We got absolutely destroyed where I live with a snowstorm on Thursday. We lost power around 7am and I rolled out the portable 10K Briggs and Stratton generator. I put some gas in it that was in my shed and it ran for a few hours then died. I think the gas was a little older than I thought. I couldn't get out to go anywhere because trees were down everywhere and I was basically trapped at home. The next day I got some carb cleaner in the am and some Stra Tron fuel stabilizer. I pulled the carb off and cleaned it with the cleaner drained the old gas and added fresh gas and added the Star Tron. It ran for about 9 hours without isseu then conked out again. I got it restarted and it ran for about ten minutes then died again. I am debating whether or not to have it serviced or possibly buy a new generator in the portable 8k-10k range. This generator is a Briggs and Stratton Elite Series. Does anyone know how it compares to other brands and if there are better more reliable models from other brands?
Honda or Yamaha are probably the best If buying a new generator look into a inverter The best thing to do with a generator is only use ethanol free gas and still treat the gas with star-tron. The other thing I do with my equipment that doesn’t get run often is I start them once a month and let them run 10-15 minutes and with my generator I also put a load on it
Obviously this isn't the size you're looking for but might give you some insight. Consumer Reports used to be reliable when it was a paper magazine over 20 years ago. Looks like there's a link in there to a "generator buying guide" of theirs. Harbor Freight vs. Honda Generator Face-Off - Consumer Reports
Not exactly sure on your model but some had a low oil shutdown mode. I ended up with a Dewalt wit electric start. I'm thinking it's in the 8-10K range. Bought it 2 years ago and haven't needed it since.
If you have a reputable shop in your area let them have a look. Intermittent issues are always a pain but it can be something simple many times. The more gadgets and doodads they add on to these things, the more often they fail. Lots of lipstick on pigs.
Its probably the carb. Take it to a shop or just order a new one and swap it out. Does it habe a fuel filter anywhere?
Another tip is to let your generator run about every 3 months as previously mentioned, but when you go to shut it down turn off the gas to the carb. that way it won't gum up on you if it's empty. I have a Honda and it's been a great unit a 6800 watt I believe. Carburators are cheap compared to a new unit I would have someone take a look at it.
I'd try soaking the carb or looking at the fuel lines. maybe something is in the tank itself blocking. Don't know if your genset has the low oil shutoff sensor but I'd check that as well. seems simple enough to attempt to get it running again hopefully.
Any brand of genny is subject to gasoline issues...e free gas helps a lot with that though. As has been mentioned, it's possible that it could be something else though...I'd check it out before replacing it. Running the genny out of fuel is better than leaving fuel in it, but to eliminate the possibility of the carb getting gunked up, it really needs to be drained via the drain screw/bolt...just turning the gas off and running it until it quits leaves some gas in the bowl, which quickly turns to goop, and after doing this a few times you'll often end up with a plugged up carb anyways. A good way to eliminate fuel issues is to go with a dual fuel model...gasoline/propane is common...propane can be stored pretty much indefinitely. If you have nat gas then that would be the way to go.
I own two portable generators. We went years without one. Went a week without power before I bought one. First one was too small. I think about 5 k Second one about 9K. I am no longer able to pull it in and out of the storage area and to fuel it. I have to depend on my adult son to hook things up. He waits until we have been without power for several hours before he is willing to hook it up. So, I have contracted for a Generac 18K to be installed that will run automatically. That is costing me about 10 grand. July is the installation time. Lots of jobs lined up ahead of me. Seems others are doing the same thing. We are getting too many bad storms with lines down for extended periods. (rated worst service in the country.)
Just the convenience of having that generator that switches on automatically will be the best piece of mind you can have.
I fully agree with that. I am on Bipap 12-14+ hr. a day so the power is good if I want to breath when not sitting upright.
We had a General XT8000E for a number of years for power outages. No complaints on it, it started every time I turned the key, or when the battery was dead pulled the cord. It’s at my in laws place now as they have multiple buildings that need power. We put in a Kohler stand by generator in the summer of 2020, and bought and buried a propane tank for it. It has a little over 200 hours on it so far, and worth every penny. No digging it out and setting it up, worrying about having enough gas for it.
For a person in your situation, needing constant but not much power, I would seriously recommend one of these things they call "solar generators". Don't worry, you don't need solar. It's just a battery pack with an inverter so that you can have immediate silent power without hassling with a fueled generator. They come in lots of sizes. Many can also be lumped together to run a home for days but you do need to charge up the battery somehow at some point. I like the solar generator idea because I don't want to run a generator all night and I also don't want to run a big, noisy, gas hog genset when all I need to power is a few lights and the fridge. Fire up the big dog when you need to charge the battery pack or run something like a well pump, AC, or electric water heater and then shut it down and run stealth. If you're really into it, you can also buy solar panels to keep them charged too but for your special needs I would recommend you consider the solar generator.
