Generac Honeywell Generator RPM Sense Loss & Random Problems Model 60341

The customer was made aware that the gas line should be 1" I.D. and that the gas company should verify the fuel regulator and gas meter are sized and operating properly for the full load of the generator and the appliances in the home. The homeowner was also made aware of the vibration absorbing gas line that should have been installed but was not. As of Dec 2018, the customer has not had another problem with the generator locking out. I believe the problem goes back to the quite test mode being an issue as it has been for me in the past. I recommend not using the quiet mode.
The original description is below.
Generac generator has had problems in the past starting and running. The video is long but I show compression testing, fuel pressure checks, voltage drops, starter amp draw, magneto test, and several other checks and tests in an attempt to find the random problem. Generac Honeywell Generator RPM Sense Loss & Random Problems Model 60341
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[@HVACRSurvival]

👉👉👉FYI this is not a DIY channel.👈👈👈 I make these videos to try to help other technicians that work on these generators that have already been properly trained and have gone to generator class. 👉👉👉If you're having problems with your home stand-by generator please contact your local authorized Generac dealer.

[@henrykarp1865]

thank you or this video ! very informative , and well done !

[@HVACRSurvival]

Thanks Henry👍👍

[@HVACRVIDEOS]

Very interesting , I have never worked on a generator and honestly am not an engine mechanic, but your explanation was very logical and your troubleshooting technique is on point! Great job Rick

[@HVACRSurvival]

Chris-I was into electronics, Vo-ag, computers and anything but motors coming out of school but I was so bored with residential I wanted to learn something new. So in 2006 I went to my first training class in Wisconsin at the factory. There fairly simple design but about every hvac company sells them around here. Glad you was able to stay awake 30 minutes. Lol

[@Ryukotsu22]

This might be the case of a "Manufacturing Fault" I know at some point when they have intermittent issues like this and the problem is hard to detect, it can possibly be a factory fault. So hopefully they are within their warranty, but if not the (Relay, Starter Motor & Control Board) may need to be replaced, in that order to resolve the intermittent issue.

[@benherbst6822]

On the nexus units the intake boots go bad and you get a lean mix. Fast test is if your in lp set it to ng, if it fires thats your issue, if your in ng, close the air box an spray the intake tube w/ either....

[@klanglala7577]

That was an awesome video.

[@HVACRSurvival]

I appreciate you taking the time to let me know🤜🤛👍👍

[@murrayhill4016]

I believe I have discovered an intermittent bug in the Guardian controller. If you have run the generator using a manual start, for any reason - cleared a fault code and want to test it, or you have been away for a couple weeks, etc.; when you want to end the test run AVOID USING THE STOP BUTTON. Instead, press the AUTO button. If there is no backup power demand at this time, the generator will shut itself off and be ready to start on the next start command, whether it be from the controller (i.e. a power outage has occurred) or with a manual start command. I have found that using the STOP button can result in the next start command failing with a "Loss of RPM Sense" code. This only crops up about once in twenty start cycles, after being shut down each time using the STOP button (plus Enter, unplugging the 7.5 Amp fuse and putting it back in, etc.). I did not write the firmware in the controller's micro processor, but it seems like going from running on Manual to pushing AUTO, lets the controller go through a shut down routine that leaves the RPM Sensor register in a positive/confirmed state, and while cranking the engine, the controller will be in a zero fault status. However, by shutting down the generator using the STOP button, intermittently the controller will see a Loss of RPM fault status, and interrupt the starting process. I could be wrong, but going from running on Manual to pressing the AUTO button, has eliminated starting problems on my Generac Guardian backup generator.

[@jcook69camaro]

looked like you main gas pressure dropped way down during cranking. could it be a bad regulator at the gas meter?

[@silverbankruptcy]

That gas line size looks suspect. The drop in gas pressure probably reflects that line size being unable to cope with the demand.

[@bubbadoodah]

I had a 24kW installed and the installers required the gas meter be upgraded to a larger one.

[@HVACRSurvival]

I seen that several times, sounds like they did the proper research👍👍

[@dimbulb6443]

When I was a kid, to check the magneto on our three wheeler, my grandfather made me hold a screwdriver by the shaft -_-.

[@donbangert]

I got called out for a suspected warranty issue on a newer Evolution 2 unit with the same code. Plugs were gapped to 0.040" where they were supposed to be 0.020" and the exhaust valves had zero lash. It was recently serviced by the local electrical shop, but they are not factory certified to do warranty work I had to call the owner to let him know what I found. Not a warranty issue; just incomplete service work.

[@cavemanballistics6338]

I am a ASE master tech of 40 years, you did a thorough diagnosis starting with the basics. Even though you came up with no definitive answer for the problem you did a textbook job. WELL DONE!!

[@HVACRSurvival]

Thank you! I believe he hasn't had any problems since I was there over a year ago.

[@johnwicked9301]

A lot of of these tech don’t know shit. But they are full of shit.

[@matthewcarini1265]

@@HVACRSurvival could I get a copy of that manual for generac? I know you said you had a digital copy

[@djterrorist4819]

Generac systems are so stupid ….rpm sense loss can be from a dead battery to no fuel to a faulty stepper motor , starter or even a bad battery terminal …oh yea and a fuel regulator issue smh certified generac tech for 9 yrs trust me these things are crap

[@bigrigJim]

a tighter plug gap can make a BIG difference when starting. Remember , a magneto puts out more power the faster it spins, so when cranking there isn't a lot of juice to make a spark. I have had many units that were a little slow starting , and making the plug gap tighter made all the difference in the world.

[@HVACRSurvival]

I have had the factory recommend a tighter gap on propane. But that was years ago. But you say makes sense. 👍👍

[@mikejennings681]

Becaise that Generac.

[@christopherbarth6501]

I got this error yesterday on my 2 week old 2024 24k (propane) generac. My engine cranked the first time, but did not start, and then after that didn’t crank at all. I noticed my fuse on the top panel looked crooked and not seated properly. I pulled it out and put it firmly back in and the generator worked perfectly after.

[@HVACRSurvival]

I’m glad you got it fixed without a lot of additional problems. 👍👍

[@tonioyendis4464]

This fixed your rpm sensor fault?

[@christopherbarth6501]

@@tonioyendis4464 yes it did. sometimes I get the RPM sensor fault when I run out of propane as well.

[@dgc7321]

Generac makes garbage generators....period!

[@HVACRSurvival]

What brand do you like?

[@hardchines]

I would say the gas pressure dip is just a normal dip if line size is marginal, a resovour (small tank) in line near the gen will make it go away completely, could install when the flex hose is installed, and it should be installed! nice video thx very much and to DM all I can say is WA WA WA

[@HVACRSurvival]

Thank you, what your saying is what what I was thinking as well. 👍👍

[@chadfengel]

And the owner put the negative cable on upside down. Ugh!!!!!! I was gonna mention "quiet mode" but you just wrapped up the video with that hypothesis. I'd have to agree that quite mode is ridiculous. And now the Evolutions run 5 minute exercises and if the installer put it quiet mode the oil looks like coffee with creamer. Hell even at 3600 rpm 5 minutes wont get rid of the condensation and the oil still looks like that of the gen hasnt ran much under a load between oil changes. Frustrating we cant change the run time.

[@HVACRSurvival]

That's news to me about the 5 min run time, we don't sell a lot of them compared to my last place so I'm behind on the newest ones. I have to go back to class again, what a waste of money.

[@MrNaildriver01]

I have one of the older ones it's 7KW about 12-13 years old now never had a single problem with it. Was just running the other day when the power went out for about 2 hours.

[@HVACRSurvival]

Sometimes you get lucky.

[@rigakit]

Customers lie , Start your car once a week.

[@jeffsignore7953]

Great video. Don’t worry about the length it’s very informative. Thanks!

[@Harrypizzalover]

A true mechanic, good videos man I’ve ripping motors apart since I was 13 years old . A true mechanic can fix it all

[@luisburgos8067]

Thanks for the answer , Today I checked with the meter all my outlets in the house. The voltage is fluctuating between 116v-120v. Also I have a surge protector in the main circuit breaker and another one in the transfer switch.. I know I’m not a technician and it can be risky but I have an emergency in Puerto Rico. No power and no water where I live since 17 of September.. I have no idea what can be the problem…

[@johnbaptist7476]

O brother where art thou . 1 Question 😊 ? On the old version generac generator , on the fuse panel on all of them I have positive curent , but from the 12 fuses , only 7 places get Electercity , what can be wrong Sir 🙏 NAMASTE

[@ksssilver]

i mad at Generac generator because "RPM Sens Loss" error. I called technition many times they change part many things still not good condition. it is money sucker. finally i shut it off then bought other maker. it means design failure. it means not reliable for power loss. just money sucker.

[@HVACRSurvival]

I prefer my portable units. The old ones were bad money suckers. I nick named them Gener-Junk

[@evan1kx125]

This is a common easy fix, this era 17+20kw units run a quite test mode during exercise which keeps choke shut, causing rear spark to foul out after a few months if theres been no power loss. Switch off quite test mode and problem fixed due to running at full rpm which keeps choke fully open.

[@dwniu2000]

Sometime my generator will throw this error code in cold weather because weak battery can't start the generator

[@HVACRSurvival]

Add the cold weather kit.

[@MrPrios1]

Try new spark plugs. I do that after about 2 years of service which is only about 15 to 60 hours on average.

[@selec21]

Great video! The guy that taught our class said the same thing about quiet mode. It confuses the generator, and is useless. Also we run into battery problems a lot, Not enough cold cranking amps, loose terminals.

[@HVACRSurvival]

Battery issues are a big killer.

[@123ABC-Machine-Basics]

The original Generac home standby was the "Gen II" that was produced back in the 1980's , it was basically Generac's RV generator mounted in an enclosure with a real funky control system that only worked half the time - absolute junk , hated working on them, what they have now is better .

[@jamesmooney5348]

These things just don't look fun to work on...

[@HVACRSurvival]

It usually happens when you need it most, during a rain or snow storm or extremely cold temperatures, basically the worst scenario

[@PaulCTownsend]

Intermittent problems are tough to deal with sometimes.

[@mattgunter7148]

Great video! Quick question… Is it possible to check the brushes besides taking the unit apart to look at them? That might have been the last test you performed, but I’m not sure what that actually was for. Thank you!

[@HVACRSurvival]

You can test the resistance from the voltage regulator out. But the best way is to visually inspect it and test it at the brushes.

[@mattgunter7148]

Thank you!!:)

[@nelsonpalomo2688]

Hola saludos , cómo contactarte para consulta de estos equipos ... Gracias

[@Ivansgarage]

Yup that's one thing being a mechanic, ya can't fix it if ain't broke...

[@garymiller3194]

Mr. Generator man try to change out a flex plate on a 150 KW yeah

[@luisburgos8067]

Very helpful video, I’m not a technician but I have some mechanical knowledge.. It happened the same to me , when I changed the battery and adjusted the valves I fixed the problem… I have a question?? Now when the generator is running the lightbulbs are blinking everything else works fine . Somebody told me to replace the voltage regulator.. I need advice on that ???? Thank youuuu

[@HVACRSurvival]

You need to check the voltage output, if you don't have a meter I wouldn't advise you to run it anymore until it's verified correct, you may end up blowing something up in the house. At this point it's time for you to call somebody that knows your type of generator.

[@juanwaller1942]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@thehvachacker]

Don't discard mount. You will need it to lift the engine. Those stepper motors get hung up at times test 12. I replaced many stepper motors on these generac carburetors get hung up on occasion. Worked on every test except when I OHM It failed test 12. the stepper motor had uneven resistance on both coils. The resistance should be the same. Quiet mode sucks sounds like it wants to stall the whole test. You should have run it and warmed it up. I had stepper motor on a Kohler a few weeks ago hunt only when it ran for a while and started hunting. when it was cool it ohmed good when hot it failed. Your start relay contact points might not always make contact test 56. To check gas pressure leave the plastic air deflector in place and take the top gas port off the regulator you can test from there, or use a bushing on the drip leg outside the genset. Your gas pressure drop on start was too much. That generator is starving for gas that could create an rpm sense lose. Is there a pool heater connected to the gas line...

[@HVACRSurvival]

I keep a set of the motor mounts in my box. Whenever I have changed a motor or the stator, I've never used them but yeah I keep a set just in case. You are correct the gas line should be one inch going over to the unit I noted that earlier in the comments. Those are all good things to consider for my next problem like this. Thanks for mentioning those. At this place of employment, I'm not running near the calls I used to run, so like anything, use it or lose it.

[@thehvachacker]

I understand not working on these enough and feeling rusty at times. In 2011 I was sent to Wisconsin for gen University at Generac. It was a 2 week training course and you have the books so you at least took the 3 day course. Generac I think has one of the most serious train ing I ever been through. So 9 hours of class and shop work to get followed by 4+ hours of homework. After I went to this class which focused mostly on larger machines and doing nothing but generator start ups my employer always wanted know why troubleshooting problems would take so long. My first generac failure was the brushes during hurricane sandy. Not a fast repair. Now lots of the 2011/2012 gen sets are aging and the starting to break down. Many repairs takes awhile just to get to the part. Your test 18 could lead you to test 60 which puts you on the magnetos. It takes me minimum an 1-1/2 - hours just to get to the magnetos if I have to replace them.

[@HVACRSurvival]

@@thehvachacker I was commercial certified prior to being here. I just never worked on many of them. I've always been one that wants to be above everyone else for learning so I never got the update classes for the residential because they would grandfather you into the residential. So all the new technology such as Nexus and evolution I never been to class on until this year. I just learned it as I went. Plus I do so many other things besides just this it's hard to be good at everything. That's the realization that I had to finally come to grips with. Sounds like you must do a lot of them if you got the tests numbers memorized.

[@thehvachacker]

​@@HVACRSurvival The company I work for has close to 600 gensets out there. Like you pointed out in the video you need to document test results before contacting Generac for tech support or warranty. The last Generac issue about a month ago was an under voltage. The generator was hunting and shutting down. Coil resistance in test 12 failed. Then after replacing the carburetor since it is one piece on the newer evolution controllers. To get it to run yet still some hunting and had almost 70-hertz output. Test 60 failed while testing the magnetos. A bad diode which is tested on wire 18. Replaced the magnetos and it ran perfectly after that. I like your videos not many with techs working on Generators. I just wish we had a way to share with those we wanted not the whole world. As you pointed out your not making this for homeowners.

[@HVACRSurvival]

@@thehvachacker you can make them private and then share the link directly. That's about the only thing I know you could do. When I have a problem with something weather its a generator, a meter or whatever I will make the video, make it private and then contact the factory and say watch this and that way it doesn't make them mad that I posted it and yet they can see firsthand what's going on.

[@michaelrauff734]

Current spec on the oil is 5w-20 GEO oil. Conveniently it's a proprietary Generac only blend. Allegedly good for all Generac application up to 150kw. Not shure how I feel about drinking that Kool-Aid. They used tons of different engines over the years. But for my valuable 2 cents you can always gap the plugs tighter than the book value just not wider. Personally I set all the plugs I deal with to 0.020" and have not had return trips for no start issues relating to plugs. I did find a set of plugs once that refused to start at 0.023" but when reset to 0.020" started up just fine. And yes the book says the correct answer was 0.030" for that engine.

[@HVACRSurvival]

When i first started some of the older Generac guys recommended 0.02 as well, I believe that, my feeling is they were paid to design this and if they can't figure out how they wanted the damn thing set that's their own flipping fault. I don't recommend these standby generators, They're a waste of money, they're not reliable but if you have to rely on it because you're physically unable to get a portable then this is what you're stuck with or you buy a different brand. Today's current ones are much better, this is a lot older unit. Also in the book they showed multiple different oils depending on where you lived at, for where I live at in Ohio that was the best choice for multiple different temperature ranges. And that's still the same today and they never have told me that they had to have just a particular oil that they make. And I was certified up to 250,000 Watts at one time.

[@johnbaptist7476]

Hi again the s gap in old & new one all are.30 thanks for your response .🙏👏

[@michaelrauff734]

14:31 the engine is partly flooded, until it can get the engine rpm high enough drag more air into the mix and lean the mix out. Incoming fuel pressure for natural gas is max 7"H2O. Your meter showed 8"H2O.

[@HVACRSurvival]

The fuel regulator doesn't have issues until it gets over 13" w.c. this is the same regular used for both LP and natural. (LP is rated up to 13") The reason they worried about the pressure being too high was the solenoid might not open. The problem hasn't returned and this was recorded over two years ago. (This must have worked) There's a reason why I knew exactly what was going to happen, this is an ongoing problem with these older models. I've spent hours and hours on the phone with tech services to never come up with anything, this wasn't my first problem like this. There was an issue with these older ones and they did not address it, if they did I didn't hear about it. I hardly ever work on them anymore. The desire is dead

[@robbyschemonia3089]

I'd kill to have one of these at my house...

[@willfriar8054]

Lowe's is selling Bunches of flood-damaged ones. You could probably make a deal but then again it might be hooked up to 250 gallons of propane and blow your house up. There's no such thing as a good deal

[@joeybaker597]

My generac starts but the starter will not disengage without unhooking the blue wire at starter

[@BrianD-ds4dx]

I’ve read over all of the comments and watched the video. Firstly, really enjoyed the video and the troubleshooting steps. It reminds me of a trip to my ex father in laws house to check out an issue with his Generac 36KW. Yes, it’s a big house on Houston. He had been getting his Gen serviced by a company that mainly dealt with Kohler, and had dropped anout 5k in repairs. First thing I found was that the tech had put the wrong size fuse in which was….interesting to say the least. Gen then started fine but I’d noticed that the gas install was poor to say the least. Flex was used in a way it should not have been. Gas line was coming out of the house, which was a clear indicator Gen had been installed at time house was built (Note: ex FIL had NOT been original owner). I located the gas meter on the other side of the house and was shocked to find that the meter had a standard regulator with 7 in WC. Meter was….80 feet from Gen. One thing we do when we bid the install of a Gen regardless of brand is recommend upgrading to a 2psi meter. We explain to the customer the fact that various appliances pull gas differently. We then illustrate how those add up, and then actually add it all up! Tankless heaters are great but boy do they burn gas! If the customer doesn’t want the upgraded meter they sign an acknowledgment that they are declining despite it being recommended. One other comment on the FiL--400 amp service 200amp ATS. Which was installed against all existing codes. Builder installed generator and did so to stay within budget. Screwed up the install completely by doing so. The gen will continue to have alarms depending on what gas is being used by the appliances indoor. So, by the builder cutting corners on the install, a nice pricey unit sits there and will never work correctly. You get what you pay for. Clearly the customer cares enough to get a competent tech out to inspect and repair. Get the install done correctly up front. Period. Don’t go bottom dollar or you will run into issues! Also to poster…you mentioned Briggs and Kohler as alternatives to Generwreck, but not Cummins….what gives ?

[@HVACRSurvival]

@Brian thanks for the support! I agree, a lot of cutting corners leads to a half rounded job. 😁

[@zeebeefpv2273]

Doing a 24kw install, and it looks like they have upped the CCA rating on the battery requirement to 650. I noticed this eliminates all your 'cheaper' battery choices, but maybe that was a real problem with these occasionally...

[@HVACRSurvival]

Good to know information👍👍

[@FLYBOY123456789]

hummm, for an engine that doesn't run very often, seems to have a lot of problems...maybe buy a Honda...just saying.

[@HVACRSurvival]

Bingo

[@joeshearer1247]

The supply gas pressure looked like it was the problem unless that dive at startup is normal

[@HVACRSurvival]

I agree it does dip down, it's just the recovery time of the regulator. I'm pretty sure every generator that has a regulator seems to have done that. That's also why they put an expansion tank there after the fuel solenoid sometimes to attempt to give it some reserved capacity. Good eyes.

[@joeshearer1247]

N.W. Ohio HVAC Videos I don't know anything about these expensive generators but they interest me for sure and I enjoyed the video. That gas line doesn't look like it had a single clamp on it and crooked as can be right across the window. I guess the son installed it

[@HVACRSurvival]

@@joeshearer1247 Not sure if he did it or not, it's not the ideal location where I would have put it at.

[@throttlebottle5906]

exactly, 100% fuel starvation, it's dropping way too low on start up, causing severe lean out(bog and backfire), then it's over-speeding pretty bad trying to catch up. First the gas line is undersized, adding a "large chamber" to smooth the flow and supply some fuel while giving the regulator, meter and line flow to react and catch up. that red handle gas valve is big restriction, replace with full port ball valve. pipe may not be reamed, probably too much dope inside at joints which restricts volume. Second thing, the paint looks fairly fresh on all the gas equipment, I'm willing to bet they got paint up on the regulator vent screen and maybe into it, which causes slow reaction. I'd say they need both a licensed gas fitter and the gas company to check and upgrade. low pressure fuels with instant high demands are a pain to deal with. same starvation issues occur on "tankless" heaters, nuisance lockout, seemingly random flame outs..

[@HVACRSurvival]

@@throttlebottle5906 I've seen pressure drops happen over and over again, even when the gas line is sized properly . I would have preferred to see it respond on a water manometer or a magnehelic gage because of the slow response the digital sometimes has. In attempts to remedy the drop I've had everything from Gas Company's coming out and digging up the check valves and upgrading meters etc etc and a lot of times the result ends up being no difference. I did check the book and gas line is under-sized. It should have been 1 inch over to the unit. If you have been dealing with customers any amount of time now, you know the next thing your going to hear is "why is it just now acting up after this many years." Then you talk them into spending the money to correct what you know is the one of the problems, then they bitch about it and then usually nothing changes. Even though it's now been corrected to Industry standards, now you're the bad guy trying to rip them off . As it stands they haven't had any problems since I was there. As I said in a video, the exercise was set for quiet mode, which I think is the biggest BS thing they've came out with. It does not allow the generator to get as hot as it needs to be to boil out the moisture in the oil, and because of the way they shut it down to achieve this, the motor runs like crap and can easily dropout on multiple failures in colder climates. If these were fuel injected, almost all the problems would be resolved. Except for one issue, = the cost of the generator.

[@fitter70]

Whoever ran that natural gas line should be slapped. They ran it front of a window/ doorway and its not secured nearly enough.

[@HVACRSurvival]

Agreed 👍👍

[@ramalingeswararaobhavaraju5813]

Thank you so much to N.W.Ohio HVAC Videos for teaching to test generator problems. Thank you so much sir.

[@HVACRSurvival]

You're welcome. I mean it's a start, that's definitely not everything but it's a good start.👍

[@mhamma6560]

Had a 14kw that refused to crank at all out of the box (mine)-- Pulled out the starter relay that's under the panel and found it to be inadequately spec'd for the job it was asked to do. Replaced w/ a 40a 12v relay (it's only 12v switching) and it's worked perfectly since. Per the relay MFG, the relay didn't even have a 12v rating.

[@HVACRSurvival]

Sometimes you got to do what you got to do. Glad you was able to get it👍👍

[@ajones8699]

Fist professional... I've seen grease spark plug threads.

[@HVACRSurvival]

Well it's not really grease, it's anti seize. I've been told auto mechanics have done it for quite a awhile. If you think about it you're putting a metal spark plug inside of another metal device of the engine, whether it be the same type of metal or a dissimilar metal there's still a chance of that metal becoming gaulded or stuck if it's left in there for a long duration of time. Generally if a spark plug is getting changed on a routine basis it's not a big deal but usually they are forgotten until it's an afterthought, spark plugs and the anti seize, (for the amount that you're using) is cheap extra protection, just like a seatbelt. Do a internet search on the Ford Triton spark plug issue. See what happens when they don't change the spark plugs for a 100k plus thousand miles. I'm being proactive, giving my customer more than they paid for. It's a total reverse logic from what this industry or any industry does. Unfortunately very few people give two farts and a flush about the workmanship they do nowadays. Not saying I'm the only one that cares but when I do pay someone to do something for me, which is almost never, I generally never get good service to the level that I try to give others. It just doesn't seem right to me but I understand I'm a little more OCD than most people .

[@mhamma6560]

@@HVACRSurvival Use anti-seize on all spark plugs and exhaust bolts including EGR where equipped. You should fully coat the threads, particularly the first few closest to the electrode. As it screws in it can coat the rest of it. I don't chance it though, always completely coat threads, never had an issue.

[@HVACRSurvival]

@@mhamma6560 yeah I don't see no problem with coating the whole thing. I think anything's better than nothing. And most people do nothing of the sort. Thanks for speaking up👍👍

[@donaldpainter956]

Could they have possibly hooked the battery up backwards and caused those problems

[@HVACRSurvival]

That didn't happen here.

[@timmalloy5353]

I noticed in the video he was saying it was cranking slowly. During a compression test, both spark plugs should be out. Engines will crank slow with compression on the one cylinder. Simple to forget! I've done it myself. These are the hardest kind of problems to solve. Great troubleshooting, and very smart tech! Anyway, great video!!!

[@HVACRSurvival]

Thanks Tim! You're correct on the spark plug removal. And don't forget to kill the gas stop.. lol

[@my5092nv]

This is a very informative video. Thanks!

[@brandonfaulkner4721]

2 biggest complaints are: no easy way to check/ adjust coils No easy way to inspect brushes. If 4 & 0 are open is it brushes or the rotor....major disassembly to physically see brushes

[@HVACRSurvival]

I know your pain. I have not been happy with how much needs to be done to diagnose or repair the genset.

[@saws_n_stuff]

Great video. You do an excellent job of thinking through what the problem might be and how to diagnose that scenario. This is very helpful. Thank you very much!

[@HVACRSurvival]

I appreciate the feedback and the view👍👍

[@josecornell293]

Can you give the names of the manuals you been using for the generators. I noticed you had them in your last video.

[@HVACRSurvival]

If you go thru the class they give you all of them to down load. You might be able to find them on there site.

[@Tito8149]

Awesome video I work on these here and there mostly do commercial very entertaining video, I like the Evo controller rather then tha nexus

[@HVACRSurvival]

Thanks so much for the positive feedback! GenerJunk has been getting better over the years😁

[@garymiller3194]

And the the oil seal at the same time

[@fitter70]

Just subscribed today. You very good troubleshooting skills. I enjoy your videos.

[@HVACRSurvival]

Thank you so much for the sub and the feedback! It means a lot!

[@josephpuchel6497]

Hey excellent video tutorial break down diagnostic. I work on small engines and would say valve lash check , weak spark. I would like to get into generator repairs.

[@HVACRSurvival]

They're not picky about who they let in so there's no reason why you can't do it if you're already work on engines. I did not work on engines much, I was more electrical and electronic.

[@theshaddowaust]

I do know with some gen's the battery can some times be too close to the regular and with the way it draws in the atmosphere on the diaphragm it can be restricted and that can cause many faults, just something to think of.

[@HVACRSurvival]

I never heard of that before, so that's something I definitely will keep in the back of my mind. The battery can only sit in there so many ways, so what do you do about it? I mean generally the battery has a pocket that it sets in depending on what model it is. Is there a particular KW that you've noticed this on?

[@HVACinSC]

Great video! Keep up the good work!

[@HVACRSurvival]

Hvac in SC- THANKS SO MUCH! I enjoy watching your videos as well! Glad to see you stopped by. 👍🏻👍🏻

[@coreysoumis5891]

Trying to figure out similar issue past few months on newer model throwing an error code (VSCF Comms Loss). Starts as needed a few times, but every so often (caught it once to actually see) starts, runs for a second or two at low RPM's but never really ramps up to full RPM like on a normal start, then quickly shuts down. Let it sit a few hours, clear code, then starts right up, engages to full RPM, and runs beautifully. AVR and wiring harness replaced plus new controller tried because of VSCF code). Like with your controller replaced, seemed to fix it only to happen again. The low RPM's before shutting itself down now seems like could be fuel pressure? Machine calls for 10 minimum, 12 maximum. Had LP supplier themselves out to check on their end with water manometer. Showed 11.8 not running and 11 running under load. So all good there, it seems. Found one case on net where entire internal regulator replacement solved similar issue and another where plunger and spring replaced, but also stepper motor and solenoid so can't pinpoint it to one item. Wondering if this, and your situation, and very similar mysteries posted out there, might be internal regulator on machine itself having occasional issues like plunger or plunger spring occassionaly sticking like you kind of allude to talking about the bellows? Unless lucky enough to catch pressure issue with gauge that one random time it might happen when temp, humidity, statistics or whatever are just right, would be difficult to catch. Thoughts? Any callback yet with winter temps affecting things? Thanks for detailed video; very thorough.

[@HVACRSurvival]

No one has said anything about it not running yet. I've had a lot of problems with low RPM test mode. I'll look in the book and see if I can figure out what's going on with yours. I assume you're a technician? Have you tried calling Generac?

[@coreysoumis5891]

I am actually the owner of a 15kW Ecogen with Evolution controller still under warranty. Have had issue for 3 months (1062 VSCF Comms Loss most often, 1063 VSCF mismatch once recently and 1064? Speed something or another one time awhile ago). Have a very good Generac technician, like yourself, working through it by the book, and yes has communicated with Generac directly. I personally am getting sucked down the rabbit hole trying to get it figured out researching documents and the internet as I need it to work automatically as it is needed often, not babysitting it wondering if it'll throw a code and being at the ready to clear said code and then manually starting it - has happened in manual start mode as well though. Works fantastic when it starts immediately and runs, which is much of the time. I've scoured the internet only to find that there are other very similar situations out there and narrowing it down to the root cause can be very difficult, as your video shows. I'm personally leaning towards internal gas regulator now, but it's not my call and must go by the book like you say - still would appreciate your opinion if willing to share tbough. Thanks again for the video.

[@robertotorres8999]

I have a question, I have a unit like this and it does not charge me, the battery runs out and the generator turns off, which could be the problem.

[@HVACRSurvival]

Verify the battery is charging, it should be 13 plus volts

[@robertotorres8999]

@@HVACRSurvival Perfect, I'll check it tomorrow. Thank you very much. The green and yellow lights are on.

[@klanglala7577]

This is a great video! I learned a lot from it. Thank you!

[@HVACRSurvival]

Thanks for the feedback! I'm glad you liked it👍👍

[@melvinarroyo9011]

I have oil in the air filter. do you know what it is due to?

[@HVACRSurvival]

It could be a valve adjustment, leaking rings or seals. Or It could have been overfilled with oil.

[@stevethetoolman2435]

Great video. Intermittent problems are frustrating.

[@HVACRSurvival]

Yes they are

[@chadhardwick9214]

How did you take the class? They came to your shop or went to there location? An online deal? Or was it 1 of those Saturday morning things they have at the home Depot next to the kiddos building birdhouses?

[@HVACRSurvival]

The first time I went to the factory in 2006, I've been to the factory two or three times, Columbus Ohio once and online once

[@chadhardwick9214]

Would be interesting... An electrician out of the Dallas area... And a drag race person... I understand your trouble shooting and we have been installing several of these as well as some much larger ones.... Would be nice to be able to service them as no 1 here really wants to.

[@chadhardwick9214]

Do you have an email or contact info? I have a few questions maybe could answer for me.

[@paulthomas9947]

Great Job would love to see you break down the process for checking low oil and hi temp switches also. What about the hunting problem on the 20 and 22 KW Generacs. I am in the Northeast and have had them sucking in snow in storms and shutting down. No help at Generac but I have solved the problem but would like to see what you came up with. Thanks

[@HVACRSurvival]

For the oil test I bought a oil pressure gauge that you would use in an vehicle and use that to read the pressure. I forget the exact pressure without looking it up but if it was well over what it should be and it's tripping out I would figure the switch is bad. If I only want to verify the control respond correctly you can always pull the switch terminal off or short it depending on whether it's an open or closed switch. Far as the hunting, I haven't had it happened too much, usually it's either a servo or a gas pressure issue. Checkout HVAC hacker, he seems to do more generators than I do. I used to do a lot more prior to where I am now.

[@michaelrauff734]

Air filter gets plugged with snow, then residual heat from engine melts the snow leaving you with either a wet air filter or a frozen air filter. Either way about 10 min on the dashboard on high defrost dries the filter back out. A few cedar bushes about 7 foot away from the intake act as a good natural snow wind break. Curious to hear what your solution was.

[@chrisbeekley1887]

Most maintenance free batteries you can still check the water level. Just have to remove the stickers on top to reveal the caps.

[@chrisbeekley1887]

I was a diesel mechanic for 20 years before I started working on air compressors

[@HVACRSurvival]

I've seen those types, but for some reason these ones I'm seeing are truly sealed. I prefer serviceable batteries myself and have learned a lot from the guys at Interstate Batteries.

[@fernandogonzalez6617]

Great info bud. Blessings

[@HVACRSurvival]

Much appreciated 🙏👍👍

[@mikejennings681]

Juml it!

[@davidvelen9835]

Hi Rick, great video and definitely one of of the more informative ones out there on the Generac / Honeywell units. I have a question and hope you can answer, this past weekend my in laws 17KW Generac which is 8 years old had a failure to start on Saturday for its weekly exercise. Display screen said check battery and it was obvious terminals were corroded , a wire brush cleaned things up and she fired right up with same 2 year old battery . In reviewing the event log and looking at the past start and stop indications the system logged 50 such events in chronological order with the last exercise being 8/18/2018 yet I was out there checking the unit on 12/31/2018, I asked the retired next door neighbor if he had heard the unit crank up recently and he said yes every Saturday at 10 like clock work. Do you know if the event logger only records up to 50 such past events and is that normal? Thanks in advance and Happy new year.

[@HVACRSurvival]

yes 50 total, every new event nocks the last one out.

[@brandonfaulkner4721]

Good video. We have about 3,000 hsb units we service. Since i handle at least 90% of those calls i am quite familiar with those intermittent problems

[@dissociativecat7495]

same plug used in my 94 jeep xj

[@HVACRSurvival]

Interesting

[@ez6734]

Where are you would love to hire you?

[@HVACRSurvival]

In Ohio

[@DavidGarcia-lf1ki]

Why are you even put this video up if you can help people

[@HVACRSurvival]

What are you asking? Did you mean to write can't and not can? If so then the answer has been and always will be these videos are not for homeowners, they are to help other techs. The training we get from the factory is very poor and doesn't cover any of the older equipment. Also most people don't care enough to learn how to check the oil or battery on there generator so I am not going to do a step by step training risking someone getting hurt then try to blame me. Hopefully I am assuming what you were asking.

[@edwardlacson2592]

Starting genecide machine pistol

[@HVACRSurvival]

Duck Duck Dog Barnyard 🤔

[@kyleh1974]

Watching this a couple years later and they still don't have a fix for quiet mode. I always turn it off.

[@HVACRSurvival]

I prefer full speed for test as well👍👍. The latest version of firmware does allow the generator to run a couple minutes before locking out for under voltage, this helps with the frozen brushes.

[@MrsSmith-yy1nt]

Bending the choke plate to let more fuel in helped but easier to just run normal speed

[@HVACRSurvival]

Mrs Smith, the reason the factory told us to do that was to keep it from freezing in place after it had run and was warm, essentially the moisture would freeze the plate to the plastic body.

[@MrsSmith-yy1nt]

@@HVACRSurvival eh, more air, more fuel, either way on a sunny day I fixed many a slow speed issues this way. 🤣 Did it for 7 years, fun times really. Loved the training in Wisconsin.

[@chrisrouleau693]

Great video thanks for posting

[@HVACRSurvival]

Chris- Thanks for watching! Glad you liked it.👍

[@willfriar8054]

Warning brand new 24K Guardian rusting up in the crate. They were exposed to water during flooding. I got two of them out of Lowe's all rusty brand new in the box. Inspect your generator for corrosion there should not be any. And it certainly shouldn't look like an old outboard motor when it's in the box

[@donbangert]

My guess is it sat for awhile before the battery was swapped allowing rust scaling to form on the flywheel. This will cause random RPM Sense Loss errors until it wears off.

[@georgelee1219]

I am about to invest in a whole home generator. Any brand to stay away from?

[@HVACRSurvival]

There's a reason why Generac is the largest home standby generator provider. For the most part their newest designs are a lot better. I had problems getting technical service for Briggs & Stratton. Kohler's really good stuff but once again you got to be a Kohler dealer and if you're not you won't get any help so you're going to be very limited on who can work on your equipment. Honestly the best bang for the buck is Generac. Just make sure you go with a good dealer and the best dealer may not be always the best price but there's a reason why they can charge more, because they have great service. But do your research first before you choose.

[@georgelee1219]

@@HVACRSurvival Thank you! I live in Wisconsin so Generac is everywhere. I was leaning that way to start with. Thanks again for the advice! Your videos are very informative! Keep up the great work!

[@HVACRSurvival]

@@georgelee1219 thank you, I've been to the factory out there two or three times. 👍👍