Home generator selection, installation, and repair

Preface

Selecting The Right Generator:

Outages

What's available

Power output

Power quality:

Voltage

Frequency

Distortion

Engines or prime movers

Fuel options

Other features worth having:

Instrumentation

Circuit breakers

Ground-fault circuit interrupters

Automatic idle control

Noise

Sizing

Powering Up:

Location

Hookup:

Power cords

Power inlet box

Transfer switches

Transfer switches and neutral grounds

Electrical safety:

Grounding rods

Fuels:

Gasoline

Propane

Natural gas

Diesel

Planning ahead

Generator Repairs:

Conventional generators:

Brushed generators

Brushless generators

Power quality

Tools

Measurements

Output tests

Resistance tests

Ohmmeter tests

Megaohmmeter tests

Rotor excitation test

Inverter generators:

Operation

Troubleshooting

Engine Electrical:

Engine management controls:

Power sources

Fuel cutoff valves

Idle control

Automatic choke

Oil-pressure sensor

Oil-level sensor

Solid-state ignition:

Ignition myths

Starter motors

Emergency Repairs:

Tools and supplies

No power:

No power from any receptacle

No power from one receptacle

Genset slows under load

Storage batteries

Gasoline engine malfunctions:

Preliminaries

No start

Loss of power as engine warms

Sudden shutdowns

Insufficient power

Weak compression

Diesel engine malfunctions:

No or slow starting

Runaway

Fuel Systems:

Basic carburetor theory

Tools and supplies:

Parts and materials

Removal and installation

Cleaning

Float carburetor service:

Needle and seat

Float adjustments

Jets

Primer

Diaphragm carburetor service:

Diaphragm carburetor operation

Plumbing

Troubleshooting

Pressure test

Mixture-adjustment screws

Fuel pumps

Metering

Idle circuits

Check valves

Final pressure check:

Mixture adjustments: all carburetors

Fuel injection

Diesel:

Wet stacking

Safety

Tools

Fuel system checks

Injectors

High-pressure pump

Timing

Major Engine Repairs:

Some basics

What's needed

Torque limits

Evaluation

Excessive compression

No or barely perceptible compression

Compression test

Leak-down test:

Leak-down test-four-cycle engine

Leak-down test-two cycle engine

Blowby gauge

Cylinder head casting

Valves

Valve guides

Valve springs

Pushrods

Pistons

Rings:

Installation

Piston installation:

Integral bores

Detachable cylinders

Connecting rods:

Construction

Orientation

Bearings

Micrometers

Plastigage

Failure analysis

Rod assembly

Cylinders:

Glaze breaking

Inspection

Boring

Sleeving

Flywheel

Crankcase

Crankshalfts

Antifriction main bearings

Camshafts

Balance shafts

Oil seals

Oil circuits

Rewind starters:

Starter troubleshooting

Preload release and Restoration

Brake

Dogs

Recoil springs

Final word

A: Generator websites

B: National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) plug and receptacle configurations

Index.