Do you have back up power

[Fx51LP308]

When you say "down below the house," is it far away, or is there something between the generator and the house? I have no idea how loud these things are. All of the advertising materials shows them installed right up against the house wall.

Portables are pretty loud, overall. I could definitely hear mine if it were to kick on, automatically. But I never set it to autostart. I don't want to have to leave it "at the ready" all the time.

So loud that I'm searching for an appropriate housing for it to run. I even bought one of those plastic mini "trash can" sheds that I'd trick out with Rockwall insulation, fans, intake vent etc. etc. But I discovered that my HOA would, most likely,, deny use of the shed, even in the back yard. That, and it would also mean I have to store the generator outside and, at the ready, which I don't want to do. It's why I want a "portable" enclosure, similar to a "Zombie Box" but on wheels. Sadly, Zombies are like $2000.00. Not happening. I'll build one out of 3/4" plywood and put all the the "accoutrements" in it. And then I'll put castor wheels on it so I can roll it out along with the gennie and drop it down on it. And both can stay in the garage when not in use.

 

[sandhiller]

When you say "down below the house," is it far away, or is there something between the generator and the house? I have no idea how loud these things are. All of the advertising materials shows them installed right up against the house wall.

Maybe 20 yards away and down the hill the house sits on

It is right next to the REA (rural electric ) meter

Then branches out from there to house, well, other buildings and corrals

 

[sandhiller]

Portables are pretty loud, overall. I could definitely hear mine if it were to kick on, automatically. But I never set it to autostart. I don't want to have to leave it "at the ready" all the time.

So loud that I'm searching for an appropriate housing for it to run. I even bought one of those plastic mini "trash can" sheds that I'd trick out with Rockwall insulation, fans, intake vent etc. etc. But I discovered that my HOA would, most likely,, deny use of the shed, even in the back yard. That, and it would also mean I have to store the generator outside and, at the ready, which I don't want to do. It's why I want a "portable" enclosure, similar to a "Zombie Box" but on wheels. Sadly, Zombies are like $2000.00. Not happening. I'll build one out of 3/4" plywood and put all the the "accoutrements" in it. And then I'll put castor wheels on it so I can roll it out along with the gennie and drop it down on it. And both can stay in the garage when not in use.

HOA's must suck.

I couldn't imagine having to deal with them

Your tolerance level sir, is a few levels above mine!

 

[sandhiller]

I've been around a lot of generators. Yes, I can read a manual and know how to store them. You still have to deal with fouled carbs, constant refueling, and frequent oil changes. We're talking about generators for an emergency, not a holiday vacation. You need something that can be put into operation immediately. If your car runs, the inverter will power your essential devices just by running an extension cord. Also, it's self propelled and you don't need to wheel it around.
View attachment 8339235

Probably well before your time sir!
But what I used before I got my Generac

Loud is an understatement

 

[Fx51LP308]

HOA's must suck.

I couldn't imagine having to deal with them

Your tolerance level sir, is a few levels above mine!

From what I understand, mine is actually not all that bad when compared to some other developments in my general area. Some others are a lot worse.

Still, the first thing I'm going to do if I ever hit the "Zillion Dollar Lottery" is find a nice "Non-deed restricted" 10 acre plot somewhere nearby and build on it, to *my* satisfaction. I dunno how many of those still exist that have the general utilities available (Elec, telephone, CATV etc.) and are *not* deed restricted, but we'll see. CATV would be the most difficult. I can put other things there on my own (Solar farm for elec, LP or NG tanks for gas) and well water with septic tank, but I'd have to do Satellite CATV and Internet. Unless there are feeder cables nearby and they let me tap in.

 

[sandhiller]

From what I understand, mine is actually not all that bad when compared to some other developments in my general area. Some others are a lot worse.

Still, the first thing I'm going to do if I ever hit the "Zillion Dollar Lottery" is find a nice "Non-deed restricted" 10 acre plot somewhere nearby and build on it, to *my* satisfaction. I dunno how many of those still exist that have the general utilities available (Elec, telephone, CATV etc.) and are *not* deed restricted, but we'll see. CATV would be the most difficult. I can put other things there on my own (Solar farm for elec, LP or NG tanks for gas) and well water with septic tank, but I'd have to to Satellite CATV and Internet. Unless there are feeder cables nearby and they let me tap in.

I went with Starlink for internet and tv.
Works great, have Roku for tv and as of now only watch what is free so $75 a month total bill.

 

[Glowie]

Live hear a prison, fire house, hospital they get power back first

 

[Gunfighter14e2]

Probably well before your time sir!
But what I used before I got my Generac
View attachment 8340041

Loud is an understatement

But much, much more reliable than the best, price point built.

 

[Gunfighter14e2]

Portables are pretty loud, overall. I could definitely hear mine if it were to kick on, automatically. But I never set it to autostart. I don't want to have to leave it "at the ready" all the time.

So loud that I'm searching for an appropriate housing for it to run. I even bought one of those plastic mini "trash can" sheds that I'd trick out with Rockwall insulation, fans, intake vent etc. etc. But I discovered that my HOA would, most likely,, deny use of the shed, even in the back yard. That, and it would also mean I have to store the generator outside and, at the ready, which I don't want to do. It's why I want a "portable" enclosure, similar to a "Zombie Box" but on wheels. Sadly, Zombies are like $2000.00. Not happening. I'll build one out of 3/4" plywood and put all the the "accoutrements" in it. And then I'll put castor wheels on it so I can roll it out along with the gennie and drop it down on it. And both can stay in the garage when not in use.

Used shag carpet is a cheap solution, compared to most everything else. If used it just needs to hang. Hushcloth works well but pricey.

 

[Fx51LP308]

Used shag carpet is a cheap solution, compared to most everything else. If used it just needs to hang. Hushcloth works well but pricey.

How would the shag carpet handle the heat, though? The two biggest things to consider when building an enclosure would be "noise reduction," but also "temperature control." Some go so far as to make alterations to the generator's exhaust port to allow a pipe to be connected to it so the exhaust (and the heat) can be channeled outside the box, perhaps even to a muffler. They have to insulate the opening in the box that has the tube pass through so that it doesn't get excessively hot and/or catch fire. I often wondered if that was truly necessary if you have strong exhaust fans to blow the air out. Most have a single exhaust fan, but I have a pair of them. I would not want to make any permanent alteration to the generator and risk voiding the warranty.

Thoughts?

 

[Gunfighter14e2]

The carpet is hung away from the genset to a level above head height. Each time sound has to bend 90* or more you'll get a huge Db reduction. A simple fan can push cool air into the carpet enclosure then allow the heat to vent up. Exhaust can be ran threw carpet the same way you vent a stove thru a wall/roof, but the higher you release it,... straight up,... the better. Engine fan noise (if so equipped) is the biggest issue to contend with, but making it bend 45* then 90* cures that as well. Research "Sound Damping" and adapt to your needs. I've built enclosures that dampen 1800rpm 8-16V 2 stroke Detroit's to 58 DbA at 3 feet, while not cheap it can be done.

 

[MikeMiller]

During Hurricane Ian we were without power for a few weeks. I built an enclosure for my portable generator. 3/4” plywood all around four foot high. Used cushions from patio furniture on outside. Not noise less but cut down sound a great deal

 

[FWoo45]

So what do the guys in the industry say is the homeowner standby unit to get? I'm pretty sure that I'm looking for a 27kW unit to run on NG. If generac is shit, koler?

 

[Anb618]

I just bought a (technically) used Winco PSS8 standby generator and Auto Transfer Switch from a local auction company earlier this week. It looks to be a few years old, but it’s still bolted to the shipping pallet and appears (and was claimed to be) uninstalled/LNIB. I intend to get it installed this spring.

One of the old farmers around here tells me he used to have a Winco PTO generator that was absolutely bulletproof. I had never heard of them before this, but the company looks like they make good quality stuff from their website and product specs. The PSS8 specs are appropriate for my very small residence/typical power usage.

It was a bit of an impulse buy for sure. We lose power pretty frequently, with the house being on a very short and rural electrical supply run. Seems like every time some drunk moron smokes a telephone pole or a tree falls on a line anywhere in the county, we lose power for 1-8 hours. Last winter we lost power for nearly 5 days following a bad ice storm.

Even if I decide to stick with my portable generator (manual switch/hookup added during the ice storm outage last year), for the price I paid I should be able to easily sell it on FB Marketplace to recoup my investment. Additionally, if the ATS turns out to be fried, my invested cost is still very reasonable for the generator unit alone.

So. All that to ask, anyone have experience with Winco’s standby generators/ATS’s? Tips/tricks for install? Anything I should be aware of, or expect to change?

 

[sandhiller]

So what do the guys in the industry say is the homeowner standby unit to get? I'm pretty sure that I'm looking for a 27kW unit to run on NG. If generac is shit, koler?

I put my Generac 16kw into service 2015.
It has been trouble free since.
Service when it tells me and that's it.

 

[Fx51LP308]

OK, a couple of updates.

First, I have discovered that one of my cul-de-sac neighbors, actually has a propane tank installed! Interesting! Apparently, it was approved as the house did have 1-2 devices that used gas and not electricity. Most of the houses here are "electric" only. I'll have to look into that with both the county and the HOA's ARC to see if I could do it now. If so, then I may be able to do a 22 KW home generator (probably a Kohler).

Second, I had heard reports that the Westinghouse portable gen sets have a nasty failure point... They run great for a bit, but, after a while, you can't get them to start. Sad to say I have contributed to that statistic.

I took the generator out yesterday to test it and to heat it up so I could change the oil and install my new drain valve in place of the standard plug.

But it just wouldn't start. It does "crank," but doesn't catch. I tried everything. I even pulled the manual "lawn mower" like cord to start it (with the manual choke engaged), and nothing. Well, not totally "nothing." I went back to using the electric starter and, believe it or not, it actually did start.... once.... for about 15-20 seconds. It sputtered and bucked and smoked (out the exhaust), and then it shut down. Could not get it to start at all, after that. I even tried the manual back up cord procedure again, and.... nothing.

In the "troubleshooting" section of the service manual, there's a big section for, "Engine won't start" and for "Engine starts but shuts down." The "Possible causes" include the following:

1. Low Oil (it has a sensor for that which shuts the engine down);
2. Dirty Air filter;
3. Spark Plug faulty or "flooded" engine (i.e. spark plug improperly gaped);
4. Fuel filter restricted or fuel pump failure;
5. Bad Gas.

We can eliminate the "low oil" because I filled it full just before attempting to start it. It could be any of the others, though. It's certainly not the "battery switch" being turned off (another possible cause) because it wouldn't crank if that was the case. I don't think the engine is "flooded" because I stop attempting to start for about 1/2 hour each time.

If I had to guess, at this point, I'd say it's the "bad gas." The gas in the gen tank is over 1yr old, but it's "non ethanol" gas that has been treated with STA-BIL. Quite puzzling. I couldn't believe it was the other things (filters, spark plug, etc.), as I haven't even put 10 hours on the generator yet. The oil that was in the reserve (before I added more) wasn't even "dirty." It could also be gunk in the carburetor. One of the YouTube suggestions for that is to apply a little "Gummout" or similar cleaner to clean out the carburetor. I can do that easily.

I can get a "maintenance kit" for like $30.00 (includes spark plug, air filter cartridge and fuel filter). That's easy. If it is bad gas, I can pump/siphon it out and replace it with fresh gas. If it is bad gas, though, I face a dilemma. I still have 10 gals of that "non-ethanol" STA-BIL treated gas in my 5 gal containers as well as what's in the gen tank. If that kind of gas can go bad so quickly, what will that mean in re: "preparedness?" Should I even keep any gas on hand if it isn't going to be used for a over 1 year (even if treated with STA-BIL)? Will I be able to fill my containers at the onset of a power hit if I elect not to store a gas reserve? Probably not. I can get rid of the "bad" gas and replace it every time I rent a car, and I can do that on a regular basis, even without a power hit (perhaps every qtr).

Another alternative (and perhaps a way to test to see if it is bad gas), is to (temporarily) switch to Propane and attempt to start it with a propane tank. I can get a 25lb propane tank without much difficulty. But should I empty the gasoline out of the tank first to minimize the risk of explosion? Does the propane option use the same spark plug chamber (perhaps mandating maintenance of it prior ro testing)? I have seen YouTube videos where his gen wouldn't start and it came down to replacing the spark plug. Fired right up after that.

Anyway, just curious as to your thoughts on the likely cause and what I should try first. Replacing the bad gas is a bit of an effort, so if I can do something quicker/easier (spark plug, air fllter, etc.), I'd like to try that first.

Thoughts? Thanks!

 

[Charlie112]

OK, a couple of updates.

First, I have discovered that one of my cul-de-sac neighbors, actually has a propane tank installed! Interesting! Apparently, it was approved as the house did have 1-2 devices that used gas and not electricity. Most of the houses here are "electric" only. I'll have to look into that with both the county and the HOA's ARC to see if I could do it now. If so, then I may be able to do a 22 KW home generator (probably a Kohler).

Second, I had heard reports that the Westinghouse portable gen sets have a nasty failure point... They run great for a bit, but, after a while, you can't get them to start. Sad to say I have contributed to that statistic.

I took the generator out yesterday to test it and to heat it up so I could change the oil and install my new drain valve in place of the standard plug.

But it just wouldn't start. It does "crank," but doesn't catch. I tried everything. I even pulled the manual "lawn mower" like cord to start it (with the manual choke engaged), and nothing. Well, not totally "nothing." I went back to using the electric starter and, believe it or not, it actually did start.... once.... for about 15-20 seconds. It sputtered and bucked and smoked (out the exhaust), and then it shut down. Could not get it to start at all, after that. I even tried the manual back up cord procedure again, and.... nothing.

In the "troubleshooting" section of the service manual, there's a big section for, "Engine won't start" and for "Engine starts but shuts down." The "Possible causes" include the following:

1. Low Oil (it has a sensor for that which shuts the engine down);
2. Dirty Air filter;
3. Spark Plug faulty or "flooded" engine (i.e. spark plug improperly gaped);
4. Fuel filter restricted or fuel pump failure;
5. Bad Gas.

We can eliminate the "low oil" because I filled it full just before attempting to start it. It could be any of the others, though. It's certainly not the "battery switch" being turned off (another possible cause) because it wouldn't crank if that was the case. I don't think the engine is "flooded" because I stop attempting to start for about 1/2 hour each time.

If I had to guess, at this point, I'd say it's the "bad gas." The gas in the gen tank is over 1yr old, but it's "non ethanol" gas that has been treated with STA-BIL. Quite puzzling. I couldn't believe it was the other things (filters, spark plug, etc.), as I haven't even put 10 hours on the generator yet. The oil that was in the reserve (before I added more) wasn't even "dirty." It could also be gunk in the carburetor. One of the YouTube suggestions for that is to apply a little "Gummout" or similar cleaner to clean out the carburetor. I can do that easily.

I can get a "maintenance kit" for like $30.00 (includes spark plug, air filter cartridge and fuel filter). That's easy. If it is bad gas, I can pump/siphon it out and replace it with fresh gas. If it is bad gas, though, I face a dilemma. I still have 10 gals of that "non-ethanol" STA-BIL treated gas in my 5 gal containers as well as what's in the gen tank. If that kind of gas can go bad so quickly, what will that mean in re: "preparedness?" Should I even keep any gas on hand if it isn't going to be used for a over 1 year (even if treated with STA-BIL)? Will I be able to fill my containers at the onset of a power hit if I elect not to store a gas reserve? Probably not. I can get rid of the "bad" gas and replace it every time I rent a car, and I can do that on a regular basis, even without a power hit (perhaps every qtr).

Another alternative (and perhaps a way to test to see if it is bad gas), is to (temporarily) switch to Propane and attempt to start it with a propane tank. I can get a 25lb propane tank without much difficulty. But should I empty the gasoline out of the tank first to minimize the risk of explosion? Does the propane option use the same spark plug chamber (perhaps mandating maintenance of it prior ro testing)? I have seen YouTube videos where his gen wouldn't start and it came down to replacing the spark plug. Fired right up after that.

Anyway, just curious as to your thoughts on the likely cause and what I should try first. Replacing the bad gas is a bit of an effort, so if I can do something quicker/easier (spark plug, air fllter, etc.), I'd like to try that first.

Thoughts? Thanks!

There are a few things I would be doing, going through the basics, as, 1. Check air breather, clean and look for blockage, 2. Pull plug, plugs are not that much,, 3.Check fuel system, filter if there if you have one, check fuel line for anyplace it could be sucking air. A engine is relatively easy to trouble shoot, follow the basics,,, go easy…. One more thing, look at your plug good, how is your engine been running?? That plug will tell you… Good luck!!

 

[MadDuner]

Small engine carburetors are notorious for stuck needle and seats and blocked passages.

I would look there.

 

[Gunfighter14e2]

OK, a couple of updates.

First, I have discovered that one of my cul-de-sac neighbors, actually has a propane tank installed! Interesting! Apparently, it was approved as the house did have 1-2 devices that used gas and not electricity. Most of the houses here are "electric" only. I'll have to look into that with both the county and the HOA's ARC to see if I could do it now. If so, then I may be able to do a 22 KW home generator (probably a Kohler).

Second, I had heard reports that the Westinghouse portable gen sets have a nasty failure point... They run great for a bit, but, after a while, you can't get them to start. Sad to say I have contributed to that statistic.

I took the generator out yesterday to test it and to heat it up so I could change the oil and install my new drain valve in place of the standard plug.

But it just wouldn't start. It does "crank," but doesn't catch. I tried everything. I even pulled the manual "lawn mower" like cord to start it (with the manual choke engaged), and nothing. Well, not totally "nothing." I went back to using the electric starter and, believe it or not, it actually did start.... once.... for about 15-20 seconds. It sputtered and bucked and smoked (out the exhaust), and then it shut down. Could not get it to start at all, after that. I even tried the manual back up cord procedure again, and.... nothing.

In the "troubleshooting" section of the service manual, there's a big section for, "Engine won't start" and for "Engine starts but shuts down." The "Possible causes" include the following:

1. Low Oil (it has a sensor for that which shuts the engine down);
2. Dirty Air filter;
3. Spark Plug faulty or "flooded" engine (i.e. spark plug improperly gaped);
4. Fuel filter restricted or fuel pump failure;
5. Bad Gas.

We can eliminate the "low oil" because I filled it full just before attempting to start it. It could be any of the others, though. It's certainly not the "battery switch" being turned off (another possible cause) because it wouldn't crank if that was the case. I don't think the engine is "flooded" because I stop attempting to start for about 1/2 hour each time.

If I had to guess, at this point, I'd say it's the "bad gas." The gas in the gen tank is over 1yr old, but it's "non ethanol" gas that has been treated with STA-BIL. Quite puzzling. I couldn't believe it was the other things (filters, spark plug, etc.), as I haven't even put 10 hours on the generator yet. The oil that was in the reserve (before I added more) wasn't even "dirty." It could also be gunk in the carburetor. One of the YouTube suggestions for that is to apply a little "Gummout" or similar cleaner to clean out the carburetor. I can do that easily.

I can get a "maintenance kit" for like $30.00 (includes spark plug, air filter cartridge and fuel filter). That's easy. If it is bad gas, I can pump/siphon it out and replace it with fresh gas. If it is bad gas, though, I face a dilemma. I still have 10 gals of that "non-ethanol" STA-BIL treated gas in my 5 gal containers as well as what's in the gen tank. If that kind of gas can go bad so quickly, what will that mean in re: "preparedness?" Should I even keep any gas on hand if it isn't going to be used for a over 1 year (even if treated with STA-BIL)? Will I be able to fill my containers at the onset of a power hit if I elect not to store a gas reserve? Probably not. I can get rid of the "bad" gas and replace it every time I rent a car, and I can do that on a regular basis, even without a power hit (perhaps every qtr).

Another alternative (and perhaps a way to test to see if it is bad gas), is to (temporarily) switch to Propane and attempt to start it with a propane tank. I can get a 25lb propane tank without much difficulty. But should I empty the gasoline out of the tank first to minimize the risk of explosion? Does the propane option use the same spark plug chamber (perhaps mandating maintenance of it prior ro testing)? I have seen YouTube videos where his gen wouldn't start and it came down to replacing the spark plug. Fired right up after that.

Anyway, just curious as to your thoughts on the likely cause and what I should try first. Replacing the bad gas is a bit of an effort, so if I can do something quicker/easier (spark plug, air fllter, etc.), I'd like to try that first.

Thoughts? Thanks!

First of all, NEVER allow gas to stay in a small engine carb for 2-6 weeks (depending design)or longer w/o starting the engine. If you are going to store it longer when stopping it TURN OFF the fuel while its running, & when it starts to die down start adding choke to it to drain every last bit of fuel from the carb. If you have done it correctly you will have it fully choked and it will die out from lack of fuel & nothing more.


Sta-Bil is good but it needs help. After adding the Sta-Bil also add 1 Oz's of Marvel mystery oil, or 1/2 Oz of ATF dextron III to each gallon of 100% none ethanol and mix. I add to my storage tanks prior to filling.

My guess is the plug is fouled, remove & clean or replace same, however I also bet your carb is plugged up from gas setting in it. You can clean it or replace it. Gay bay is cheap. Whatever you do do not Touch the speed droop screw that is on the gov linkage, if you do & don't know what your doing you can smoke any load applied to the unit. R&R'ing the carb is simple and should require no adjustments at all, save a minor speed change.

Always keep a spare spark plug, fuel filter, air filter, and units equipped with a low oil shutdown switch one of those as well. If you suspect its the LOS if unplugged it will start & run. If that switch is working properly & its unplugged and there's an oil issue you'll be spending big on a improper diagnosis.

LP or N/G is a great way to go, but you'll lose 15-25% KW output vs gasoline, depending engine design. If the engine is set up as a duel or tri fuel make sure you follow the OEM's directions as many older units require a wire to be plugged in or unplugged to change engine timing depending the fuel its running on. Some its just a switch flip, but read I follow the directions. Some of the latest & greatest require no change at all.

 

[MadDuner]

First of all, NEVER allow gas to stay in a small engine carb for 2-6 weeks (depending design)or longer w/o starting the engine. If you are going to store it longer when stopping it TURN OFF the fuel while its running, & when it starts to die down start adding choke to it to drain every last bit of fuel from the carb. If you have done it correctly you will have it fully choked and it will die out from lack of fuel & nothing more.


Sta-Bil is good but it needs help. After adding the Sta-Bil also add 1 Oz's of Marvel mystery oil, or 1/2 Oz of ATF dextron III to each gallon of 100% none ethanol and mix. I add to my storage tanks prior to filling.

My guess is the plug is fouled, remove & clean or replace same, however I also bet your carb is plugged up from gas setting in it. You can clean it or replace it. Gay bay is cheap. Whatever you do do not Touch the speed droop screw that is on the gov linkage, if you do & don't know what your doing you can smoke any load applied to the unit. R&R'ing the carb is simple and should require no adjustments at all, save a minor speed change.

Always keep a spare spark plug, fuel filter, air filter, and units equipped with a low oil shutdown switch one of those as well. If you suspect its the LOS if unplugged it will start & run. If that switch is working properly & its unplugged and there's an oil issue you'll be spending big on a improper diagnosis.

LP or N/G is a great way to go, but you'll lose 15-25% KW output vs gasoline, depending engine design. If the engine is set up as a duel or tri fuel make sure you follow the OEM's directions as many older units require a wire to be plugged in or unplugged to change engine timing depending the fuel its running on. Some its just a switch flip, but read I follow the directions. Some of the latest & greatest require no change at all.

I have a customer that keeps a spare carb in his RV for his inevitable “problem” while on vacation somewhere. The eBay carbs are cheap enough to be good insurance.

 

[Fx51LP308]

First of all, NEVER allow gas to stay in a small engine carb for 2-6 weeks (depending design)or longer w/o starting the engine. If you are going to store it longer when stopping it TURN OFF the fuel while its running, & when it starts to die down start adding choke to it to drain every last bit of fuel from the carb. If you have done it correctly you will have it fully choked and it will die out from lack of fuel & nothing more.

That's precisely what I did when I used it in real life for the 1st time. It took about 10-20 min. to die down, although I bet I could have expedited slightly by turning on the choke. I will do that I don't recall if I did the same for the 2nd test I did. I may not have, which would explain the issues I'm having.

Sta-Bil is good but it needs help. After adding the Sta-Bil also add 1 Oz's of Marvel mystery oil, or 1/2 Oz of ATF dextron III to each gallon of 100% none ethanol and mix. I add to my storage tanks prior to filling.

I'll look into that.

My guess is the plug is fouled, remove & clean or replace same, however I also bet your carb is plugged up from gas setting in it. You can clean it or replace it. Gay bay is cheap. Whatever you do do not Touch the speed droop screw that is on the gov linkage, if you do & don't know what your doing you can smoke any load applied to the unit. R&R'ing the carb is simple and should require no adjustments at all, save a minor speed change.

First, I will check the plug, as well as spray a little Gummout into the choke port . I may also open the screw at the bottom to drain the carb, and see if that's an issue. I may also check the fuel line itself just below the tank. If it is bad gas, I should be able to feed fresh gas into the fuel line and see if it will start for the little bit of time/fuel I can put into the line. Like you say, plugs are easy and cheap. And I can get those kits with the air filter, plug and fuel filter in them.

LP or N/G is a great way to go, but you'll lose 15-25% KW output vs gasoline, depending engine design. If the engine is set up as a duel or tri fuel make sure you follow the OEM's directions as many older units require a wire to be plugged in or unplugged to change engine timing depending the fuel its running on. Some its just a switch flip, but read I follow the directions. Some of the latest & greatest require no change at all.

I wasn't going to use LP permanently. I was only going to use it temporarily to see if changing the fuel source helped the issue. I just didn't know if I should drain the Gasoline tank first before switching fuel sources. The switch is just one lever that toggles between gasoline and LP. I don't think it requires any wires to change, but I'll check the instructions.

 

[Shivy85]

I had a generac NG 24kw standby generator installed last fall.
Haven't had any outages yet, but the installer demoed how it works when the electric goes out.
It also kicks once a week for 10-15 minutes to run a self check.

Downsides are that its loud and right next to the kid's bedroom. Also not cheap.

Great as long as we have natural gas running...

 

[Gunfighter14e2]

That's precisely what I did when I used it in real life for the 1st time. It took about 10-20 min. to die down,

Put a load on it, after shutting off the gas.

 

[Fx51LP308]

AAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!

And, now that that's off my chest.....

Problem Solved!

But I could kick myself all over the place (and y'all can join me doing the same) .


It wasn't bad gas... or a bad carburetor, or bad spark plug, or bad fuel lines or anything of the sort. It was something much simpler than all of that... simpler.. but incredibly frustrating that I didn't see it earlier.

As I began my diagnostic tests, last evening. I did the obvious "low hanging fruit" stuff first. I open the gas tank and checked and it all seemed perfect. No rust. good color all of that. OK great. Now I'll check the spark plug for fouling. I reach around, ready to pull the spark plug boot off the plug and...

"What????:" WhyTF did it come off so easy???? You guessed! It was loose! It wasn't even on the plug head (ie. not making contact)! Like I said, above, ARRRGGGGHHHHHH!

I pushed it back on, tight. It was too late to start it last evening so I waited until this morning. And, wouldn't ya know... It fired up on the first try!!!! In fact, it was running for about 15 seconds before I had remembered to turn on the fuel line cock (which I did). And it kept going! I ran it for about 1/2 hour and then shut it down via the fuel line cock method. And I remembered to turn on the choke as I felt it starting to go. It went fast. Did not even have to put a load on it.

I went ahead and changed the oil and put in my new drain plug. It works fine, and fit OK. I may have to tighten it just a bit more because there's a very slight drip when its closed. I'll check that.

With the oil changed, I started it up again. And, once again, it fired up on the first try! Sputtered slightly due to the oil recirculating, but it kicked! And all it cost me was a new carburetor assembly and a couple of spark plugs ($60.00). Always good to have a spare carb, I guess.


So, thankfully, we are good to go for the next power hit. And thank all of you for your help!