generator advice

8gv · 03-10-2025, 08:25 AM

Do you have a generator sub panel?

In that case the circuits that were chosen to be powered by it may not be to your liking.

OR...

Do you have the alternative set up which includes a movable lock out plate that, when positioned for generator use, locks out the main breaker and allows the generator breaker to be turned on?

In this case I suggest that you start with all of the breakers turned off and try each circuit individually while keeping all the others off.

This should tell you if it is a generator capcity issue of something else.

8gv · 03-10-2025, 08:28 AM

One more possibility:

Considering that the house is new, you may have arc fault breakers.

They will trip when an imbalance is detected on the neutral side of the circuit.

I once had a power failure that tripped several if these.

Try turning the affected circuits off and on again to reset them.

John Mercier · 03-10-2025, 08:50 AM

He had an outlet that ran a light, but would not run the fish filter.
That is almost a sure sign that the onboard fuse to the fish filter popped.

The USB charging ports, that would be a sine wave issue.
A dirty sine wave can damage sensitive electronics, so the manufacturers put in protections against that.

sunset on the dock · 03-10-2025, 09:05 AM

Thanks to all of you for the very informative advice. I'm going to reread all of it and then do some more investigating starting with turning off all of the breakers, running the generator, and then seeing what I can and cannot run. BTW, this was one of the more expensive generators with inverter. But it is about 15 years old. And it ran my old house (much smaller) with ease during a week long power outage about 15 years ago.

Thx again...I'll report back later!

Blue Thunder · 03-10-2025, 11:10 AM

The first thing I would check is to make sure the switch on the generator is set to 240volts. If it’s set at 120 volts that will only power half of your panel.
Secondly you stated that you turned on the generator breakers. Plural. That doesn’t sound right. The method you are using is backfeeding the panel. It should be one double pole breaker 30 or 40 amps. It should have 2 wires usually one black and one red. Each is 120v. One powers the right side of the buss bar, the other powers the left. The wires going to the plug on the outside of the house should have a white neutral and a green ground. Those connections are in the panel as well. Hope this helps.

Descant · 03-10-2025, 12:38 PM

When my stndby generator was about 15 years old, the tech said it needed ne brushes and was not putting out full power. Easy fix.

sunset on the dock · 03-10-2025, 01:39 PM

OK everyone...I'm a dope. My Honda generator has a switch....one side is 110, the other 110/220. I had not switched it over to the 110/220 side. I exercise the generator once a month, change the oil and gas, replace the battery, etc. But I messed up on this one. I tried it out on the 110/220 this AM and voila...everything in the house runs (just not all at the same time).

Thanks to all of you for responding and helping me fix the problem. Spring is right around the corner and I hope to see you on the lake.

Blue Thunder · 03-10-2025, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunset on the dock

OK everyone...I'm a dope. My Honda generator has a switch....one side is 110, the other 110/220. I had not switched it over to the 110/220 side. I exercise the generator once a month, change the oil and gas, replace the battery, etc. But I messed up on this one. I tried it out on the 110/220 this AM and voila...everything in the house runs (just not all at the same time).

Thanks to all of you for responding and helping me fix the problem. Spring is right around the corner and I hope to see you on the lake.

Sounds like something I said…lol

sunset on the dock · 03-10-2025, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Thunder

Sounds like something I said…lol

You nailed it BT. I'm happy to have a working generator; not so happy to have slipped up on such an important detail. Thx. Beautiful day out there!

Blue Thunder · 03-17-2025, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunset on the dock

You nailed it BT. I'm happy to have a working generator; not so happy to have slipped up on such an important detail. Thx. Beautiful day out there!

Glad it was an easy fix. Full disclosure….you're not alone in having that happen. I’ve done it and that’s why it was my first suggestion….

sunset on the dock · 03-18-2025, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Thunder

Glad it was an easy fix. Full disclosure….you're not alone in having that happen. I’ve done it and that’s why it was my first suggestion….

Thx again! Maybe I should put a piece of tape over the switch to keep it on 220V

ITD · 03-18-2025, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunset on the dock

Thx again! Maybe I should put a piece of tape over the switch to keep it on 220V

I was thinking it might help to just type up a checklist for the steps to run the generator. Usually when you needed the generator, it's not a casual relaxed thing to get it going. Generally easy to forget steps since conditions aren't generally great.

TomC · 03-18-2025, 05:58 PM

That's a good idea. I am a big fan of checklists. I also write notes to my future self when storing equipment. I tape them to the applicable machine to tell me what was done before putting it away and noting anything needed before putting it back into service...

03-10-2025, 11:10 AM	#5
Blue Thunder Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Eastern MA & Frye Island/Sebago Lake, Maine Posts: 951 Thanks: 253 Thanked 351 Times in 158 Posts	The first thing I would check is to make sure the switch on the generator is set to 240volts. If it’s set at 120 volts that will only power half of your panel. Secondly you stated that you turned on the generator breakers. Plural. That doesn’t sound right. The method you are using is backfeeding the panel. It should be one double pole breaker 30 or 40 amps. It should have 2 wires usually one black and one red. Each is 120v. One powers the right side of the buss bar, the other powers the left. The wires going to the plug on the outside of the house should have a white neutral and a green ground. Those connections are in the panel as well. Hope this helps. __________________ " Live for today because yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come"

03-10-2025, 12:38 PM	#6
Descant Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Merrimack and Welch Island Posts: 4,391 Thanks: 1,358 Thanked 1,631 Times in 1,063 Posts	15 years old? When my stndby generator was about 15 years old, the tech said it needed ne brushes and was not putting out full power. Easy fix.

03-10-2025, 08:25 AM	#1
8gv Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 2,110 Thanks: 64 Thanked 748 Times in 482 Posts	Do you have a generator sub panel? In that case the circuits that were chosen to be powered by it may not be to your liking. OR... Do you have the alternative set up which includes a movable lock out plate that, when positioned for generator use, locks out the main breaker and allows the generator breaker to be turned on? In this case I suggest that you start with all of the breakers turned off and try each circuit individually while keeping all the others off. This should tell you if it is a generator capcity issue of something else.

03-10-2025, 08:28 AM	#2
8gv Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 2,110 Thanks: 64 Thanked 748 Times in 482 Posts	One more possibility: Considering that the house is new, you may have arc fault breakers. They will trip when an imbalance is detected on the neutral side of the circuit. I once had a power failure that tripped several if these. Try turning the affected circuits off and on again to reset them.

03-10-2025, 08:50 AM	#3
John Mercier Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2021 Posts: 3,443 Thanks: 3 Thanked 606 Times in 500 Posts	He had an outlet that ran a light, but would not run the fish filter. That is almost a sure sign that the onboard fuse to the fish filter popped. The USB charging ports, that would be a sine wave issue. A dirty sine wave can damage sensitive electronics, so the manufacturers put in protections against that.

03-10-2025, 09:05 AM	#4
sunset on the dock Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 347 Thanks: 153 Thanked 106 Times in 69 Posts	Thanks to all of you for the very informative advice. I'm going to reread all of it and then do some more investigating starting with turning off all of the breakers, running the generator, and then seeing what I can and cannot run. BTW, this was one of the more expensive generators with inverter. But it is about 15 years old. And it ran my old house (much smaller) with ease during a week long power outage about 15 years ago. Thx again...I'll report back later!

03-10-2025, 01:39 PM	#7
sunset on the dock Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 347 Thanks: 153 Thanked 106 Times in 69 Posts	OK everyone...I'm a dope. My Honda generator has a switch....one side is 110, the other 110/220. I had not switched it over to the 110/220 side. I exercise the generator once a month, change the oil and gas, replace the battery, etc. But I messed up on this one. I tried it out on the 110/220 this AM and voila...everything in the house runs (just not all at the same time). Thanks to all of you for responding and helping me fix the problem. Spring is right around the corner and I hope to see you on the lake.

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Irish mist (03-17-2025)

03-18-2025, 05:58 PM	#13
TomC Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Lakes Region Posts: 700 Thanks: 22 Thanked 100 Times in 69 Posts	That's a good idea. I am a big fan of checklists. I also write notes to my future self when storing equipment. I tape them to the applicable machine to tell me what was done before putting it away and noting anything needed before putting it back into service...