generator issue

[TheBartman47]

How old is the diesel? Generators usually don't get run often, at least around here. I have to remember to start my gas gens during summer to keep the fuel in the carbs moving.

Anyways, what im getting at is diesel doesnt last forever. I have a large diesel air compressor that wouldn't run, but was running great a year ago. The fuel was just in a gas can with a hose shoved in it, leaving the fuel exposed to air. I flushed the fuel system and now it runs great again

I filled it up in the fall, and it runs great while running, but since I turned it off, waited 10 seconds, then tried to start again tells me it's not a problem with the Diesel itself. Something in the electronic controls is preventing fuel flow.

 

[John T]

He had his own personal vendetta against Generac, and I can understand why

I knew Billy pretty well we corresponded a few times regarding various generator issues and in my opinion based on corresponding with him and reading his posts, I found no evidence or got any sense (nor did he indicate to me) he had any personal vendetta against Generac. From what he told me I found he for one reason (perhaps others ?) disliked Generac because of what he experienced as a repairman over many years their quality, design, and reliability grrrrrrrrrrr

Incidentally, being an RV owner over fifty years, being a part time used RV dealer, having owned and repaired several RV Gensets, I PERSONALLY had more problems with Generacs versus Kohler, Onan, Cummins Onan and a few others. Im sure others may have had far different experiences with different brands. Of course those ARE NOT the same as larger home Gensets, heck they may be the best out there I cant say yes or no but FWIW (nothing) I found a you tube video

of what one person had to say about their reputation. It may be true or false or AI I have no idea yay or nay judge for yourself.

As always here on forums different people may have found different evidence or have different opinions (right or wrong lol) to which all are entitled with all due respect. It would be boring if we all had the same opinions now wouldn't it !! This is only MY opinion based on MY experiences with Billy and several gensets.

Best wishes and God Bless all here regardless of their opinions or what they may think of Generac or the late Billy Schafer

John T

 

[JOCCO]

I think everyone should pay the same price. Never could understand why repair places have to make $100 an hour plus $100 an hour on the parts. That is why places like amazon are so busy and came into existence. I need a part right now, local is $281 amazon same brand $54. It will take me 1/2 hour to repair and I need 4 of them. They would charge 1 hour labor at $150 plus the mark up. That is $800 profit for 1 hour work. I can see why some repair places don't like if they have to pay same as anyone else. They loose a lot of bonus money.

CJ big difference in running a shop than say a homeowner or you helping your cousin.

 

[cole in mo.]

I have a Generac house generator. When trying to start the starter engages and cranks for about a second and stops. The battery is good. Any suggestions?? Thanks, Ellis

If the engine has a lot of time on it, the valves may need to adjusted, the compression release is fixed into one of them most times it's the intake. If the clearance is too loose, it won't work, check out the clearance, and adjust to specs.

 

[Phill Tibbetts]

They have no pity on anyone.

 

[Dusty MI]

For something that is not run very often, perhaps L.P.G. may be a good fuel to use.

 

[John T]

For something that is not run very often, perhaps L.P.G. may be a good fuel to use.

For people who heat with LPG and have a huge tank available its a good option as its may not clog the carb up and there could be a longgggggggggggggggg run time ?? Maybe same for Natural gas ??

John T

 

[Dusty MI]

For people who heat with LPG and have a huge tank available its a good option as its may not clog the carb up and there could be a longgggggggggggggggg run time ?? Maybe same for Natural gas ??

John T

Wish I could have Natural have Natural Gas.

Dusty

 

[Goose]

I think everyone should pay the same price. Never could understand why repair places have to make $100 an hour plus $100 an hour on the parts. That is why places like amazon are so busy and came into existence. I need a part right now, local is $281 amazon same brand $54. It will take me 1/2 hour to repair and I need 4 of them. They would charge 1 hour labor at $150 plus the mark up. That is $800 profit for 1 hour work. I can see why some repair places don't like if they have to pay same as anyone else. They loose a lot of bonus money.

I could try to explain it to you, but it's obvious you've never managed a business.

 

[cjunrau]

I could try to explain it to you, but it's obvious you've never managed a business.

Actually I have. I ran my own hauling business for 18 years. bought and sold hay and straw and trucked it to buyers. I never charged more than the farmer charged me for the product. I also co managed a butcher shop. We were in the cut and wrap business and if a farmer said he had such and such for sale at that price per lbs, that is what we sold it for. Our income was the labor we charged for cut and wrap.

I have a little different idea than most about income needed to make a living.
I have a cousin who thought it was ok for the church to pay a bonus to someone who built benches for the church. He figured we should pay him $20000 bonus as a thank you for the 3 months he worked. The guy charged the church $117000. He claimed at $117000 the guy hadn't made any money.
He was self employed and told us what it would cost before he built them. Has been building the same bench for 7 years, I think he knows what he is doing. my cousin has a trailer manufacturing business, and drives new truck, side by side every 2-3 years. Claimed bankrupt on custom combine business and never lost a penny. Bought brand new JD combines and combined from Texas To Canada for 2 years and paid nothing on or little on the combines. He knew how to screw anybody over. If I make $20-30000 a year I think that is fine.

 

[John T]

I have owned or been part owner of a few businesses and in order to turn a profit there has to be X amount of labor charges and when possible X amount of mark up on parts DUH lol

John T

 

[Goose]

I have owned or been part owner of a few businesses and in order to turn a profit there has to be X amount of labor charges and when possible X amount of mark up on parts DUH lol

John T

Yeah. A lot of things factor into the parts markup. Shipping and handling, your time spent ordering it. If the part was in inventory, the markup covers the money you didn't earn by having money tied up in a parts inventory instead of an interest bearing account. Helps pay for the overhead, utilities, etc. I'm probably overlooking some things.

 

[phil25]

I have a Generac house generator. When trying to start the starter engages and cranks for about a second and stops. The battery is good. Any suggestions?? Thanks, Ellis

What's the news on your generator? got it fixed and just what was the problem, the answer might help someone else with a problem.

 

[miangus]

But it should keep cranking, right? Unless it has an automatic feature to stop it if there's no fuel present.

It depends on how it is set up. If it is an auto-start/auto-run system, it should time out on a no start situation. Kind of like an oil furnace or a propane furnace, the system must detect start-up within a set number of seconds.

 

[Goose]

One thing that I haven't seen discussed on the subject of generators is dealer support.

One of the main reasons I've gone with Generac is because there is a STRONG Generac dealer 6 miles from me. Well respected local people who are a pleasure to deal with. A couple of times when I've had a question, I've picked up the telephone, and a real live person answered the phone and answered my question on the spot.

Every fall, they service my automatic unit, change oil and filters, check it for proper operation, etc. Dealer support means a lot.

 

[JOCCO]

One thing that I haven't seen discussed on the subject of generators is dealer support.

One of the main reasons I've gone with Generac is because there is a STRONG Generac dealer 6 miles from me. Well respected local people who are a pleasure to deal with. A couple of times when I've had a question, I've picked up the telephone, and a real live person answered the phone and answered my question on the spot.

Every fall, they service my automatic unit, change oil and filters, check it for proper operation, etc. Dealer support means a lot.

It used to, today things are throwaway and obsolete almost overnight.

 

[rustred]

What's the news on your generator? got it fixed and just what was the problem, the answer might help someone else with a problem.

i was asking for more info also. its like who knows ? magnets coming loose it would only click. everybody is telling stories to each other as it seams Ellis gave up on us on wed. he says batt. is good . would presume its starter problem if cables are good. on my 2008 honda quad i am on the 3rd starter as the magnets let go each time. and i only have 3000 km on it. nothing is abused either.

 

[TheBartman47]

I filled it up in the fall, and it runs great while running, but since I turned it off, waited 10 seconds, then tried to start again tells me it's not a problem with the Diesel itself. Something in the electronic controls is preventing fuel flow.

Now that the weather has warmed up, I went out to work on the generator to see if I could find out what's causing it to not get fuel, it started up instantly like it never had any issues. Perhaps something in the electronics control panel doesn't like the cold, which is annoying because that's the time most likely would have an emergency need for it.

 

[Dusty MI]

Loose and/or corroded battery cable?

 

[miangus]

Perhaps the diesel has a delay which prevents continued operation of the starter unless the diesel starts and the diesel just wasn't starting due to extreme cold, gelled fuel, not enough preheat ect. I recently posted about correcting an issue with a generator that would start run for about 30 seconds and shut down. It apparently has a timer in the system which allows it to start and run and then shut down if no oil pressure was sensed. It had a faulty oil pressure switch.