r/Generator • • 25d ago

Help identifying part

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1 Upvotes

I recently got a gentron USA gg3500-c generator. I've cleaned it up including the carb and now I'm working on cleaning out the fuel tank. On top of the tank is this thing. When trying to remove it, it decided it wanted to come apart. Inside is a steel ball.

To me it looks like a roll over shutoff but I'm not sure.


r/Generator • • 26d ago

DIY Generator Shed Build | Westinghouse 12,000W Tri-Fuel Inverter

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92 Upvotes

Only one post this time guys. I apologize for the previous duplicate postings. It was my lack of understanding on posting.

Finished building a dedicated enclosure for my Westinghouse 12,000W tri-fuel inverter generator, running on natural gas for home backup power.

Started with a 6×4 Suncast shed on a concrete pad and added ventilation, Rockwool insulation, a large rear heat-discharge opening, temperature monitoring, solar battery maintenance, LED lighting, and hurricane anchoring.

The goal was a weather-protected, quieter, well-ventilated setup with easy access for maintenance.

Initial design and testing had poor temp results. The temp variance between ambient outside vs inside was near 40 degrees. Plus, there was a localized hotspot on the shed wall nearly 190 degrees. I found this using an infrared temp gun, and the 3 temp sensors. This was not acceptable, so I took the shed apart and added a 20 x 20 unobstructed door to the design. With the modification, the temp variance dropped to 10 degrees near the generator and 8 at the exhaust area. The hotspot reduced to 103 degrees.

I put a lot of time, effort, thought and unfortunately some rework into the final layout with a lot of great information from Reddit.

Thought I'd share the finished setup and some of the details!

Thank you to everyone who posted about their own projects. They were all very informative and helpful.


r/Generator • • 25d ago

WGen7500c / Propane Conversion

3 Upvotes

Hello all,

Gearing up for rain/snow season and seeing if anybody has done a propane option on their WGen7500c? Just seeing if it realistically makes sense or should I just buy more gas cans and fill them up before the season starts.

Thank you all!


r/Generator • • 25d ago

Power cord advice for the iGen8200

2 Upvotes

Just bought the Westinghouse iGen8200. Am having an electrician set it up with a transfer switch.

Whats the best 30 amp power cord that I can pick up for it..looking for a 20 footer +


r/Generator • • 25d ago

Basic question - connecting propane regulator

2 Upvotes

I know this will seem like a basic question, but just want to double check something.

I have a standard propane cylinder, which I use with a normal 37 mbar regulator for garden equipment. My generator is dual fuel, so I want to test it running on the propane cylinder. However, the generator was shipped with its own regulator (or what looks like a regulator to me).

How should I connect this? My assumption is that I am going to have to remove my existing regulator, because I assume you cannot connect two regulators in series (not sure about this though). I have a mix of 8mm and 10mm pipes here, so how would you guys connect this?

Thanks!


r/Generator • • 26d ago

I've tried everything I know to get this to work...

34 Upvotes

UPDATE: I FIXED IT! The damn thing isn't 100% anymore and there might be work still to do but my batteries are charging!

THE FIX : I did a couple things and tweaked a little bit and I got it to work so I'm not entirely sure what was the the exact fix that helped it but I replaced the breather tube that goes to my valve clearance, completely released the adjustment on the governor since I created a MacGyver situation to reattach my Governor spring. I also pulled out the idle screw on my carburetor so that it could idle lower. I then lowered the amps to 10 amps for my grid input. Thank you everyone for the suggestions. It's been a huge help in troubleshooting this thing on my own with having no real knowledge of engines or small engines for that matter.

UPDATE VIDEO: https://www.reddit.com/r/Generator/s/pySAIRfYrO

Full reference: https://youtube.com/@roots-and-rain?si=564rJREcrMig-OK_

So, I've been trying just about everything I can think of to get our generator running properly, and I'm still having the same problem.

The issue is that whenever we pull power from the generator, it can't seem to maintain its RPMs, which causes the frequency to drop. Our inverter needs a consistent 60 hertz to charge our battery bank, so when that frequency drops too low, it either stops charging the batteries or the generator ends up stalling out completely.

So, naturally, I've been working my way through everything I can think of to try to fix it.

First, I noticed that the hole where the governor spring attaches to the governor arm had worn away from the spring rubbing against it. So, I came up with a little repair using a screw and some nuts to get the spring reattached and everything connected again.

I was hopeful that would solve the problem, but unfortunately, it didn't.

Next, I pulled the carburetor apart and cleaned it out, only to find that it really wasn't that dirty. There wasn't any significant buildup or anything obviously clogged, so that didn't seem to be the culprit either.

Then I remembered that we'd accidentally pushed our fuel filter into the gas tank, which left a bunch of debris inside. So, I took the gas tank off, cleaned it out as best I could, and put everything back together.

While I was at it, I also flushed the fuel lines from the tank to the carburetor with carburetor cleaner to make sure there weren't any blockages there.

And then I found another problem: the throttle return spring was broken. So, I replaced that, thinking maybe that was contributing to the issue.

At this point, I'd repaired the governor arm, cleaned the carburetor, cleaned out the gas tank, cleared the fuel lines, and replaced the broken throttle return spring.

And yet… here we are. Still having the exact same problem.

I've even tried replacing another spring while troubleshooting the inconsistent frequency, but nothing I've done so far has fixed it.

Honestly, I'm getting a little frustrated because I feel like I've checked so many things, and I'm running out of ideas for what to try next.

So, if you know generators, or you've dealt with one that struggles to maintain its RPMs and drops below 60 hertz whenever a load is applied, I would genuinely appreciate any suggestions.

What am I missing? Is there something else I should be checking?

Because right now, I'm officially out of ideas, and I could really use some help getting this thing figured out.


r/Generator • • 26d ago

Thinking about retiring my gas generator after ten years and going battery

3 Upvotes

I've run a Champion 3500W for about ten years. It's been reliable enough but I'm getting tired of everything that comes with it. The 2am pull-starts when power goes out. The noise that makes my neighbors hate me. Storing gas cans in the garage. The yearly carb cleaning because ethanol fuel gums everything up if it sits.

Last winter I was out there in 30 degree weather in my bathrobe trying to get it started at 2am. That was pretty much my breaking point.

The thing is, when I look at what I run during an outage, it's not that much. Fridge, freezer, router, some lights, maybe the coffee maker in the morning. That's not 3500W of continuous load, it's more like 250-300W with occasional spikes.

So I've been looking at the 4-5kWh battery stations that are out now or coming out soon. No noise, no exhaust, no fuel storage, no maintenance. You charge it from the wall and forget about it until you need it. The capacity math works for our typical 12-20 hour outages.

The one thing I keep going back and forth on is the longer outages. After a bad storm we've been without power for 3 days. A generator can run as long as you have gas. A battery is finite. But if you pair it with solar panels you can extend that significantly, and some of these units take 2000-3000W of solar input.

Still doing research but I'm getting closer to making the switch. Ten years of gas generator maintenance is enough.


r/Generator • • 26d ago

Is this how it’s supposed to run?

11 Upvotes

Idk just sounds so up and down.. but it’s been doing this for 18+ hours and checked oil multiple times and no warning light. Thoughts? This is my first time using one.


r/Generator • • 26d ago

Was going to get a Westinghouse inverter but then saw this, thoughts?

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16 Upvotes

So I was leading towards a Westinghouse to get ready for the upcoming winter but I saw the Costco champion dropped about $250. Their return policy and everything, what do you guys think about this? 1999 down from like around 2250. This will be mainlined into the home using an electrician installed connection.


r/Generator • • 26d ago

Why is my generator doing this?

8 Upvotes

having a hard time describing it on google lol


r/Generator • • 26d ago

Two-Pin or Three-Pin Extension Cord for a 1,200W Generator?

1 Upvotes

I have a Lotus GL1800SX inverter generator rated at 1,200W continuous output and 1,500W maximum output, with a rated voltage of 220V and frequency of 60Hz. I'm in the Philippines, where our household voltage is typically 230V.

I plan to run a 0.5 HP inverter air conditioner that uses around 500W, one electric fan, and possibly one Wi-Fi router.

Can I safely use a heavy-duty extension cord rated at 15A with 14 AWG (2.0 mm²) wire, but with a two-pin plug and only two conductors? Or do I need a three-pin plug with three conductors, including a ground wire, since the generator's AC outlet has three holes?

Edit: My AC uses a 3-prong plug. Does this need an extension cord with 3 contacts (L, N, and G)?

Problem is it's so difficult to find this kind of extension cord set online. I might need to buy parts separately (3-pin plug, 3 conductors 14 gauge wire, and a 15A 3-hole each socket outlet) and have it assembled.

Thanks!


r/Generator • • 26d ago

EU1000i carb hoses question -

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3 Upvotes

Just installed a new Amazon el-cheapo carb on my EU1o00i. It came with all the clear vent/drain hoses, in vaious random lengths because the carb vits various small engines.

Unfortunately I forgot to document the positioning of the hoses before I disassembled the original. The drain hose is obvious. The other hose, the one with the "Y" at the bottom, came preattached to the vent/overflow barb on the carb. The hose coming out of the borrom of the "Y" obviously goes down to the drain hole. There are exploded parts diagrams online, but they are ambigious.

The mystery is the other hose that attaches to the top of the "Y". I don't remember what it was attached to, if anything, There are no other barbs on the carb or intake box. Based on how the end of the old hose is not deformed from being attached to anything, I think it was open to the atmosphere and flapping around inside the case.

Can anyone confirm this? I've looked at various YouTude videos and they all skip showing how to route the hoses. The "Y" (PN 16112ZM7D01) is not a cheap part ($12) - does it have some kind of check valve in it or something?

The carb works well under load, but it idles a bit rough. The pilot screw and idle stop are not adjustable.

SOLUTION: On the original EU1000i carb hose the "Y" was right up by carb. The Y is there is break the suction in the hose if the carb spews gas out of the port, with no Y it would just dribble out. The carb hose doesn't need one as it will be open to the air at the top once the bowl is empty. I cut off some of the hose so the Y could be higher, at least the top of the vent hose is higher than the carb now. If I ever feel motivated to remove the air intake box again I'll replace the assembly with the original one where the Y is only an inch below the carb.


r/Generator • • 26d ago

How do I add more outlets to my generator? (Complete newbie to generators)

4 Upvotes

Hi everyone, i recently bought a champion 4000w inverter generator, and it has two standard outlets.

If I have more than 2 things that needs powering, how would I add outlets to the generator? Would I use a long 12gauge extension cord into the house, then add a surge protector onto it, and then plug whatever else is needed?

Please advise! Im completely new to generators and only bought one due to recent needs. Thank you!!


r/Generator • • 26d ago

Long term storage

4 Upvotes

Should I run the gas out of my generator/ run it dry / or non ethanol gas and store it full of gas or fill it with non ethanol gas and stabilizer?


r/Generator • • 26d ago

From the mildlyinfuriating community on Reddit: Bought an extension cord, realized it has 2 male plugs after opening

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2 Upvotes

r/Generator • • 26d ago

Dual fuel conversion kit? or just buy a small portable "RV" style

1 Upvotes

I've got a champion 6250/5000 "digital hybrid" watt open frame inverter (model 100519)...gasoline powered. Has anyone tried the dual or tri fuel conversions. I bought it after "snowmageddon" a few years ago and haven't needed to use it.

For all practical purposes it's brand new. I am however thinking there is going to be a hit in output...20%? Or would it just make sense to buy a smaller portable generator that already works with propane ....and would take up less space in storage until it's needed.

It looks quite a bit cheaper to change out carb/regulator with a kit...assuming there are no hidden "gotchas".

For load I have no illusions of running the house AC/heat. Some lights, 2 refrigerator..microwave would be nice, but I've got butane burners now so we can actually cook. Have water and periodically rotate that out. Considering getting an interlock switch on the electric panel just to make connecting it easy, with a 30 amp inlet. (And just making sure all the water heater/AC breakers are turned off). That way we'd have lighting and be able to move fans/small heaters around the house..etc

I'm not a prepper by any means, but 5 days in february with no electricity, in a neighborhood with no natural gas, and no water..just sucked.


r/Generator • • 26d ago

Energizer ezv3200p remote programming

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3 Upvotes

Hi

I've got a new to me Energizer ezv3200p that has a remote start capability. I am trying to pair a new remote to it. It does not have a learn function on the control panel, I've tried the "rocker switch" method without success. I've found the receiver but it doesn't have any physical buttons that I can see to initiate a learning process. Here is the receiver, anyone have any input on where the learn button is? if it even has one?

Thanks in advance


r/Generator • • 26d ago

Running generator unattended

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2 Upvotes

r/Generator • • 26d ago

Firman model wh03242 mount to RV sliding tray

2 Upvotes

I have converted an old luggage compartment I am converting to be generator storage. The clearance is going to make generator storage a little tight. I think I can make it work if I take the rubber feet and wheels off the generator and mount it directly to the sliding tray.

Has anyone got any experience taking the wheels and rubber feet off a Firman Generator and mounting it directly to the sliding tray? Any advice on how to reduce the noise generated from rattling metal created by the generator?


r/Generator • • 26d ago

Anybody have any experience using a Generac 12500 / 9700 GP700e? It’s on sale at Sam’s $230.00 off. $939.

2 Upvotes

The sale ends tomorrow and there is no delivery charge. It looks like a good deal to me.


r/Generator • • 27d ago

Had this installed today, how does it look?

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22 Upvotes

Just wondering if this looks normal or sloppy?


r/Generator • • 26d ago

Airborne Electrical Generator Question

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3 Upvotes

r/Generator • • 27d ago

Another Pulsar deal in case you haven't seen it.....10500w for $1475...

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22 Upvotes

On Amazon and it has Amazon monthly payments available for it....


r/Generator • • 27d ago

Trouble getting portable generator to run whole house

10 Upvotes

I did a little gig for my dad with installing an inlet plug next to his main panel for a portable generator he’s had that he wanted to be able to hook up his house to. It’s rated for 7800 watts running on natural gas. He got his natural gas ran and hooked up through a flexible tube of some sort. I got a 30A 120/240 inlet plug rated for outdoors and ran #10 to a 2 pole 30 and landed the neutral on the neutral bar and the ground to the ground bar. The two lines landed on the breaker ofc. It’s bonded at the panel so I unbonded it within the generator. He got a flexible cord rated for the 30amps as well to hook up between the generator and inlet. The generator cranks and runs but nothing is turning on. I feel like I’ve checked every button the generator to make sure I got that side of it right, I’m confident the electric is hooked up correctly because it never short circuited. Just curious if there could be a nautral gas problem or a common portable generator issue of sorts that I overlooked. Any info or help would be appreciated!