Let't talk portable generators
- Thread starter Horn
- Start date
JeepinMaxx
Active member
Nice find Jason! That should be more than enough for your needs... I swapped a $27 Amazon carburetor on my Generac yesterday trouble shooting my rough idle issue (turns out it was the propane spacer) - I swapped in the stock carb and it ran great, so I have a kit if you need. I've learned a lot about generator repairs and tuning in the last week from this channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr_GXW2Y56hOpGchXYNqZOQ
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr_GXW2Y56hOpGchXYNqZOQ
Jp90Talon
New member
No idea what the setup is called but I have a huge lever in my basement next to my breaker box that cuts off the main coming from the street and I have a plug in my garage that's long enough to run the generator from the driveway to to my breaker box to power the entire house. Gotta love the technical terms on throwing out but it works pretty good and only chance of changing it is if we go complete standalone generator down the road. I'm guessing that it's one of the less expensive routes you can go but I sure as hell wouldn't try installing something like that myself.
redjeep
Moderator
I have a note on my generator saying if it won't start to check the oil level. A few years back during an outage I couldn't figure out why it wouldn't start after running perfectly an hour before. If you look at the oil level through the filler hole it looked fine. There isn't any kind of dipstick or site glass. We traced it down to no spark and I eventually added a few ounces of oil and it popped right off. I think while it was running and vibrating the level sensor was happy. After cooling down and the oil settling it didn't see any.
redjeep
Moderator
Amazon just sent me an email saying I needed this.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086YDVWJ6/ref=pe_2313360_523989670_em_1p_0_lm
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086YDVWJ6/ref=pe_2313360_523989670_em_1p_0_lm
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Paul
Active member
During this last storm on my second day of the outage my generator kept cutting off at random times. I checked my oil level and it was low so I added a little It never stalled again. hopefully that was the issue from the get-go with yours and by doing the oil change you've already corrected it. It sounds like you have a great find at a great price.
Horn
Active member
Well, this one isn’t the one and I’ll move forward with operation upgrade, though probably take a while.
I took a closer look today including removing the tank. It’s rougher than I thought. Tank isn’t well sealed though it doesn’t leak unless it’s tipped. It appears to be running without the low oil switch connected. At least what I’m pretty sure is the low oil switch. Looks like the oil pressure sensor on my Jeep screwed into the bottom of the engine. Not sure how that works but the seller told me it was recently replaced but it hasn’t been touched for a long time and the wires were disconnected. Pretty rusty.
Overall seems like it’s in poor enough shape that it’s probably better to just enjoy taking the whole thing apart to see how it works rather than trust it not to cause a fire.
Sometimes things work out great, sometimes not so much. Still not out too much out of pocket and I learned some about generators.
I took a closer look today including removing the tank. It’s rougher than I thought. Tank isn’t well sealed though it doesn’t leak unless it’s tipped. It appears to be running without the low oil switch connected. At least what I’m pretty sure is the low oil switch. Looks like the oil pressure sensor on my Jeep screwed into the bottom of the engine. Not sure how that works but the seller told me it was recently replaced but it hasn’t been touched for a long time and the wires were disconnected. Pretty rusty.
Overall seems like it’s in poor enough shape that it’s probably better to just enjoy taking the whole thing apart to see how it works rather than trust it not to cause a fire.
Sometimes things work out great, sometimes not so much. Still not out too much out of pocket and I learned some about generators.
YJScrounge
Moderator
If you want to drop it off I can go through the motor if you want. I’m not exactly in your back yard but the offer is there.
JeepinMaxx
Active member
my recent rebuild Generac carb kit included a low oil sensor, spark plug, fuel filter along with the carb - it's yours if needed...Horn said:
Horn
Active member
Thanks for the offers guys. Right now it’s back up and runs and produces power and I think I’m going to spend time on other projects. I’ll look at upgrading and whenever I do I’ll put this out to pasture. It feels like it’s far enough gone that it’s not worth investing more time and parts into. It does achieve the goal of giving us an emergency generator that doesn’t involve borrowing my parent’s. I think I have a pretty good idea of what it is and isn’t now.
If I get something else before winter I’ll tear it apart in the basement and give it some more attention when I’m looking for a project.
If I get something else before winter I’ll tear it apart in the basement and give it some more attention when I’m looking for a project.
MattG
Active member
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Sportsman-8-750-7-000-Watt-Dual-Fuel-Digital-Inverter-Generator-with-50-Amp-RV-Outlet-USB-Port-and-4-GFCI-120-Volt-Outlets-GEN85KIDF/312402800
Hell of a deal on a generator... I’m bummed I already bought one, I would have much rather had this one...
Hell of a deal on a generator... I’m bummed I already bought one, I would have much rather had this one...
A new level
Active member
Wow yeah that looks like a good one
A new level
Active member
Getting a full size standby generator will be a necessity when I buy
