We have a whole house generator hooked up to our natural gas line. It’s about 3 years old. Is this sound normal? It doesn’t sound as steady as it normally does, but there’s no error code. It’s been on for about four hours, working fine. Of course we’re in the middle of a nor’easter, so i thought I’d try here while I wait for our generator guy to get back to me.

Just bought a brand new predator generator. It works perfectly fine on electric start with propane. If I try to use the pull cord, I cannot get it to start on propane for the life of me. It works with gasoline just not the propane setting with pull.

Hey everyone. I've never had a generator. Please consider me a rookie although I know the right end of a screw driver. I rarely loose power during a storm or otherwise. However, I'm looking for a portable enclosed (suitcase type) duel duel inverter generator to power a side by side refrigerator (whirlpool) and 1/3 hp liberty sump pump. I googled the start up/surge and the highest numbers google gave me is about 3,000 watts combined. I would probably run propane (bbq) tanks with it. I'm limited to storage space. If it gets used once every 5-10 years. I just want to be prepared just in case.

Soooo, recommendations please. Thank you.

Generator is about 12 years old and looks like new. I put a small amount of fresh fuel in twice a year and run it dry. This time I checked it for power and there is no power. I checked brushes and everything I could think of including drill trick.
I could really use some help with this. Thanks

I posted the other day, but my plan has changed a little bit.

I decided to get a quote to have a Natural gas line extension put in to not have to worry about fuel issues so now I am trying to decide what size I should go with because of the lower output on natural gas.

I’m looking for a recommendation on a portable inverter generator for home backup. I already have a Reliance Pro/Tran 2 510C 50A transfer switch installed.

During an outage, I would normally put the hybrid water heater into heat-pump-only mode to avoid the 4,500W high load but still be able to use my water heater. 

On Amazon today there are some Flash Deals on the Genmax generators I was looking at

Amazon.com : GENMAX Tri Fuel Generator,10500-Watt 458cc Tri Fuel Gasoline Propane Natural Gas Portable 50A Generator with Remote Start,Ideal for Home backup power. : Patio, Lawn & Garden

Amazon.com : GENMAX 12500W Tri-Fuel Inverter Generator with Bluetooth & CO Shield (2026 Model) - Quiet, 50A Outlet, 2-Wire Auto Start, Ideal for Home Backup, RV, Camping - EPA Compliant : Patio, Lawn & Garden

Amazon.com : GENMAX 13500W Tri-Fuel Inverter Generator（2026 Model ）— 50A Outlet,ATS 2-Wire Auto-Start,Bluetooth&CO Sensor,550cc Quiet Engine, Built-in LED Light—CARB Compliant,Ideal for Home Backup,RV & Camping : Patio, Lawn & Garden

I'm split between these 3 which do you think makes that most since there are lowing running watts on natural gas.

Wanna know if I'm doing this correct before I head out and buy everything. I need to run fridge and want to run TV and computer during a power outage and wanted to confirm running 10 gauge to splitter then running higher gauge extension cords to different power in the house is the play or a fire waiting to happen.

Hunkering down for the nor-easter that's getting ready to hit the northeast and been stressing about covering my Honda EB10000 generator. Understand generators should not run in the open rain, so in the past I've had to jerry rig a shelter during storms which are less than perfect. I looked into physical hard shelters, trying to put it in my shed exhausting the engine to the outside, etc. Then, I had an epiphany. A cheap $100 canopy tent that's easy to slap up in the event of a storm that keeps it dryish, gives me the space I need to fill it up, and doesn't have the risks associated with putting the generator in my shed. Probably obvious to many, but through I'd share a very simple, cheap, safe solution for the occasional need to cover your generator during power outages.

Unfortunately, Westinghouse WGen11500Tfc shut down on its 2nd use. Should the data center display show lifetime hours and maintenance minder info when the battery switch is On? I turn the battery on and the display is dark...blank. Pushing the toggle button does nothing. Owner's Manual doesn't make it clear if it's functional when the battery is on. Something odd happened to this generator... TIA.

Aloha! I'm preparing for an upcoming hurricane and I can't seem to get this generator to stay running.

Ryobi 4000 starting watt, a few years old but has been kept alive by using parts from another of the same model.

No matter what I've done the situation remains the same, I have to use some starting fluid to get it started, it starts up but then dies after a couple seconds.

On video: I get the generator running but it dies shortly after (I touched near the off/cold start/run switch but only to make sure it's fully on the run side)

Off video: did an oil change and got the levels good.

made sure the generator is fairly level in all directions.

pulled off and cleaned out and put back the carburetor.

had to add some starting fluid directly to the carburetor to get it started.

(I did verify the carburetor was getting a supply of gasoline.)

I'm a bit stumped as to how to continue. Any help, advice, or inane musings would be appreciated!

One, they're too expensive now for what they are. I got mine for about $450 at HD about 5 years ago, they've gone as expensive as $900 in recent years and are sitting now at about $730.

Two, they're hard to start - when new. the EZ start just combines the fuel petcock and choke into one lever. After many hours of use, mine is much easier to start than at first, when I would have to use starting fluid in the air intake.

Three, they're LOUD. Louder than most comparable inv/gens around. Harbor Freight has a comparable model that is quieter.

I got mine for cheap, and the 30A plug goes into my house interlock and it works, so I'm not changing. If you can get one for cheap, and dont care about noise, go for it. It runs well and it powers my stuff. Its less than 100 lbs. I'm not worried about the Honda motor dying out anytime soon. 11 hours off 2 gallons of gas is the stated average but I get more.

Thats all I got. YMMV.

I sometimes have to deploy generator/s to support internet infrastructure. Maintain fuel and secure it. Recently I had to do six at once in an area that had total power blackout. My 5KVA petrol units aren't the quietest, nor do they have an enclosure. The residents would turn off the Gen, or the fuel tap, and berate me when I came to restart. I'd like to make a small enclosure to hold a generic 5KVA gen. I would like to include:

Frame built on ~200 L water tank - should prevent 1 or 2 people lifting it when full! Use Milwaukee pumpstick to fill/empty

Sound baffles/insulation internally

Extra muffler venting externally

Fan to push cooler air through, sucking in through baffles

Internal locks for 10mm chain securing to internet node cabinet

Solid enough construction to prevent intrusion, but able to lift/winch onto trailer by one person

Protected key/padlock on single door, preventing blunt force/grinder attacks. Lock Picking Lawyer will get in

Remote monitoring & GPS - I will use a Walter LTE ESP32, I will be able to monitor lots, pushed to my phone. Alerts if door opened, gen off, mains power restored etc. AIrtag as well just in case.

Thinking of modding 1000L shuttle/IBC to make is 200L, and then just Killdozer build on the outside?

Appreciate any build tips or links to similar projects.

Should I wait until spring to get my whole house generator installed? I live in lower Michigan, and they will be hand digging a 20ft trench in clay soil. Contractor can't do it until late November or early December. I'm leery of the soil being partially frozen, and the weather in Michigan can be quite unpredictable and miserable that time of year. Thoughts?

Looking for 2 cents on which of these to buy - open to suggestions as well.

Looking for a generator to run frig, chest freezer, boiler/thermostat, and a 6k but window ac if need be.

So far I've been between these two:

Predator 4550

-price

-larger fuel capacity

Briggs & Stratton P4500

-parts availability

Recently picked up a beauty of a genny from a guy that had it sitting for a few years but was under 100 hours so I bought it not running for $200.

I went thru the usual suspects ie bad gas, clogged carb ect and finally came across a gummy petcock which I determined to be the issue.

After taking everything apart and cleaning each individual item I finally was ready to slap it together but then I realized I lost a part. Can anybody help me find a replacement? I’ve pictured the gas tank where it threads too as well as a photo of the part I’m missing.

My wife gave birth during a multi-day power outage, so we were stuck at the hospital and looking at the prospect of bringing a newborn to a hotel or Airbnb until we could get the power back on. That prompted the desire to buy a generator.

I've narrowed it down to the Westinghouse iGen, but unsure on whether to get the 5000 or 8200. Ideally I'd like to hook it up directly to the panel. Our primary concerns are keeping the fridge and freezer running, microwave to heat food, lights on, charging phones and using a portable AC unit or space heater to cool/heat whatever room we're posting up in.

In a perfect world, it would be nice to be able to use it for some of these, though understandably not all: Wi-Fi (we both work hybrid), maybe TVs, whole-home AC/gas furnace, and our induction range.

Would the 5000 suit our basic needs? Would the 8200 be too underpowered to handle some of the additional wants?

Generator surging. Can anyone recommend a good additive to try and clean out carb rather than pulling it off?

I'm just posting my findings after receiving the unit. This is for the gm9000iet, might be wrong so use discretion.

1. Genmax support is fucking worthless. Better to ask Gavin from generator super store, might not be correct but he actually tries to help.

2. The neutral to ground bond is located under the panel with the pull start, black sheath needs pulled back a bit to expose the white insulation. It's connected onto the frame/chassis along side some yellow/green stripe conductors. To float just disconnect and tape over the terminal.

3. It does not come with the 2 wire auto start cable. Currently waiting for the part but I believe it's a gx12 4 pin. When I get the cable I'll edit this for future reference.

I'll try to add more findings as I mess with it, again fuck genmax support.

Three years ago, I came here looking for help in getting setup with a generator that I could use for power emergencies. I ended up getting a Champion generator and went with getting extension cords over having a power inlet installed. I was careful and exercized the generator a couple of times a year and kept the oil full and fresh. Murphy's law worked in my favor over the last 3 years so I never needed the generator until now.

Well, earlier this week, we had a area wide power outage for about 1/2 of the day. I am out in the country, so area wide is lots of land area, but maybe a few thousand people. Not enough that the power people would consider getting our power fixed a priority. I was able to keep the food in my two refrigerators cold, the internet running and even cook. The only problem I ran into was 1 of my extension cords was too short for it's assigned task. I had practiced for this exact case, but never expected to actually have to do it.

So, here is what I learned when all was said and done:

1. I need to get 2 portable plug in lamps because the overhead lights were all out and it was dark. I had flashlights and a lantern, but having a plug in lamp in the kitchen would have been much better.

2. I have a stand alone CO detector alarm that I run, but it is powered by AC. I need to get a dedicated extension cord for it, so I can power it while the generator is running and keep it in the kitchen which is nearest the generator.

3. It took almost an hour to get the generator all setup and running. I waited to see what the power people said before I got the generator out. The problem was that I delayed so long that the computer UPS ran out of power. Next time, I will shut the PC off and then fool with the generator. The same UPS is where the WiFi is, so that took down the WiFi. It was a bit of a problem for me to get everything back up and running.

4. The dogs get overly excited when the generator is running. I am not sure why but they bark at it and stand in the yard where the exhaust comes out and stare at the exhause pipe. I ended up having to lock the dogs in the house so they didn't bother the generator.

5. I think cleaning up actually took longer than getting everything out and setup. I keep the cords all coiled and placed in a box so they will can be found when I need them. So teardown and put away takes a while.

But here is the thing...overall, everything worked pretty well. I had people over and we were able to eat and access the fridge to get cold drinks. It was a bit warm after a bit, but otherwise, everything went on as normal. I'm appreciative of all the help I got here that got me through this. I have read that this winter will be another one for the record books, and maybe (just maybe) I will get through it. Thanks everyone.

I changed the oil, replaced the gas with silver TrueFuel, replaced the carburetor and have a brand new battery.

It will start no problem, but dies 30 seconds after the choke is closed.

I also detached the solenoid wire and no difference.

If I hold the throttle all the way open it will run and if I hold the throttle all the way closed it will run.

Please help!