Generator Won't Run under Load

[Billhook]

I bought this generator new and have not used it for some time.  It has done no work and basically is as new.  I emptied the fuel and put in new fresh fuel.  Pull started and it fired up first time and ran smoothly as you can hear at the start of this clip.It will continue to run in this mode until the tank empties  It is rated at 2300 watts but as soon as I pulled the trigger on the 1150 watt De Walt saw it cuts out.  It then is very difficult to start again but eventually goes after fiddling around with the choke lever.

I took off the carb and found it to be like new inside, but I still blew it out.  Took out the screw on the fuel chamber and fuel pours out easily so there is no blockage there.  Took out the float and needle valve both spotless.  Electronic ignition seems to be ok  Any ideas??

 

 

[scbk]

Is the saw soft start? It might be too big a load for the genny on startup?

[adw]

That’s fuel starvation for sure.

[Billhook]

26 minutes ago, adw said:

That’s fuel starvation for sure.

Agree , but it pours out of the float chamber when I remove the drain bolt, I have cleaned the main jet and everything in the carb, so what have I missed??

[dumper]

Are you sure it’s fuel my money is on the alternator is it producing 240/ 110 volts

[Squaredy]

9 hours ago, Billhook said:

I bought this generator new and have not used it for some time.  It has done no work and basically is as new.  I emptied the fuel and put in new fresh fuel.  Pull started and it fired up first time and ran smoothly as you can hear at the start of this clip.It will continue to run in this mode until the tank empties  It is rated at 2300 watts but as soon as I pulled the trigger on the 1150 watt De Walt saw it cuts out.  It then is very difficult to start again but eventually goes after fiddling around with the choke lever.

I took off the carb and found it to be like new inside, but I still blew it out.  Took out the screw on the fuel chamber and fuel pours out easily so there is no blockage there.  Took out the float and needle valve both spotless.  Electronic ignition seems to be ok  Any ideas??

 

 

Have you tried it with a different tool?  As was mentioned earlier maybe the circular saw is not soft start and therefore the initial surge is too much.  Odd that it struggled to run afterwards with no load, but will it run other tools or a heater?

[Dan Maynard]

10 hours ago, scbk said:

Is the saw soft start? It might be too big a load for the genny on startup?

This would be my guess too. 

[Billhook]

On 28/05/2023 at 09:49, Dan Maynard said:

This would be my guess too. 

I have tried two saws, one the 1300 watt DeWalt and the other I believe a soft start mitre saw 1899 watt

both caused immediate shut down .    I will try a lead lamp  and a small planer today, both will work with my little 550 watt Kawasaki generator.

What I find confusing if it was the case that the motors were too hefty to start, is why does it take so long to restart.  I would expect it to cut out in a slightly different way if it was fuel, perhaps a bit more spluttering and stop starting.    Again when restarting after a pause, I would expect the fuel to have recovered enough to run on no load as it does in the beginning.

This I agree sounds very much like fuel starvation, but as sherlock Holmes said  "Once you have eliminated all possibilities, the answer however improbable must be the only thing that is left"   Could it therefore be some problem with the electronic ignition.

[Dan Maynard]

Would certainly be interesting to try resistive load, ideal would be a small heater, iron, travel kettle, something like that. I was just pondering if there's a problem with the governor mechanism, as when you increase the load it should increase fuel to keep the revs up. Could be something sticking because the machine hasn't been used much?

 

Otherwise it's something else, like you say elimination process. I hired a stump grinder once which would cut out randomly as I got deeper, first thought low oil as they have a switch. Turned out actually the wire from the oil switch rubbing on the engine block had gone through the insulation on a corner so when the machine leaned the wire moved slightly and shorted out.

[Mick Jones]

May be worth having a look at the main jet again. I have had similar twice this year both with Honda/Loncin engines. Main jet restricted but not fully blocked. I took it to be caused by ethanol fuel stood in carb/tank for a while. Those little carb cleaning brushes are ideal for gummed up jets.