What Is the Most Common Problem With Generators?
Stale fuel. Westinghouse says the most common problem with generators, portable ones at least, is fuel left sitting until it gums up the fuel system. Here's how to spot it, plus the generator faults that follow close behind.
Stale Fuel and a Gummed Carburettor
This one's straight from the maker. The Westinghouse iGen2250 manual says the most commonly experienced faults with portable generators are directly attributable to contaminated or stale fuel, and that those faults aren't covered by the warranty.
So the most common failure is also the one you pay for yourself.
Why Petrol Goes Stale
Westinghouse says fuel stored for as little as 30 days can go bad, leaving gum, varnish and corrosive build-up in the fuel lines, fuel passages and engine. That build-up restricts fuel flow and stops the engine starting after a long sit.
Honda is even more cautious. Its fuel recommendations say fuel can deteriorate in as little as 15 days depending on where you are, and that very warm storage and a part-filled tank speed it up. That's most Australian sheds in summer.
Signs of Stale Fuel
The Westinghouse troubleshooting table lists stale or contaminated fuel against two symptoms: the engine won't start, or it starts and runs rough. The fix it gives is the same for both, drain the fuel and refill with fresh.
Honda's GX engine manual adds that deteriorated petrol leaves gum deposits that clog the fuel system, and if that happens you may need the carburettor and other fuel parts serviced or replaced.
Fixing and Preventing It
If it won't go after sitting, drain the tank and start again with fresh fuel. If it still won't fire, that's usually carburettor cleaning and a job for a small-engine mechanic.
Prevention is cheaper. Westinghouse says run the generator at least once a month for 30 minutes at no less than a third of its load, or prepare it properly for storage. We've set out the timeframes in how long a generator can sit unused.
Other Common Generator Problems
Once the fuel's ruled out, the Westinghouse troubleshooting table and owner forums keep landing on the same handful.
Low Oil Shutdown
The first cause Westinghouse lists for a generator that won't start is low oil level. Plenty of portables stop the engine rather than let it run short of oil. The Westinghouse iGen2250 has a low oil shutdown and alarm, and the Hyundai HY2000si shuts itself down if the oil gets low.
Owners on the US-based Boom & Bucket equipment forum say the same: if it's not starting at all, check for a spark plug issue or the low oil shutdown kicking in. How often to top up and change it is in how often generators need oil.
Overloads and Tripped Breakers
Plug in too much and the generator cuts out. Energex says don't overload a generator above its rated wattage, and allow for appliances with motors using three to four times their running rating as they start.
Westinghouse also lists a connected load as a reason it won't start, so unplug everything before you pull the cord. If the breaker's tripped, here's how to reset a generator circuit breaker, and the generator size guide will tell you if it's simply too small for the job.
Flat Starter Batteries
Electric-start models add a battery to the list. Woodstock Power, a US generator dealer, says battery failure is one of the most common issues a generator faces, because batteries wear down with age and any damage or stress.
A battery that sits for months loses charge, so either keep it on a maintainer or pick a recoil start. The Briggs & Stratton P3500 is pull-start only, with no battery to go flat between trips.
Spark Plugs and Air Filters
Both are cheap and both stop engines. Westinghouse's troubleshooting table lists a dirty or blocked air filter as a cause of rough running, and its maintenance schedule has you clean the air filter every 50 hours or three months and check the spark plug every 100 hours or six months.
One of the Boom & Bucket owners keeps a spare spark plug and fuel filter on hand because those two cause the most random headaches.
Surging and Flooding
A generator that hunts up and down, or floods and won't fire, is usually fuel or air again. We've covered why a generator surges and what causes a generator to flood.
One owner on the Caravaners Forum ran about ten Honda EU1.0 generators in bush camps in Papua New Guinea. Their only issue was the fuel tank vent. The generators ran dry overnight, the cook refilled them and shut the vent, but left the on switch, which doubles as the fuel tap, turned on. The tank pressurised and filled the sump with fuel, which caused problems with the bores and bearings.
So what's the most common problem with generators? Stale fuel, by the maker's own account. Run it monthly or store it properly, check the oil every time, and most of the rest never shows up.
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