Starlight Power will guide you to learn the common reasons your generator cannot start.
Check the oil level in
the crankcase. Add oil if the level is low. Keep in mind that attempting to run
the generator on an uneven surface might cause the low-oil sensor to trigger
despite there being enough oil.
2)
It’s out of gas
Check the gas tank to
make sure a sufficient amount of gasoline remains in the tank. Add fresh
gasoline when necessary (to avoid clogs and hard starts, do not use old or
stale gasoline. If the gasoline is older than two months, replace it with fresh
gasoline).
3)
The choke lever is in the wrong position
The choke of any engine
should be set to “closed” during startups and then moved to “open” once the
engine warms up. Depending on the style of your generator, this choke lever may
be positioned in a few different places. On many generators, it can be found
directly above the air filter on the side of the unit. On others, the choke is
builtin to the power control knob (such as with the WEN Inverter series).
Either way, it should be set to closed (also referred to as the start or the
choke position) when starting the generator. Once the engine ignites, move the
choke to the ON/RUN/OPEN position for operation. If the engine is already warm
(for instance, if it was running for a while and you are refueling), the choke
lever should be set to the RUN (open) position for starting.
4)
The fuel valve is closed or clogged
If the gas tank is full,
but no fuel is getting to the carburetor, there may be a problem with the fuel
line or fuel valve. The fuel valve controls the flow of fuel from the gas tank
to the carburetor. Make sure that this is set to OPEN to allow fuel to flow
into the proper channels. If the valve is set to OPEN but the fuel still does
not properly flow, you can do two things. First of all, if there is a vacuum
relief valve on top of the gas tank, make sure that it has been opened.
Secondly, unplug the outlet hose from the intake side of the fuel valve to see
if gasoline is freely flowing or not (have a bucket ready in case the gas flows
fine). This will help you determine what part of the fuel line (if any) is
clogged up. If there is an in-line fuel filter between the fuel valve and
carburetor, also check it to make sure it is not blocked.
5)
The carburetor is clogged or air locked
If you stored your
generator for a long period of time without first draining the carburetor, the
odds are high that it may be clogged by old gasoline. To fix this, shut off the
fuel valve, and then open the carburetor drain found at the bottom of the
carburetor’s bowl. If this still doesn’t work, you can remove the entire bowl
from the bottom of the carburetor and clean out any stale fuel. Clean out the
main jet (the brass nozzle found in the central stem) with a needle. To avoid
this in the future, try to run your generator at least once a month, and never
store it for long periods of time without draining the gas tank and the
carburetor first.
6)
The spark plug needs to be replaced
Overtime, deposits and
buildup can appear on the spark plug. To check this, use the spark plug wrench
included with your WEN generator to remove the spark plug and check for
deposits. Clean the spark plug using a small knife or a similar tool as needed.
Make sure the electrode is properly gapped (check the specifications page of
your manual to see the proper gap for your particular model). To test the plug,
pull the recoil starter while holding the spark plug’s body to the engine
crankcase. If the sparks are strong with a blue color, then the ignition coil
is good. If there is no spark or if the spark appears weak, remove the spark
plug and cap. Put the end of the spark plug wire near the engine’s body and
pull the recoil starter to check the ignition coil. If there are now sparks
appearing between the spark plug boot and engine, then the spark plug needs to
be replaced. If there are no sparks, the ignition coil may need to be replaced.
7)
The low-oil sensor isn’t working properly
If the spark plug is
properly gapped, deposit-free, and still not igniting, it may be that the
low-oil sensor isn’t working correctly. To check this, disconnect the wire
coming from the side of the crank case. This is the wire running from engine’s
body into the low oil sensor, see the images below. The location of this wire
will vary slightly from generator to generator. If the generator starts once
this has been unplugged, then the oil sensor is not working. Many times,
running the engine with this unplugged for several minutes before reconnecting
the oil sensor wire will resolve the problem. Otherwise, the engine may require
a complete tear-down in order to replace the oil sensor.
8)
The battery is dead
For electric start generators, the battery may lose its charge over time due to a lack of use. If
this happens, simply start the generator using the pull starter to add juice
back into the battery. If a recoil starter is unavailable on the unit, you may
need to try alternative methods, such as a third-party battery charger.
9)
Electronics are plugged in during startup
Always make sure all
electrical devices have been unplugged before starting the generator. You
should never have anything plugged into the generator during startups,
including vacant extension cords.
10)
Check the air filter
The air filter may need
to be cleaned or replaced to let the necessary amount of air into the
carburetor for ignition. Open up the air filter housing on the side of the
generator and check the spongy air filter element inside. Clean or replace as
needed.
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