debris is set free to enter
into the CARB FLOAT BOWL, and that is where Carb problems will start -
even with a "brand new" never run before Genset!!
7 - As dumb as this next ? is to ask I have to ask anyway -
Are you
getting GOOD spark at the spark plug? Some units ship with the spark
wire cap disconnected and it may look like it's on the plug, but in
reality it really isn't fully connected! If you are getting a good
spark then it's highly unlikely that the Maintenance-free Magnetron® electronic ignition would be bad. Fouled
spark plug - YES - bad Maintenance-free Magnetron® electronic ignition - hardly.
8 - If your Genset is used and said to be ? years old, and it just indeed
might have some high RUNTIME HOURS on it - it just could very possibly
be what sounds like to me (and I personally HAVE SEEN this
happen myself firsthand) that the generator brushes are nearly shot
- as in almost worn out. They may be getting too too hot - as from
excessive current draw at point of contact, and thus the generator
sensing circuitry itself is doing an electrical CUTOUT!!
An added protective Genset circuit feature in that the generator itself
may indeed be linked to the engine as a type of REV LIMITER or CUTOUT on the Maintenance-free Magnetron® electronic ignition.
Again - your operators or service manual should have a pretty good
troubleshooting section in it unless you don't have that anymore or
never got one if you bought it used to begin with.
If you unscrew & remove the Generator brushes for servicing yourself, and they are indeed
below the recommended length (or worse case they are indeed totally
worn down) then that most likely is your starting or output problem right there. If you are having Output problems as well.
If you choose to replace the old brushes with new ones yourself - be
very careful when seating the new ones - as to their insertion and cap
retainer tightening. Never over-tighten those black plastic-like brush
retainer screw caps - for if you break one (hard to get immediate
replacements is why), or fracture one it could cause the Genset to fail
under LOAD, and that very well could do some severe damage to the
generator part itself. Take your time doing it, and be patient!!
It has to be one of the CHECK scenarios listed above, as I've covered every
possible cause short of a broken wire somewhere - which in that case
you will have to schematic trace and DVM or Ohm-meter out wire to wire contacts.
This being the least likely scenario from experience.
If you indeed find the Float Bowl assy to be the cause of dirt
contamination or varnish build-up clogging the Carb, and you need a
walk-through of taking it apart, cleaning it out, and then
re-assembling it again - as well as re-adjusting the fuel mixture Adjustment Screws - just give me a shout here, and I'll walk you through it step by step.
That's about all there is unless you got a Defective Genset from the start. Next stop - Home Depot!
Best regards to all with the same problems, and hope I helped you out 100% - all political humor/truth aside.
Please post me a reply as to finding this solution being the best
resolve to your Genset problem there by following my recommendations
above. Also please rate my troubleshooting fix as well.
Keep me posted and I'll follow up as well.
Best regards,
Frank
