What's your experience with backup generators? Well, here's my story. I should have asked before I ordered it but I was sort of in a hurry. I had a Black Max 4500/3750 generator. My dad's power was out for over 2 days so I loaned it to him. I called to see if his power was back on. During the call he informed me he wasn't going to give it back and to buy me a new one on his credit card. Sadly, our power went out the next day and was off for 3 hours with not a generator in sight at any Lowe's, Home Depot, Ace or Sam's. There are some things I won't go to WalMart for. My new one came in today. I upgraded a bit and will reimburse my dad for the difference. The old one was simply a gas generator with a pull start. The new one is a Westinghouse dual fuel (gas/propane), electric start and 6600/5300 with CO detector. The wheel kit was separate. The only thing I didn't see was a hour meter. It's probably overkill for me but I have visions of installing an interlock and transfer plug eventually. Got it assembled, filled with oil, gas, opened the valve and waited a minute. When I hit the start button it cranks, no start. Been there done that. Check everything is on and in the run position. Still no start. I have some ether laying around, so I hit it with that. It tries to light off but won't stay running. The battery is run down. Give it another shot of ether and pull it. Almost lights off again. Now, I'm a little sweaty and hot so I pull the breather and give it a REAL good shot of ether. It kicks to life but sputters out again. Once more and it fires and stays running. I'm hoping this isn't the normal starting procedure for this thing. My old one would usually start on the first or second yank and run on its own. I've yet to try it on propane as I only have a little bit in my grill tank. My generator
I experience long starting cycle when freshly connected to Natural Gas. I do not see the issues you are describing on gas.
Am I correct that this unit is set up to run on gasoline, fires on ether and won’t continue to run? Sounds like a clogged jet in the carb or stuck needle. Are we talking NG vs LP? Are the conversion orifice correct?
I have a off brand 15KW dual fuel which is mounted inside a rubber made storage shed out near the Propane tank. Already had 1" conduit ran out there for my well so pushed another #6 wire up to the meter and tied that to a 60A breaker in a spare slot on my panel. Hard piped the propane to the gen with a shut off valve from a 250 gal tank. When the powers out and I know its gonna be out for awhile I'll shut off the main from the pole. Switch on the 60 and start the generator. It will run the entire house with a/c and well. I've never had it not start. Total investment under a grand
Brand new, fresh out of the box. I haven't torn it apart to see and probably won't as it is still under warranty. Most of these carbs are locked, aka the adjustment screws are broken off once set. But, this was the initial startup on gasoline that won't run once ether is stopped until about the 3rd start attempt.
Definitely sounds like a clogged jet. Drop the float bowl, small straight blade screw driver straight up to remove the jet. Clean with a wire from a twist tie.
Arrived about 1PM today. Freshly filled with oil. It will run once started on ether so I don't think it is low oil sensor though it does have one. It was on a level concrete floor. Yes, turned it on and did other things, hoping the float bowl would fill. It runs after a few attempts with ether. Definitely a fuel delivery issue. I traced the fuel line. From the tank it goes to the selector switch for gas/propane on the control panel before running to the other side to the carb. Three times as much fuel line as my last one that Dad is keeping. The next day is tomorrow, 7/8/2023. I haven't had it 8 hours yet. I want it to be cold for the next test and not warmed up.
My old one was a 7k gas only pull start. Never had any problems. Upgraded to a 23k auto that uses lP. Power goes off and it automatically starts up. You hardly even notice power went out.
I'm getting ready to test it again as soon as it is good-neighborly appropriate. 6:30AM might be a bit early. I certainly won't tolerate a new device being this troublesome.
I bought a small Generac for my camper and after I got it I put the oil in and gas and it did not take but 4 pulls to get it started. I would be thinking of sending this thing back after not being able to start the first time. If it does not start on its own today that sucker would be going back. Dual fuel generators did not rate very well when I was researching these things. The gas one was the better one to have instead of two fuel generators. The generator looks like it does not have a choke for the startup, these things must rely on their own choke system.
There should be a small electrically operated shut off in the bottom of the fuel bowl. Once the switch is in the run position it pulls back to open a passage to let fuel from the bowl into the carb. Had a small engine recently that sat for a while where it got stuck and wouldnt open.
It's best to clip that off with a pair of side cutters. The only purpose that solenoid serves is to prevent a little backfire when shutting the engine down. They are more trouble then they are worth.
OK, fired it up at 8:00AM this morning by flipping on the gas, setting the power switch to on and pushing the start button. Fired off and ran perfectly. Maybe it was a first time fluke. I start my generator, refill any empty gas cans and check/charge my battery packs the first of each month as part of my disaster preparedness strategy. First of August is still less than 30 days away so I'll know then if it is a dud or not.
Get one of these, you'll never look back. Diesel, so fuel won't go bad, clean power as opposed to those little howlers that will screw up your electronics and kill your appliances, and tactical quiet- you can have a conversation when standing next to it.
I'm afraid that is out of the budget range I have available. It would require one of my Buicks' in exchange for that. It looks like it is as big as a Buick, too! Also, I don't have anything else that runs diesel. I go through gas with my mower and 4 vehicles enough to keep fresh gas. Nothing is ever more than a month old except the 2-stroke gas since I'm down to just a weedeater now.
