So Sunday afternoon my wife and I are on our respective computers and the lights go out but the computers and all the electronics are running on their respective UPS units and within seconds I hear the generator auto start just like it should. Normally the generator comes up and does the auto transfer. No auto transfer? What's with that? So we shut down the computers. I get a flashlight and head for the basement. The generator is running so I do the manual transfer option. Nada, nothing, zip? While the generator starts and runs an exercise routine every Sunday morning it did earlier today but the scheduled exercise routine does not do a transfer. The generator runs about 30 min and shuts down. It never sees a load. This can't be good and since we just had a major downpour my sump is filling and soon will overflow and start filling the basement. Poked and prodded the generator but nothing. Water rising and me screwed. Good luck on those 24 hour emergency numbers.

Then I remember the old portable generator out in the shed and a neighbor helps me drag it out. This thing had not run in years but I did remember I drained the gasoline out of it and ran the carburetor dry. We dumped some fresh gas in it, opened the fuel line. A few pulls and the thing sputtered to life. Only a 4 KW (5 KW Surge) but it settled down and ran nice after all those years. I saw a few spiders packing and moving out. About now my neighbor is over and tells me his sump is going to overflow so 100 feet of prime AWG 12 extension cord we had his and my sump pumps running. Mine is 120 VAC 3/4 horse and my neighbors is a 1/2 horse.

Lost Power around 4 PM and it was finally restored around 8:30 PM.I almost gave the little gasoline generator away a few times and not glad I didn't. Really took the pressure off on a Sunday afternoon with nothing open. Tomorrow I'll call a Generac Service Center. I can say the generator output was not 240 VAC. All internal switches were correct, My guess is one of the modules providing field current simple isn't.

I always tell friends and family to have a plan and a generator. Thank God I still had a back up to the back up. I may also look into a battery backup for the sump pump just in case.

Can never have too many generators. Reminds me of a recent thread about having a standby generator because you never know.

Ron

 

So Sunday afternoon my wife and I are on our respective computers and the lights go out but the computers and all the electronics are running on their respective UPS units and within seconds I hear the generator auto start just like it should. Normally the generator comes up and does the auto transfer. No auto transfer? What's with that? So we shut down the computers. I get a flashlight and head for the basement. The generator is running so I do the manual transfer option. Nada, nothing, zip? While the generator starts and runs an exercise routine every Sunday morning it did earlier today but the scheduled exercise routine does not do a transfer. The generator runs about 30 min and shuts down. It never sees a load. This can't be good and since we just had a major downpour my sump is filling and soon will overflow and start filling the basement. Poked and prodded the generator but nothing. Water rising and me screwed. Good luck on those 24 hour emergency numbers.

Then I remember the old portable generator out in the shed and a neighbor helps me drag it out. This thing had not run in years but I did remember I drained the gasoline out of it and ran the carburetor dry. We dumped some fresh gas in it, opened the fuel line. A few pulls and the thing sputtered to life. Only a 4 KW (5 KW Surge) but it settled down and ran nice after all those years. I saw a few spiders packing and moving out. About now my neighbor is over and tells me his sump is going to overflow so 100 feet of prime AWG 12 extension cord we had his and my sump pumps running. Mine is 120 VAC 3/4 horse and my neighbors is a 1/2 horse.

Lost Power around 4 PM and it was finally restored around 8:30 PM.I almost gave the little gasoline generator away a few times and not glad I didn't. Really took the pressure off on a Sunday afternoon with nothing open. Tomorrow I'll call a Generac Service Center. I can say the generator output was not 240 VAC. All internal switches were correct, My guess is one of the modules providing field current simple isn't.

I always tell friends and family to have a plan and a generator. Thank God I still had a back up to the back up. I may also look into a battery backup for the sump pump just in case.

Can never have too many generators. Reminds me of a recent thread about having a standby generator because you never know.

Ron

Now, ig someone came up with a design of a generator that runs as efficiently but using charcoal instead of gas, you could turn a bummed out afternoon into a neighborhood bbq party while also downing a few beers!... all this while waiting for the sump pumps to do their job ...

 

Now, ig someone came up with a design of a generator that runs as efficiently but using charcoal instead of gas, you could turn a bummed out afternoon into a neighborhood bbq party while also downing a few beers!... all this while waiting for the sump pumps to do their job ...

Good idea. When we get back from some vacation I will address that.

Ron

 

So yesterday I had a generator guy show up. His trouble shooting ran along with mine pretty much. I did learn a few things. The generator set left the factory just over 11 years ago and I planted it 10 years ago. We replaced the voltage regulator module which was a logical problem as it provides the field to the actual generator assembly. Unfortunately the problem persist. Replacing the actual rotor/stator will cost about $1,500 USD and new parts from manufacturer carry a 90 day warranty. This unit has served well for a decade and I can replace it with a brand new 20 KW unit for about $5,000 USD including a new 200 amp transfer and breaker panel which all has a new full 5 year warranty. I figure I'll take that route and get the old unit into the garage, put it on my motorcycle lift and tear it down. Maybe I'll get lucky and find a problem easy to repair. Been needing and excuse to replace it anyway.

The small unit which saved my butt remains at the ready on my deck. That old Coleman 4,000 Watt unit was a lifesaver. Leaving a friend with the house and dogs as we head down to the Carolina beaches for some fun with kids and grand kids and family. I need a break!

When all is said and done I should once again have reliable emergency power and thinking that small unit will always have a home here.

Ron

 

You say you're from Cleveland, but you really live high up in the Adirondacks, right? Where no reliable power exists?

 

You say you're from Cleveland, but you really live high up in the Adirondacks, right? Where no reliable power exists?

No, I live in the Greater Cleveland suburbs where no reliable power exist.

Ron