HF 800 Watt Generator (RANT WARNING issued)

[Tdbo]

Last night, I inquired about whether or not people were grounding portable generators while using them. I have the answer about where I would like to ground the unit in question (about 6'under.)
Got the unit out this morning (I had already swapped the plug to an Autolite 64, as was recommended), filled up with fresh 92 premium fuel w/Echo 50:1 oil, and it started on the second pull. Let it run for about 10 minutes and hooked up my B&D Hedge Trimmer. On the side of the box, it claims that a hedge "Timmer" is 500 watts-- makes me glad I have a trimmer. However, I checked Wattage prior: 120 volts x 2.2 amps= 264 watts. Hooked this up with 25' 12 gauge cord. Turned on trimmer, got about 1/2 hedge done and it stalled. Started up again, got 5 min out of it and it stalled again. With or without load, it will only run 3-5 minutes and will stall if placed into run cycle.
Read the manual again and went to the "Troubleshootlng" section for engine stops suddenly. I'm sure that the tank has fuel and is fresh (shoots down #1.) #2 mentions a defective fuel tank cap creating vacuum. Tried loosening cap still doesn't help. #3 is improper idle speed. This could be possible but it seems to idle adequately. and #4 :faulty magneto, incorrect timing or clogged carb and of course it is recommended to take to a qualified tech (not throwing any more $ into this thing.)
I freely admit this is of my own fault and doing. Bought this thing last fall at one of their pkg. lot sales and has been sitting in a box until yesterday (so no recourse w/HF.) My gut told me not to buy it but I thought it would be an interesting toy and might save me from running extension cords for yard work. Right now, I'm just pretty french fried and disgusted about the whole thing. Any suggestions, or do I have a $79.00 pretty blue doorstop?

 

[JavierG]

That's a pretty blue doorstop you have there.

 

[Trav]

Oh the joys of HF high quality Chinese merchandise.
I bet you have the most expensive doorstop in town.

 

[QuOk]

Aren't you supposed to break it in first before running a large load?

I have the same generator and it runs fine even at 100% load.
I did break it in for 5 hours first,The manual says 25 hours to break it in i believe.

 

[Tdbo]

Originally Posted By: QuOk
Aren't you supposed to break it in first before running a large load?

I have the same generator and it runs fine even at 100% load.
I did break it in for 5 hours first,The manual says 25 hours to break it in i believe.


It says that during the first 25 hours, do not exceed 75% of the load limit, which should be no more than 600 watts. I wasn't even running 1/2 of that @ 264 watts. (p.11 in manual.)

 

[IndyIan]

Spark, fuel and air. Which one are you missing?
If you can't figure it out, take it to the local small engine guy, for another $80 I'm sure he can have it running and then you have a $160 generator that works.

 

[Tdbo]

However, in continuing to the next paragraph it advises changing the unleaded gasoline/2 cycle oil fuel mixture after the first 25 hours of use. Given the fact that the generator has a 5 hour run time, wouldn't that have been done 5x by that point? Just trying to look on the humorous side of things.

 

[tomcat27]

is the gas cap vent plugged?

 

[AandPDan]

Check and see if you're getting a steady stream of fuel through the fuel line. Maybe there was some junk in the tank and it's blocking the flow of fuel.

 

[Texan4Life]

I know your frustration. I used to be a HF generator fanboy, but My 2200 watt one is toes up and I have been thru the whole thing. I have to disassemble it again and measure, but I'm starting to think the camshaft went flat, like it wasn't hardened properly. A flat camshaft didnt even occur to me, but after some googling I found a guy who had the same problem with a honda, and a few others with chondas. So it made me wonder.

my little 800watt one is still going strong tho.

 

[Tdbo]

UPDATE: Tore the thing apart after I came to the conclusion that I was getting spark intermittently. Found the connection from the plug wire into what I believe is the coil from the diagram to be loose. Reattached firmly and put back together and it fired up. I have had it running for a 1/2 hour and even plugged the hedge trimmers in and fired them up (generator didn't even flinch.) Jury is still out in my mind but at least I got it going and we'll see what happens next time I need it. Guess what can you expect for $79 ?

 

[Texan4Life]

Originally Posted By: Tdbo
UPDATE: Tore the thing apart after I came to the conclusion that I was getting spark intermittently. Found the connection from the plug wire into what I believe is the coil from the diagram to be loose. Reattached firmly and put back together and it fired up. I have had it running for a 1/2 hour and even plugged the hedge trimmers in and fired them up (generator didn't even flinch.) Jury is still out in my mind but at least I got it going and we'll see what happens next time I need it. Guess what can you expect for $79 ?


Glad you found the problem! at least it isnt a $80 door stop anymore

 

[JHZR2]

I'll keep my subaru 1700W inverter unit.

 

[Tdbo]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
I'll keep my subaru 1700W inverter unit.



Seriously?

 

[NHGUY]

From what I read,these hold up pretty well by some that have run them for days at a time.I have one myself,have only run it a few times to run small power tools (its not broke in),and starts easily.Takes almost no fuel at all.

 

[Tdbo]

It's not horrible for what it is. I was just a little perturbed that I had to tear it down the first time I ever used it to get it to work. For powering a few electric power tools, it will be fine. If I needed something I could truly depend on, I'd look elsewhere.

 

[LineArrayNut]

+1 for small jobs an inverter is hard to beat. I have a robin/subaru HF 6500 that is hard to start (pull string - infrequent use) but otherwise is a champ

 

[doitmyself]

Originally Posted By: Tdbo
It's not horrible for what it is. I was just a little perturbed that I had to tear it down the first time I ever used it to get it to work. For powering a few electric power tools, it will be fine. If I needed something I could truly depend on, I'd look elsewhere.


I empathize with your perturbed mindset.

But to put this in perspective and "lower your blood pressure"...just kidding: This kind of stuff happens to top of the line equipment too. My workplace industrial Kohler generator had the 8 month old control board go out under warranty some 11 years ago. Since then, it has been flawless. On our last annual check and load test, our generator mechanic said it was not unusual for them to trip up during the first year shake down. After that, they tend to be pretty reliable.

Just saying....it even happens on top of the line equipment.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Tdbo
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
I'll keep my subaru 1700W inverter unit.



Seriously?


Yeah why wouldn't I be? Something with far more quality, definitely a longer lasting basis for design, starts easy, runs efficient, quiet, and has a useful amount of power to do real things, like run a real AC circuit.

A $79 special is a deal, but if I have to waste three hours of time on it, there is an opportunity cost that is worth many hundreds to me.

If I was really concerned about power tools without long cords, I'd get some that shared a specific battery system, and treat the battery real nice.

 

[meep]

i'm a fan of small yardwork gennies. i did it to keep my old eu2000i exercised and found it much more convenient than messing with cords. and the small HF units or
congrats on getting it running-- you did good and now have a useful tool!