absolutely agree with the part of talking to the customer and giving instruction... I have found it means alot to customers just by talking to them about the product. Not only does it educate them but it instills confidence in your work or repair.
Love the video. I used to be a technician at an outdoor power equipment dealer that sold generac portable generators. Every time one came in for repair I swore up and down the shop I would never work on one again - if there was an electrical issue, the factory literature from generac was so vague about diagnostic procedures as to be completely useless.
I worked for a large Generac dealer and as I got older (semi-retired) they kept me in the shop doing all the portable repairs.... and we took in other brands too. What I found is that many other brands used the same electrical ends so diagnosis was similar. (units of say the last 10 years or so) If the rotor tested good and a voltage regulator didn't fix it (after manually applying field voltage) then the stator was no good. IOW, expensive! (base diagnostic fee and disposal was pre charged)
Professional installation of a Generac generator of 14KW. The homeowner from this point forward learns what they can about the generator, and TH-cam videos many to watch and learn from. Plus, read the owner's manual. Cost $9,000 even with a veteran's discount saving $1,000.
Awesome video thanks. I’ve had my Generac generator since 2005 and actually had very little problem with it except for the fact that the battery exploded. I didn’t think to to neutralize the acid I just tried to wipe it out and it did eat the heck out of the paint and then eventually caused a pretty good amount of rust around the bottom frame. Also one time it wouldn’t start I removed the fuse waited a few seconds put it back in and it started like a champ. I’d say for 18 years of service been pretty damn good and it’s the old crappy ones that you had more problems with. Thanks again for the awesome video when I had some questions in the past they were very little in the way of good videos out there. This one is the best one I’ve seen on a Generac maintenance.
Every 4 years sounds about right to me. $150 batt lots cheaper than a emergency service call. Not that I am trying to make you lose work or anything Rick. Thanks for the great content!
Love the VETO bag, As a Industrial Gen Tech I find I am able to carry 90% of what I need for simple diagnostics and repairs. Just got through a storm here on Cape Cod and it kept my tools dry. Love seeing someone who knows their craft!
Thanks Jesse, it's funny you should say that, I got a comment from a guy yesterday that says I'm trying to make up a story line because this generator read over crank with a blown up battery. 🤦♂️ I don't have time to do crapp like that.
Took a class on generac generators paid a hefty price for the class then find out at the end of the class that I got to renew my certificate I want to say it was every 6 months I may be wrong for damn near as much as I paid for the class nice video brought back memories
@@HVACRSurvival ... our company was one of the ones who pushed for on-line recertification many years ago because we had a long drive to classes and motel rooms were expensive. I have no idea what they charge for the new classes, but books were a major part of the expense. As Murphy's Law would have it, about the time they offered the on-line classes we also got a new location for in person classes that was only a half hour away.
I bought the house, I live in, in 2018. It had this exact Guardian Generac Generator installed already. For a year or so it worked like it's supposed to. I think, around 2020, it stopped doing the weekly test. I never cared. A month ago we had a power outage due to heavy snow. Without power for two days, with 3 teenagers, no internet, live was difficult. Today I opened the generator. It had exactly the same red light. over crank red light. As weather gets better, I will try to fix it. Great video! I do want to know what, the name or model number of this particular unit, is. thanks
Ironically I just serviced my generator as it’s storm season in Queensland, just a little portable unit to run the bare essentials after a cyclone etc. Very easy for anyone to understand and great for beginner mechanics/electricians but I definitely enjoyed your video on these bigger units, one of these would be sweet!
@@HVACRSurvival It’s all good, just love learning anything that might be useful and I can say I’ve been looking for a trade to do and I do reckon HVAC could be something I could get into. 😊👍 (and I want to fix my own AC systems in my vehicles, in Australia 🇦🇺 you can’t even top up your own system without a license. )
Check all the basic settings, chances are you won’t find anything wrong, unfortunately, that was just the unreliability of the first GEN models. It gets very discouraging, trying to come up with a solution then you end up looking like a parts changer.
I disconnect my generac Battery charger and use a 4 amp automatic that charges and maintains. 14.1 volts, 24/7 cooks the water out of the battery. Automatic does not. Ran a extension cord to the inside of generator from a protected circuit to power charger during outages. Generator needs 12 volts during outage to produce magnetic field to produce voltage to your home.
Great video, thanks for sharing. I’m with you though 100%, be nice if these tool companies would bring their production back to the states if they’re going to keep charging the prices they are.
Been doing F&B refrigeration a few years but the past two hurricane seasons had me opening up some Briggs Stratton stand by generators for the first time. Interesting little units but having never even had occasion to touch one before, definitely a learning experience!
@@HVACRSurvival... the biggest problems we faced with B&S (smaller 12 & 15 Kw) is many techs are not familiar with testing capacitors for voltage regulation. Of course the factory didn't make it easy either.
My battery would only last about 3 years in my old Generac. My new Generac seems to be doing better. The battery is 4 years old and test fine. I'm thinking about changing it anyways to play it safe. Like you said, I spent 5k to know that I will have backup power, seems stupid not to spend $100 to know that I will have backup power.
something of note that not everyone notices is this era of machine will store exercise time in memory when it trips on a fault. (provided there's 12 volts available for memory) IOW, it tried to run for an exercise but failed. The next time you hit it to automatic it wants to finish that last exercise. Setting the switch to off and waiting 5 seconds will cancel that exercise time.
The single cylinder units (410cc) are very touchy with the start ups if the valves are out of adjustment. Also NEVER use 30wt in a cool winter climate. I had a customer burn up 2 starters one winter before I realized he was using straight 30wt in his. The starters on the 7-8's are way smaller than the 10-24kws.
We usually run 5w-30 full synthetic, not sure if we did the last service or if it was the people on the sticker. Thanks for your feedback Rob, I appreciate the support👍👍
We have a centurion generac model number 0053950. For last 3 years we have had our regulators go bad. Woodridge told us the lines that Amerigas hooked up from the regulator to the generac was incorrect. So we have had to replace regulators two years in a row. They just charged us $700 to replace our regulators for the third time. There is a 1/2 pipe from tank to generator and Woodridge suggested 3/4 inch pipe. From tank there is a 25lb psi running to second regulator that is10psi . Now our generac starts rough and runs rough And when husband checked it today after power went out it took our generator three tries to start and afterward all the lights were blinking red New regulators were installed November 15 by Amerigas and today is November 23
I’ve got a line conditioner on my battery because of this same thing, but still change my battery every 36 months and if it’s still good I’ll use it in a mower, but not leave it on something that powers my house during a major storm especially with them only being a $60 item. Also I gave up on Wet Cells. Junk screwdriver? That’s a nice electrical screwdriver.
I’m working on a 6kW Ecogen. I want it out of my shop. Runs, but, rough. RPMs are good, Hz is a little low (60). I’d like to know more about how you adjust the fuel regulator? Thanks for the video.
Is it the same old model I showed? If so I would replace the regulator, the rubber gets hard and doesn't flex well. (This is from memory, I might be off, its been several years since I read about it) The factory says to adjust the screw up n down until you reach the highest rpm and back it off just a 1/4 turn. I normally will remove the peg until I'm finished making this check and adjustment. Usually you can just replace the regulator and be done. The main problem I had was hard starts in the cold weather.
Yeah that's another major failure on their part, but they only have so much time to cram that information of how to use the book to find your problem. They've already have it at 3 days for air-cooled which is a long time for the retest people.
In my area we have a crowd of that model genaraters and I've changed hundreds of batteries that have split down the side and it's a mess with acid everywhere
That depends on how much money you want to spend. Value for the money goes to Generac that's why they're one of the best selling generators in the world. If you want the most reliable I would go with probably Kohler. Honda does not have a home standby. Of course this all is depending on residential use. You're in a whole nother scale when you get into Industrial.
Thanks for your video. Question: Will a appropriate amp and voltage generic AGC fuse work as a replacement fuse or do you recommend using an OEM parts?
just use baking soda to neutralize it, make a thick damp paste of it with a bit of water if you want to use it on vertical surfaces and odd shapes. it will foam and fizz of course 😏
have the same model, think starter failed, working on the battery now. but it will crank and start slowing down then nothing. swapping the battery before buy a new starter. any other suggestion? i dont have a lot of tools
I have videos grouped together, all the generators are together which I've only got maybe seven or eight cuz I don't do that many generators anymore. Just disconnect the battery, take a picture of the starter and wiring before you take it apart and take your time, it's just two bolts on the back side plus the bolts that hold the wires if I remember correctly.
Damn son......do you bring your cape with you to work. Hahahaha.....what dont you work on. Lol. You wear many hats......and my hats off to you. Definitely one of my favorite content providers. Keep em coming.
The starter sounds like it has a bad drive. Make sure to check valve lash around every 200 hrs or if the engine has hydraulic lifters make sure the compression release is working properly.
Yeah I didn't check the valve clearances, Generac always push that but most of these generators are lucky if they've got 25 to 75 hours on them. I've only had maybe one that was just slightly out otherwise they have always been at their .003" tolerance area. Thanks for sharing and thank you for watching!
@@HVACRSurvival it seems like it’s a little bit of a hassle but after dealing with one I decided to do a little research and found out why my cub cadet mower kept burning up starters and ruining batteries. A cheap fix and no issues with hard starting. I appreciate your comment.
@@HVACRSurvival ... in some areas the low hours is common, but after all of those week long outages we've had in the last 10 years they are all over due. Personally, if I have a plug out I check the valves. I also gap at 0.004" to avoid tight valves and hard starting. Plug gap at 0.025" on any older unit as well.
Question for you, can these old generacs be used as a common old gen set. I have one i would like to remove electronic junk and take power directly. No automatic nothing. Thanks Fred
Do you have information on why the weekly cycle does not set on a 16KW generator 2005 vintage. It was doing it before but stopped. Followed instructions but no success, took out fuse to reset and still did not set. Thanks
2009 17KW Generac has long cranking times in very cold temps during the weekly exercise. Unit has about 125 hours, Generac Tech adjusted the valves, I changed the plugs and the battery is new. The problem continues. It doesn't set an "over crank code" or any other warning light or message. The cranking RPM is good. It will stop cranking when it doesn't start, then quickly attempts another start on its own, which will finally get it started. The choke plate is not stuck and the solenoid plunger is moving around during cranking. Once running, it runs fine. If I do a manual start the rest of the day, it's fine. It was -5°F this morning. Any ideas?
About all you can do is add the cold weather kit that has the oil filter and battery warmer. They made a lot of improvements to the newest models program module to help it start in the cold. My experience has been that the older ones were problematic and wasn't much you could do to make them better.
Battery charger or weak battery. You need a meter to test what the draw is on the battery and if the battery charger is putting out the required voltage.
Depends on how much you want to spend. Do you want something just to get by that's cheap go with the generac. The newer ones are a lot better than the ones you've been seeing me do videos on but they still have enough problems to where I am very leery of them. The portable generac units are fairly good, I haven't had any problems with them but all the extra stuff in their first generation standby generators from 2005 through 2012, I had a lot of issues, the last few years have been pretty good. Generac made made a lot of improvements on the things that I constantly had issues with.
14.1v Is a good voltage for a battery. most vehicles charge at 14.4v. I think the reason it kills batteries is because the power from the gen will not be smooth dc current! If its killing batteries then it will be a bad diode in the rectifier.
@@HVACRSurvival ... you have to remember that this charger also supplies 12 volts to the gas solenoid and voltage regulator during an outage. This was the era when they went away from having a 12 volt winding on the stator and just grabbed live voltage to the battery charger.
@technical you are exactly 💯 correct. Your supposed to recheck it under full load. This was a 7kw generator so it wouldn't be hard to load it up, the larger 22-25kw take more resources to reach full load. A load bank makes it much easier but are big money.( Unless you build one with a electric furnace. ) then that's just a resistive load.
Do you work on generators or are you a homeowner? If you work on generators you'd realize that if the battery isn't working the thing doesn't crank, only the electronics or powered so it doesn't know whether it really cranked over or not. These are very stripped down, non-logical control boards. So yes it did address the problem you just don't understand the equipment, sorry 🤷
So the battery explodes and then we show over crank .I do not buy that also that unit looks like it has been down for years, What else are you selling.
Well old-timer I really don't care whether you buy it or not bud. It sets outside and is likely 14 years old so it will look old🤦♂️. Here's what the manual says about you not knowing what your talking about. 😘 (Overcrank Shutdown) This feature prevents the generator from damaging itself when it continually attempts to start and another problem, such as no fuel supply, prevents it from starting. The unit will crank and rest for a preset time limit. Then, it will stop cranking, and the LED on the generator control panel will light indicating an overcrank failure. The AUTO/OFF/MANUAL switch will need to be set to OFF and then back to AUTO to reset the generator control board. 👉👉Incase you think it will have a low battery alarm then here is that information. (LOW BATTERY) The microprocessor will continually monitor the battery voltage and turn on the Low Battery LED if the battery voltage falls below 11.0 volts for one (1) minute. No other action is taken on a low battery condition. Low battery voltage is a non-latching alarm which will automatically clear if the battery voltage rises above 11.0 volts. Battery voltage is NOT monitored during the crank cycle. THE BATTERY CHARGER KEPT THE VOLTAGE ABOVE 11V BUT DID NOT MEASURE VOLTAGE WHEN IT CRANKED! IT DIDN'T CHECK AMPS AVAILABLE, ONLY VOLTAGE...🤣 THAT'S WHY THE ONLY OPTION WAS OVER CRANK🤟
@@HVACRSurvival ... bottom line is the over-crank light will come on if the control board's call for cranking exceeds the preset time allowed... AND ... the unit fails to start. This holds true for both mechanical and electrical problems within the start system. A failure to deliver proper fuel flow for starting / running can also cause an over-crank condition, as well as an ignition issue. Basically anything that keeps the engine from starting will turn into an over-crank, including tight valves, blocked intake, or a locked up engine. (usually that's a second attempt by the customer who just added oil)
I went to Kohler to get trained on the Lennox generator they built in 2007 area. It was Day And Night difference between Generac and Kohler. They no longer let you tour the plant at Generac and I seen why, I was not impressed how they over worked the employees. Its no wonder why Kohler is better built.
GENEJUNK! Absolute garbage. Good luck with support from Generac after the sale. Once they got your money, they don't wanna know you. I cringe whenever I gotta work on one those turds.
If you're referring to my pliers I used you obviously must be in Stonehenge? Better check those out before you decide to criticize because those are probably more money than what you would normally spend then
Looks like lithium iron phosphate battery will be a good candidate for replacement because it can take the higher voltage from a defective regulator if it’s too aggressive with a slightly too high charging voltage . Or the alternative fix is to remove the diode regulator assembly from the factory unit wire in a aftermarket external with a adjustable voltage regulator to correctly charge a lead acid battery Yes the lithium iron phosphate batteries are much more expensive but if you want a long life durability and you can literally cycle them up to their regular voltage say 3000 times to 12,000 times and if you lower their voltage and only charge them like a normal lead acid battery you should be able to cycle them anywhere from 15,000 to 20,000 times because he will be putting them under no stress Should last you about 15 years to 20 years That’s the advantage of lithium iron phosphate
That won't work, they require a special charger. First they are charged in a constant current mode and then constant voltage to a specific point. Lead acid chargers are way too simplified for this and will destroy those batteries. You could do this upgrade if you also installed a dedicated charger that followed a specific charge profile.
@@FrozenHaxor The reason I say that because we do this in the automotive. Using iron phosphate. You make enough cells so the voltage is higher requirement than what the automotive charger charges that this way the lithium iron phosphate never gets 100% charged for its potential capacity actually increasing the length of the battery life. One of the HVAC instructors who used to be a technician I worked with many years ago turned me onto this. We have unlimited supply two brand new Fisker battery cells that were knew that were replaced under warranty because the circuit boards were bad but the cells were in good condition. we would strip them down from there 24 V configuration and replace car lead batteries. Each cell has a normal voltage of 3.2 V times five would give you a 16 V battery. The automotive charging system would only charge it up to 14. 8 V. That would give you 2.96 V Per cell which is under there 100% charge rate. So you’re never stressing them and pulling them up to 100% charge of 3.2 V As if you were trying to charge him absolutely to 100% top capacity at 3.6 v I have one running inside my Prius C one installed in my ex-wife‘s Prius and two more installed in both my sons Prius. Because the Prius batteries are so damn expensive at roughly $240 apiece to $300 I like things that are free and last for years.
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absolutely agree with the part of talking to the customer and giving instruction... I have found it means alot to customers just by talking to them about the product. Not only does it educate them but it instills confidence in your work or repair.
Bingo, communication problems are why we have most of the problems in this world.
Love the video. I used to be a technician at an outdoor power equipment dealer that sold generac portable generators. Every time one came in for repair I swore up and down the shop I would never work on one again - if there was an electrical issue, the factory literature from generac was so vague about diagnostic procedures as to be completely useless.
I worked for a large Generac dealer and as I got older (semi-retired) they kept me in the shop doing all the portable repairs.... and we took in other brands too. What I found is that many other brands used the same electrical ends so diagnosis was similar. (units of say the last 10 years or so) If the rotor tested good and a voltage regulator didn't fix it (after manually applying field voltage) then the stator was no good. IOW, expensive! (base diagnostic fee and disposal was pre charged)
Professional installation of a Generac generator of 14KW. The homeowner from this point forward learns what they can about the generator, and TH-cam videos many to watch and learn from. Plus, read the owner's manual. Cost $9,000 even with a veteran's discount saving $1,000.
Awesome video thanks. I’ve had my Generac generator since 2005 and actually had very little problem with it except for the fact that the battery exploded. I didn’t think to to neutralize the acid I just tried to wipe it out and it did eat the heck out of the paint and then eventually caused a pretty good amount of rust around the bottom frame. Also one time it wouldn’t start I removed the fuse waited a few seconds put it back in and it started like a champ. I’d say for 18 years of service been pretty damn good and it’s the old crappy ones that you had more problems with. Thanks again for the awesome video when I had some questions in the past they were very little in the way of good videos out there. This one is the best one I’ve seen on a Generac maintenance.
Check out my actual video on maintenance. I'll post the link
Every 4 years sounds about right to me. $150 batt lots cheaper than a emergency service call. Not that I am trying to make you lose work or anything Rick. Thanks for the great content!
I don't like working on them anymore so I'm not out of anything🤣👍👍
@@HVACRSurvival Haha fair enough man. Those earlier models aren't fun anyway. Don't blame ya
Love the VETO bag, As a Industrial Gen Tech I find I am able to carry 90% of what I need for simple diagnostics and repairs. Just got through a storm here on Cape Cod and it kept my tools dry. Love seeing someone who knows their craft!
Thanks Jesse, it's funny you should say that, I got a comment from a guy yesterday that says I'm trying to make up a story line because this generator read over crank with a blown up battery. 🤦♂️ I don't have time to do crapp like that.
Took a class on generac generators paid a hefty price for the class then find out at the end of the class that I got to renew my certificate I want to say it was every 6 months I may be wrong for damn near as much as I paid for the class nice video brought back memories
It use to be every 2 years now its every year thanks to the c19, lately its been done online only. It's a total flipping rip off.
@@HVACRSurvival ... our company was one of the ones who pushed for on-line recertification many years ago because we had a long drive to classes and motel rooms were expensive. I have no idea what they charge for the new classes, but books were a major part of the expense. As Murphy's Law would have it, about the time they offered the on-line classes we also got a new location for in person classes that was only a half hour away.
I bought the house, I live in, in 2018. It had this exact Guardian Generac Generator installed already. For a year or so it worked like it's supposed to. I think, around 2020, it stopped doing the weekly test. I never cared. A month ago we had a power outage due to heavy snow. Without power for two days, with 3 teenagers, no internet, live was difficult. Today I opened the generator. It had exactly the same red light. over crank red light. As weather gets better, I will try to fix it. Great video! I do want to know what, the name or model number of this particular unit, is. thanks
I have no idea what the equipment numbers are at this time , I don’t personally keep record of that. The office does but I can’t access it.
Ironically I just serviced my generator as it’s storm season in Queensland, just a little portable unit to run the bare essentials after a cyclone etc. Very easy for anyone to understand and great for beginner mechanics/electricians but I definitely enjoyed your video on these bigger units, one of these would be sweet!
Thanks Darcy! I really appreciate the support!
@@HVACRSurvival It’s all good, just love learning anything that might be useful and I can say I’ve been looking for a trade to do and I do reckon HVAC could be something I could get into. 😊👍 (and I want to fix my own AC systems in my vehicles, in Australia 🇦🇺 you can’t even top up your own system without a license. )
I have an overcrank issue on mine, same model. But only when it's above 50 degrees. Hopefully I'll get it figured out. About to go into storm season.
Check all the basic settings, chances are you won’t find anything wrong, unfortunately, that was just the unreliability of the first GEN models. It gets very discouraging, trying to come up with a solution then you end up looking like a parts changer.
I replace my battery every 2 1/2 years to three max my generator is 27 years old it is the biggest at the time 20 Kw Still runs great and I love it
I disconnect my generac Battery charger and use a 4 amp automatic that charges and maintains. 14.1 volts, 24/7 cooks the water out of the battery. Automatic does not. Ran a extension cord to the inside of generator from a protected circuit to power charger during outages. Generator needs 12 volts during outage to produce magnetic field to produce voltage to your home.
I have no problem doing what you're saying, I can't tell people to do that, my luck they Will do something wrong and blame me.
The book says it's a smart charger and doesn't charge constantly. Is this an improvement to the old charger I wonder?
Truly professional Technician well spoken description love the video
Thank you kindly
Great video, thanks for sharing. I’m with you though 100%, be nice if these tool companies would bring their production back to the states if they’re going to keep charging the prices they are.
Exactly right.
Been doing F&B refrigeration a few years but the past two hurricane seasons had me opening up some Briggs Stratton stand by generators for the first time. Interesting little units but having never even had occasion to touch one before, definitely a learning experience!
This past August Hurricane Ida a lot of units ran two weeks straight.
I didn't like the Briggs design much, I've only worked on one or two of them. Not impressed
@@HVACRSurvival... the biggest problems we faced with B&S (smaller 12 & 15 Kw) is many techs are not familiar with testing capacitors for voltage regulation. Of course the factory didn't make it easy either.
My battery would only last about 3 years in my old Generac. My new Generac seems to be doing better. The battery is 4 years old and test fine. I'm thinking about changing it anyways to play it safe. Like you said, I spent 5k to know that I will have backup power, seems stupid not to spend $100 to know that I will have backup power.
You got that right.
something of note that not everyone notices is this era of machine will store exercise time in memory when it trips on a fault. (provided there's 12 volts available for memory) IOW, it tried to run for an exercise but failed. The next time you hit it to automatic it wants to finish that last exercise. Setting the switch to off and waiting 5 seconds will cancel that exercise time.
The single cylinder units (410cc) are very touchy with the start ups if the valves are out of adjustment. Also NEVER use 30wt in a cool winter climate. I had a customer burn up 2 starters one winter before I realized he was using straight 30wt in his. The starters on the 7-8's are way smaller than the 10-24kws.
We usually run 5w-30 full synthetic, not sure if we did the last service or if it was the people on the sticker. Thanks for your feedback Rob, I appreciate the support👍👍
Lol.. just went there today for this job and had to replace the starter. Not because of the oil but just because of the age.
We have a centurion generac model number 0053950. For last 3 years we have had our regulators go bad. Woodridge told us the lines that Amerigas hooked up from the regulator to the generac was incorrect. So we have had to replace regulators two years in a row. They just charged us $700 to replace our regulators for the third time.
There is a 1/2 pipe from tank to generator and Woodridge suggested 3/4 inch pipe.
From tank there is a 25lb psi running to second regulator that is10psi . Now our generac starts rough and runs rough
And when husband checked it today after power went out it took our generator three tries to start and afterward all the lights were blinking red
New regulators were installed November 15 by Amerigas and today is November 23
Totally electrifying subject matter! Lol 😆 Great work.. you're very good at customer service. 👍
I try to treat them how I WISH I would be treated. It never happens in reverse for me.
@@HVACRSurvival so true you're supposed to treat a person the way you want to be treated anymore seems like we are number.
I’ve got a line conditioner on my battery because of this same thing, but still change my battery every 36 months and if it’s still good I’ll use it in a mower, but not leave it on something that powers my house during a major storm especially with them only being a $60 item. Also I gave up on Wet Cells.
Junk screwdriver? That’s a nice electrical screwdriver.
It looks like a Klein but it's a no name cheapo. I agree on the 36 month thing👍
just getting into this career, these videos are great ; thank you
You getting into hvac or generators only?
@@HVACRSurvival generators specifically
I’m working on a 6kW Ecogen. I want it out of my shop. Runs, but, rough. RPMs are good, Hz is a little low (60). I’d like to know more about how you adjust the fuel regulator? Thanks for the video.
Is it the same old model I showed? If so I would replace the regulator, the rubber gets hard and doesn't flex well. (This is from memory, I might be off, its been several years since I read about it) The factory says to adjust the screw up n down until you reach the highest rpm and back it off just a 1/4 turn. I normally will remove the peg until I'm finished making this check and adjustment. Usually you can just replace the regulator and be done. The main problem I had was hard starts in the cold weather.
Maaaan great infoo, going to air cooled class, they dont really talk about these older units, happy holidays!
Yeah that's another major failure on their part, but they only have so much time to cram that information of how to use the book to find your problem. They've already have it at 3 days for air-cooled which is a long time for the retest people.
good video, have the same model, not charging, you mention something about a triekle chargeris there a video for that
I'd be interested as well on a trickle charger video
In my area we have a crowd of that model genaraters and I've changed hundreds of batteries that have split down the side and it's a mess with acid everywhere
I hear what you're saying. It sucks
Great informational video. Thanks Rick once again.
Thank you for the video.
From your experience what type of generator ( not gas ) would you recommend .
Tks again
That depends on how much money you want to spend. Value for the money goes to Generac that's why they're one of the best selling generators in the world. If you want the most reliable I would go with probably Kohler. Honda does not have a home standby. Of course this all is depending on residential use. You're in a whole nother scale when you get into Industrial.
@@HVACRSurvival thank you
It is helpful, i was thinking generac or Kohler, o would say between 5k to 8k , just a 3 bedrooms house.
I appreciate buddy.
The Generac techs in my town won’t fix things the way you do, they recommend buying a new unit. 😢
That’s because the poor training they got today doesn’t cover these old units and people are just lazy.
What type of blower was that , i tried to read the brand but couldn't, i saw it was red , i think I will buy one.
That is a Milwaukee M18 blower.
@@HVACRSurvival tks
I am getting one now
Great videos for techs like me. Always something to learn.
Thanks Jeff, I like pointing out what my past experiences are.
@@HVACRSurvival I really appreciate it. I watch every generator video you post.
Awesome, thanks Jeff!
It should be a given that anybody that services these units clean the inside of the generators cabnets!!!
I have to wonder if a smart charger monthly would be better for the battery
That's what I use on my portable.
My General is even older than this one. It still runs. I replace the battery every 3 years.
Thanks for your video. Question: Will a appropriate amp and voltage generic AGC fuse work as a replacement fuse or do you recommend using an OEM parts?
As long as the voltage, amperage and type of delay is the same then it should be fine.
just use baking soda to neutralize it, make a thick damp paste of it with a bit of water if you want to use it on vertical surfaces and odd shapes. it will foam and fizz of course 😏
My Generac is older than this one I think. But it still runs.
have the same model, think starter failed, working on the battery now. but it will crank and start slowing down then nothing. swapping the battery before buy a new starter. any other suggestion? i dont have a lot of tools
There’s several different things it could be you just gotta work your way through the list.
Hey Rick, new to channel. Haven’t seen all of them but do you have a video on changing the starter out on Generac?
I have videos grouped together, all the generators are together which I've only got maybe seven or eight cuz I don't do that many generators anymore. Just disconnect the battery, take a picture of the starter and wiring before you take it apart and take your time, it's just two bolts on the back side plus the bolts that hold the wires if I remember correctly.
@@HVACRSurvival Thanks Rick
Damn son......do you bring your cape with you to work. Hahahaha.....what dont you work on. Lol. You wear many hats......and my hats off to you. Definitely one of my favorite content providers. Keep em coming.
🤣👍👍It feels like it sometimes, thanks man!
Thanks again for the videos!
🥃🥃🍺🍺🍺🍿🎯
Stay safe.
Retired (werk'n)keyboard super tech. Wear your safety glasses!
The starter sounds like it has a bad drive. Make sure to check valve lash around every 200 hrs or if the engine has hydraulic lifters make sure the compression release is working properly.
Yeah I didn't check the valve clearances, Generac always push that but most of these generators are lucky if they've got 25 to 75 hours on them. I've only had maybe one that was just slightly out otherwise they have always been at their .003" tolerance area. Thanks for sharing and thank you for watching!
@@HVACRSurvival it seems like it’s a little bit of a hassle but after dealing with one I decided to do a little research and found out why my cub cadet mower kept burning up starters and ruining batteries. A cheap fix and no issues with hard starting. I appreciate your comment.
Your welcome, these engines don't have a valve release.
@@HVACRSurvival ... in some areas the low hours is common, but after all of those week long outages we've had in the last 10 years they are all over due. Personally, if I have a plug out I check the valves. I also gap at 0.004" to avoid tight valves and hard starting. Plug gap at 0.025" on any older unit as well.
Question for you, can these old generacs be used as a common old gen set. I have one i would like to remove electronic junk and take power directly. No automatic nothing. Thanks Fred
You need a way to regulate voltage and engine speed. It can be done but I'm not sure it would be any better vs the way they were built originally.
@@HVACRSurvival I'm in the scrap and salvage business, so will toss it. I have Hobart welder generator i use now only 12 kw for the generator portion.
Do you have information on why the weekly cycle does not set on a 16KW generator 2005 vintage. It was doing it before but stopped. Followed instructions but no success, took out fuse to reset and still did not set. Thanks
Someone told me that there was a glitch in the board and you could get around it but most of the time I just replaced the board.
Good one Rick 👍
Thanks Mr. Bowman👍👍
Ah something different today . Good vid as usual 👍👍👍🎃🎃🎃
Have much issues with the newer Generac RG027's?
The newer generators are a lot better. A lot of the issues are installation errors.
2009 17KW Generac has long cranking times in very cold temps during the weekly exercise. Unit has about 125 hours, Generac Tech adjusted the valves, I changed the plugs and the battery is new. The problem continues. It doesn't set an "over crank code" or any other warning light or message. The cranking RPM is good. It will stop cranking when it doesn't start, then quickly attempts another start on its own, which will finally get it started. The choke plate is not stuck and the solenoid plunger is moving around during cranking. Once running, it runs fine. If I do a manual start the rest of the day, it's fine. It was -5°F this morning. Any ideas?
About all you can do is add the cold weather kit that has the oil filter and battery warmer. They made a lot of improvements to the newest models program module to help it start in the cold. My experience has been that the older ones were problematic and wasn't much you could do to make them better.
I put a lock on the box and put the key inside the electric panel because most technician know to look there for the key
That works👍. A bolt is cheaper 🙂.
My preferred generator is a 2 stroke pull start generator and all you got to do is run an extension cord on inside and Away you go
Mine is a portable 4 stroke
What would cause the battery to keep draining or dying?
Battery charger or weak battery. You need a meter to test what the draw is on the battery and if the battery charger is putting out the required voltage.
Nice video. Easy fix.
I’ve got one just like it. My problem is when the utility power shut down it doesn’t turn on any videos on how that should be fixed.
😂🤣👍👍. I know what's wrong but I can't tell you without being recorded.😏
Nice video Rick. You rocking a new Veto bag?
Actually my new bag was the tech pack MC. The free bag was the veto MB3 that I use the most🤦♂️😃
Good video buddy 👍
Thanks man!
so whats the best generator ?
Depends on how much you want to spend. Do you want something just to get by that's cheap go with the generac. The newer ones are a lot better than the ones you've been seeing me do videos on but they still have enough problems to where I am very leery of them. The portable generac units are fairly good, I haven't had any problems with them but all the extra stuff in their first generation standby generators from 2005 through 2012, I had a lot of issues, the last few years have been pretty good. Generac made made a lot of improvements on the things that I constantly had issues with.
Very interesting.
Good times.
seems all that generator needs is a "whole new after market electronics and fuel regulator!"
"old is the new new!"
The motors haven't changed much, they just added an electronic governor and choke, otherwise their exact same dang thing
Does that fluke check capacitors?
@charles hall yes it does. It's a Fluke 376fc if you want to check it out.
Great video👍
Thank you for the feedback! I'm glad you like it!👍👍🤜🤛
I saw you removed the acid with you "bare" hands. doesn't eat that stuff your hand off? just a honest question.
I wash my hands soon as I'm done, I try to not get it on them but it does happen. I haven't noticed any sort term issues.
greetings sir; thank you......................g
Best to service battery every 6 months I think and replace every 2 years
Thats a option. I guess it depends on how dependent the person is on the generator.
So what did that sticker say that you removed
The company's name that was servicing it before us. They didn't have a very good reputation.
I have the same meter I got the I flex cable for it to
They are nice, I have two of them with the flex, I got one from Fluke to replace my Amprobe meter and the one you seen I got cheap on marketplace.
@@HVACRSurvival I paid 500.00 for mine
Great
You sound just like Owen Wilson to me.
Your crazy 🤣
Are you in South Florida?
Ohio
Is there anyway we could speak with you?
What do you want to talk about?
14.1v Is a good voltage for a battery. most vehicles charge at 14.4v. I think the reason it kills batteries is because the power from the gen will not be smooth dc current! If its killing batteries then it will be a bad diode in the rectifier.
It's more of the rate of current than the voltage. A trickle should be around 1 amp or less
@@HVACRSurvival ... you have to remember that this charger also supplies 12 volts to the gas solenoid and voltage regulator during an outage. This was the era when they went away from having a 12 volt winding on the stator and just grabbed live voltage to the battery charger.
More like every week
Why 62.5 Hz? Because it slows down to 60 Hz under load?
@technical you are exactly 💯 correct. Your supposed to recheck it under full load. This was a 7kw generator so it wouldn't be hard to load it up, the larger 22-25kw take more resources to reach full load. A load bank makes it much easier but are big money.( Unless you build one with a electric furnace. ) then that's just a resistive load.
👍
Thanks bud!
👍👍👍
I had a battery blow an me when i hit the manual start....scared the doo doo out of me lmao
I bet that was interesting. Reminds me of when a capacitor blew up right before I opened the case.
@@HVACRSurvival homeowner came running outside like...what was that....you ok? Somebody shooting?? Lol
gloves
Rick you need some gloves before you touch them chemicals mate , that stuff is nasty .
I'm a American... we do dumb stuff all the time 🤣
@@HVACRSurvival 😂
Nothing in this video addresses an Over Crank problem.
Do you work on generators or are you a homeowner? If you work on generators you'd realize that if the battery isn't working the thing doesn't crank, only the electronics or powered so it doesn't know whether it really cranked over or not. These are very stripped down, non-logical control boards. So yes it did address the problem you just don't understand the equipment, sorry 🤷
So the battery explodes and then we show over crank .I do not buy that also that unit looks like it has been down for years, What else are you selling.
Well old-timer I really don't care whether you buy it or not bud. It sets outside and is likely 14 years old so it will look old🤦♂️. Here's what the manual says about you not knowing what your talking about. 😘
(Overcrank Shutdown) This feature prevents the generator from damaging itself when it continually attempts to start and another problem, such as no fuel supply, prevents it from starting. The unit will crank and rest for a preset time limit. Then, it will stop cranking, and the LED on the generator control panel will light indicating an overcrank failure. The AUTO/OFF/MANUAL switch will need to be set to OFF and then back to AUTO to reset the generator control board.
👉👉Incase you think it will have a low battery alarm then here is that information.
(LOW BATTERY) The microprocessor will continually monitor the battery voltage and turn on the Low Battery LED if the battery voltage falls below 11.0 volts for one (1) minute. No other action is taken on a low battery condition. Low battery voltage is a non-latching alarm which will automatically clear if the battery voltage rises above 11.0 volts. Battery voltage is NOT monitored during the crank cycle.
THE BATTERY CHARGER KEPT THE VOLTAGE ABOVE 11V BUT DID NOT MEASURE VOLTAGE WHEN IT CRANKED! IT DIDN'T CHECK AMPS AVAILABLE, ONLY VOLTAGE...🤣 THAT'S WHY THE ONLY OPTION WAS OVER CRANK🤟
@@HVACRSurvival ... bottom line is the over-crank light will come on if the control board's call for cranking exceeds the preset time allowed... AND ... the unit fails to start. This holds true for both mechanical and electrical problems within the start system. A failure to deliver proper fuel flow for starting / running can also cause an over-crank condition, as well as an ignition issue. Basically anything that keeps the engine from starting will turn into an over-crank, including tight valves, blocked intake, or a locked up engine. (usually that's a second attempt by the customer who just added oil)
This is a 1st generation generator. New ones are 4th generation, with many more improvements.
Exide is not a good battery. Deka is a good battery.
Better than a Walmart battery🤣
@@HVACRSurvival idk Walmart everstart is about the only battery worth a damn anymore. Average about 6 years.
@@HVACRSurvival I get good service from wally world batteries. A little bit of care also helps.
@Joe You get a good one sometimes
Dummy's seem to buy Generac!! Go Kohler!
I went to Kohler to get trained on the Lennox generator they built in 2007 area. It was Day And Night difference between Generac and Kohler. They no longer let you tour the plant at Generac and I seen why, I was not impressed how they over worked the employees. Its no wonder why Kohler is better built.
👍🇹🇷🛠️🤳🍻
GENEJUNK! Absolute garbage. Good luck with support from Generac after the sale. Once they got your money, they don't wanna know you. I cringe whenever I gotta work on one those turds.
🤜🤛👍👍🤑🤑
#133 Thumbs uP
"I dont provide technical details cause techs...."
Then uses a pair of multigrips on a nut lol
The techs would be cringing
If you're referring to my pliers I used you obviously must be in Stonehenge? Better check those out before you decide to criticize because those are probably more money than what you would normally spend then
Knipex for the win.
Exactly David👍, it's the nature of the field to speak before knowing what we're talking about 🤣
Looks like lithium iron phosphate battery will be a good candidate for replacement because it can take the higher voltage from a defective regulator if it’s too aggressive with a slightly too high charging voltage .
Or the alternative fix is to remove the diode regulator assembly from the factory unit wire in a aftermarket external with a adjustable voltage regulator to correctly charge a lead acid battery
Yes the lithium iron phosphate batteries are much more expensive but if you want a long life durability and you can literally cycle them up to their regular voltage say 3000 times to 12,000 times and if you lower their voltage and only charge them like a normal lead acid battery you should be able to cycle them anywhere from 15,000 to 20,000 times because he will be putting them under no stress
Should last you about 15 years to 20 years That’s the advantage of lithium iron phosphate
That won't work, they require a special charger. First they are charged in a constant current mode and then constant voltage to a specific point. Lead acid chargers are way too simplified for this and will destroy those batteries. You could do this upgrade if you also installed a dedicated charger that followed a specific charge profile.
@@FrozenHaxor The reason I say that because we do this in the automotive. Using iron phosphate. You make enough cells so the voltage is higher requirement than what the automotive charger charges that this way the lithium iron phosphate never gets 100% charged for its potential capacity actually increasing the length of the battery life.
One of the HVAC instructors who used to be a technician I worked with many years ago turned me onto this. We have unlimited supply two brand new Fisker battery cells that were knew that were replaced under warranty because the circuit boards were bad but the cells were in good condition. we would strip them down from there 24 V configuration and replace car lead batteries.
Each cell has a normal voltage of 3.2 V times five would give you a 16 V battery.
The automotive charging system would only charge it up to 14. 8 V.
That would give you 2.96 V Per cell which is under there 100% charge rate.
So you’re never stressing them and pulling them up to 100% charge of 3.2 V
As if you were trying to charge him absolutely to 100% top capacity at 3.6 v
I have one running inside my Prius C one installed in my ex-wife‘s Prius and two more installed in both my sons Prius.
Because the Prius batteries are so damn expensive at roughly $240 apiece to $300 I like things that are free and last for years.
Generic-Crackerator. 🥳
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