portable generator starting question

[GerryB]

Two customers called me asking help or info starting their generators. Both have batteries and it seemed from the description (nothing at all happening) that the battery was dead. The question: shouldn't the pull rope over ride a dead battery? One of my customers is knowledgeable as he owned an excavating and snow plow business. He has a 1 year old 8000kw Generac with a battery charger. I did an interlock for him last year and that was the only time he ran the thing. He noticed the charger was unplugged a week ago and plugged it in, but still nothing a week later. We both thought the pull should over ride the dead battery but I seem to recall this coming up before and needing the battery regardless. I told him call Generac and also try a full size battery charger. Any one know about the rope pull question?

 

[iceworm]

Two customers called me asking help or info starting their generators. Both have batteries and it seemed from the description (nothing at all happening) that the battery was dead. The question: shouldn't the pull rope over ride a dead battery? ...

If it came with a pull rope starter, I would certainly expect it to be capable of starting with that.

However:
I've got an electric start Honda out at my cabin that did not come with a pull rope starter. I figured if the battery was dead, it would be good if I could still start the gen. I ordered a recoil starter that the dealer said fit the engine. Installed, bored a hole in the enclosure, brought the rope to the outside. Cranked till my arm broke - no joy. Turns out the fuel valve needs 12V to open to allow fuel to the carb.

So I make up an 8 - D cell pack. Radio Shack holders and a couple of alligator clips. Connect up the gen battery leads, turn on the key, get satisfying click. Shot of ether, pull rope twice, pops right off. Joy.

Shut it down. Hummm ... Turned key to the start position. Engine cranks on the 8 - D cells, starts up.

The laugh is on me.

So, maybe not

ice

 

[GerryB]

If it came with a pull rope starter, I would certainly expect it to be capable of starting with that.

However:
I've got an electric start Honda out at my cabin that did not come with a pull rope starter. I figured if the battery was dead, it would be good if I could still start the gen. I ordered a recoil starter that the dealer said fit the engine. Installed, bored a hole in the enclosure, brought the rope to the outside. Cranked till my arm broke - no joy. Turns out the fuel valve needs 12V to open to allow fuel to the carb.

So I make up an 8 - D cell pack. Radio Shack holders and a couple of alligator clips. Connect up the gen battery leads, turn on the key, get satisfying click. Shot of ether, pull rope twice, pops right off. Joy.

Shut it down. Hummm ... Turned key to the start position. Engine cranks on the 8 - D cells, starts up.

The laugh is on me.

So, maybe not

ice

OK Thanks I have something to investigate now.

 

[Smart $]

There are several 8kW (not 8000kW :roll portable Generac models. I can only speak for the one I own, an XP8000E... had it maybe 8-10 yrs now. The pull cord will start it. There is no solenoid valve on the the fuel, but there is a manual fuel valve and choke.

The battery charger furnished with the unit is just a wall wart. Not sure of voltage or current rating, but the user manual says do not charge for more than 48 hours at a time. I interpret that as, it is not meant to be used as a battery maintainer.

On one occasion when I needed backup power, not long after replacing the battery, I couldn't get gen' to start electrically. Upon investigating, I discovered there is an internal fuse in the charging circuit wiring that was blown (downloaded schematic from Generac website; had to disassemble the control panel to get to it). With a wall wart charger, there isn't any indication the battery is charging or charged, so I didn't suspect anything wrong until this point in time. I had to replace the battery for the second time. As a result of that situation, I now use a battery maintainer and bypassed the fuse.

 

[Smart $]

PS: You should be able to determine if the fuse is blown by measuring continuity between charging jack positive and battery positive.