Generator FAQ

No fluff — just the answer and a link to the full fix when you need the walkthrough. If your question isn’t here, the Fix My Generator tool will route you by symptom.

Starting Problems

Why won’t my generator start after sitting all year?

Stale fuel, almost every time. Gas breaks down in about 30 days and varnishes the carburetor jets. Drain the old fuel, add fresh, and if it still fights you the carb needs cleaning — all 9 causes ranked here.

My generator starts then dies after a few seconds. What gives?

A partially clogged carburetor — the bowl has enough fuel to fire, but the plugged jet can’t keep up. The fix is a carb cleaning: the full walkthrough.

The pull cord won’t pull. Is the engine seized?

Usually not. Check for oil overfill and hydrolock first, then the recoil assembly — a jammed recoil is far more common than a locked engine. Here’s how to tell.

Why is there no spark?

Kill switch, low-oil sensor, plug, or coil — in that order of likelihood. Test cheap to expensive: the no-spark ladder.

Power Problems

The engine runs but there’s no power at the outlets. Why?

Tripped breaker/GFCI, lost residual magnetism, a failed AVR, or a bad capacitor — those four cover nearly every case. Start here.

Why does the overload light stay on with nothing plugged in?

Either a faulty indicator circuit or the inverter board protecting itself. On inverter units it’s frequently the board: the diagnostic.

My generator’s voltage reads low (or way high). Dangerous?

Yes — high voltage cooks electronics fast. It’s usually the AVR or engine speed. Test it before you plug anything valuable in.

Why is my generator making a knocking or rattling noise?

Knocking under load can be as simple as low-octane fuel or as serious as a rod bearing; screeching usually means a bearing or the recoil. Some of these sounds mean shut it down right now — here’s what each sound means.

Why won’t my inverter generator produce power?

Inverter units add three suspects a conventional generator doesn’t have: the reset procedure, the CO safety sensor, and the inverter board itself. Work through them in that order.

Can I plug my generator into a wall outlet to power the house?

No. Backfeeding can kill a utility lineman and it’s illegal. Use a transfer switch or interlock: the right way, compared.

Running & Maintenance

How long can I run my generator without stopping?

A tank at a time — usually 8 to 12 hours — then shut down, cool, and refuel. Through a long outage, cycle it and check the oil every 24 to 50 hours: the full run-time guide.

How often should I change the oil?

First change at 20–30 hours (break-in), then every 50–100 hours or once a season. Most portables take 10W-30: type, amount, and how-to.

Why does my generator surge up and down?

A partially clogged pilot jet, nine times out of ten. Stale fuel again. The pilot jet fix plus a 60-second load test.

Why does it keep shutting off on low oil when the oil is full?

A failing low-oil sensor, or the unit sitting off-level. You can test and bypass the sensor to confirm: here’s how.

How far from the house does a generator need to be?

20 feet minimum, exhaust pointed away from every door and window. CO kills — no garages, no porches, no exceptions: the placement guide.

Can a solar power station replace a gas generator?

For daily use and quiet indoor-safe backup, yes. For multi-day cloudy-weather outages, gas still wins. I run both — here’s my solar setup with real numbers.