Author Topic: Briggs & Stratton Home Generator...bad experiance  (Read 3771 times)

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geeggee

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Briggs & Stratton Home Generator...bad experiance
« on: August 25, 2011, 02:12:03 PM »
 >:(  Briggs & Stratton model 40248  7kw home generator with 8 hours of use over past 4 years is not functioning.  Runs as long as I keep the start button pushed in.  Nice looking unit running natural gas or lpg.  Hooked it up directly to small air conditioner, small tv and small refrigerator during electrical outage and I was pleased with it.

Now with Irene I thought I might get some use out of it here in Miami.  Nope!  It won't stay on.  Any ideas on what might be wrong?

Review:  After $1,700 purchase for 8 hours run time I don't think I'd recommend Briggs & Stratton to anyone.

DanG

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Re: Briggs & Stratton Home Generator...bad experiance
« Reply #1 on: August 25, 2011, 02:24:13 PM »
Not enough information!!  Whose label is on it and what model? What other controls are involved, electric start?

Sounds like a dirty contact - spider nest or something in the wiring..

geeggee

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Re: Briggs & Stratton Home Generator...bad experiance
« Reply #2 on: August 25, 2011, 02:32:47 PM »
It was bought at Home Depot.  Briggs Stratton model # 40248.  Electric start runs off battery.  Carburator is clean and clear fuel lines up to carb.  I thought spider nest or ant colony blocking air intake.  Thought maybe some critter crawled into exhaust and is causing a blockage.

Simen

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Re: Briggs & Stratton Home Generator...bad experiance
« Reply #3 on: August 25, 2011, 03:25:14 PM »
How about the spark plug or wire?

I can't count how many times i disassembled and assembled my motorbike in my youth, just to discover the spark plug was bad... ;D
Do check the spark-plug wire and its cap also....
« Last Edit: August 25, 2011, 03:28:51 PM by Simen »
I will accept the rules that you feel necessary to your freedom. I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do. - (R. A. Heinlein)

taylorp035

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Re: Briggs & Stratton Home Generator...bad experiance
« Reply #4 on: August 25, 2011, 04:50:39 PM »
Fuel, air, spark.... good place to start.


DanG

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Re: Briggs & Stratton Home Generator...bad experiance
« Reply #5 on: August 25, 2011, 04:57:54 PM »
Something is grounding out the ignition module - either the main on/off switch or other safety switch with control over generator engine run state.


DanG

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Re: Briggs & Stratton Home Generator...bad experiance
« Reply #6 on: August 25, 2011, 05:00:26 PM »
And apologies - I didn't know B&S had their own branded line out there...

http://www.briggsandstratton.com/generators-pressure-washers/support/operators-manuals/?NTT=040248-0

RP

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Re: Briggs & Stratton Home Generator...bad experiance
« Reply #7 on: August 25, 2011, 05:18:45 PM »
Many of these generators have a low oil safety system that kills the ignition if they're low on motor oil.

Norm

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Re: Briggs & Stratton Home Generator...bad experiance
« Reply #8 on: August 25, 2011, 07:08:02 PM »
    Runs as long as I keep the start button pushed in. 
 
Review:  After $1,700 purchase for 8 hours run time I don't think I'd recommend Briggs & Stratton to anyone.

 Isn't anything wrong with a Briggs.....most machines lawnmower , welder, home generators no matter what
have interlocks to prevent them from destructing if something is wrong no matter if a Briggs, Tecumseh, Kohler.
I have a riding lawnmower with Briggs engine will not run in reverse with the mower deck engaged...
unless you turn the key one notch backwards.
Yeah I'm guilty of jumping to conclusions too!
Suggest you read the manual very carefully....trouble shooting.....
go online for your specific machine....
Norm.

wpowokal

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Re: Briggs & Stratton Home Generator...bad experiance
« Reply #9 on: August 25, 2011, 07:46:57 PM »
While I personally have never owned a "good" Brigs,  it sounds like a protective devise to cut the LPG if the engine is not running, keeping finger on start (thereby keeping gas solenoid open) probably by-passes the shutdown until motor start is detected.

allan
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divemaster1963

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Re: Briggs & Stratton Home Generator...bad experiance
« Reply #10 on: August 25, 2011, 08:47:41 PM »
OK Lets start from the beginning. I am a certified LPG standby system  Mechanic.
!st . check that there is oil in the unit.(to the proper level.)
2ND. Is this a LPG system or a portable gasoline unit.
3rd. if this is a residentical mounted unit. check that the low oil sensor on the leg where the oil filter is if it has one. if not then the unit has a internal sensor. (check that the sensor is not bad.) to do this disconnect the wire to the sensor and try to run it. (do this only briefly ) if it runs then you have found the problem.
How old is your unit. Most Briggs come with a 2-3 year residential warranty. call the number in your manual they will find a local repair company to service your unit.

Briggs are good residential motors. they are only good for about 1000 to 1500 hrs of use with annual servicing. all residentcial models have the same life span. if your looking for longer life check into kohler power (not residential engines.) they use ford 4cylinder LPG and diesel engines. but they come at a price for peace of mind.

john

geeggee

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Re: Briggs & Stratton Home Generator...bad experiance
« Reply #11 on: August 26, 2011, 11:03:28 AM »
Thanks for the responses. 

The oil was low...we topped it off.  No improvement.  Bad oil sensor...possible.

We're thinking solenoid at this moment...repair person will confirm that next week.

Divemaster...it's dual LPG or natural gas.  Running LPG at present.

12AX7

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Re: Briggs & Stratton Home Generator...bad experiance
« Reply #12 on: August 27, 2011, 12:16:35 AM »
I had the same problem with a generac 4000xl,   turned out that the oil pressure switch failed.
The sensor would leak oil (thru the diaphragm).

You could locate the sensor and isolate the wire/wires connected to it.   If it runs with the wires disconnected it's the sensor. 

I thought that the replacement pressure switch was a bit pricey ($26),   later a friend told me that I should have used a pressure switch used on older cars.


Bub73

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Re: Briggs & Stratton Home Generator...bad experiance
« Reply #13 on: August 27, 2011, 01:30:36 PM »
 I've found about a 1 hour maintenance run each month helps to keep these standby units in a ready state for events like our east coast is now facing.
 When the lights go out is a poor time to check the generator out.

Bob

divemaster1963

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Re: Briggs & Stratton Home Generator...bad experiance
« Reply #14 on: August 27, 2011, 05:36:28 PM »
Thanks for the responses. 

The oil was low...we topped it off.  No improvement.  Bad oil sensor...possible.

We're thinking solenoid at this moment...repair person will confirm that next week.

Divemaster...it's dual LPG or natural gas.  Running LPG at present.
good to hear your getting a service tech out. If your thinking selenoid. ( is it just turning over and not starting. or is it starting then shutting down after a few seconds. ) still check the oil sensor ( they will go bad if not serviced reg or oil gets low. LPG gets you better KWs than NCG. plus it starts easer in the cold.

Lets us know what he finds  OK

John

divemaster1963

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Re: Briggs & Stratton Home Generator...bad experiance
« Reply #15 on: August 27, 2011, 05:39:55 PM »
I had the same problem with a generac 4000xl,   turned out that the oil pressure switch failed.
The sensor would leak oil (thru the diaphragm).

You could locate the sensor and isolate the wire/wires connected to it.   If it runs with the wires disconnected it's the sensor. 

I thought that the replacement pressure switch was a bit pricey ($26),   later a friend told me that I should have used a pressure switch used on older cars.


Hobbs has all the configurations of pressure switches. Most gens use the old ford style singual conector. (normally closed )
Lawn mower shops will carry them also for there bigger water cooled engines.

fabricator

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Re: Briggs & Stratton Home Generator...bad experiance
« Reply #16 on: September 16, 2011, 08:12:00 PM »
If you really want true standby power you need to get away from the 3600 rpm screamers, and look at the 1800 rpm diesels, you go from machines made to last in the hundreds of hours to machines that will last a lifetime in a standby application.
I aint skeerd of nuthin.......Holy Crap! What was that!!!!!
11 Miles east of Lake Michigan, Ottawa County, Robinson township, (home of the defacto residential wind ban) Michigan, USA.

rossw

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Re: Briggs & Stratton Home Generator...bad experiance
« Reply #17 on: September 16, 2011, 11:11:01 PM »
If you really want true standby power you need to get away from the 3600 rpm screamers, and look at the 1800 rpm diesels, you go from machines made to last in the hundreds of hours to machines that will last a lifetime in a standby application.

Agreed. (or 1500 RPM for those of us in 50Hz worlds).
Also.... gasoline/petrol is never a "good" choice for a standby generator.
Diesel lasts a long time.... I prefer Propane (it never goes off)

Mike

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Re: Briggs & Stratton Home Generator...bad experiance
« Reply #18 on: March 19, 2012, 06:09:36 AM »
Hi Guys, Briggs are great value for the buck, but for true indestruictability get a Listeroid, do your research, and you will find that they run on almost anything oiley and last for many many years. I have  jkson and love it's quiet pHUT pHUT at 750 revs driving a 5kva Chinese alternator.

This is the sort of thing you should look at for real reliability!  Not mine here  ---the first I saw from Youtube :-)  Cheers, Mike in tasmania !

http://www.youtube.co/watch?v=NDrEpgHuFBM

fabricator

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Re: Briggs & Stratton Home Generator...bad experiance
« Reply #19 on: March 19, 2012, 04:27:48 PM »
I have an 8/1 listeroid that runs on vegetable oil, these engines are NOT maintenance free and they are NOT for everybody, you have to be prepared to put a lot of time in on the front end to have an engine that will last a good while.
BTW, this is a zombie thread if there ever was one.
I aint skeerd of nuthin.......Holy Crap! What was that!!!!!
11 Miles east of Lake Michigan, Ottawa County, Robinson township, (home of the defacto residential wind ban) Michigan, USA.