Some 20 years ago when I bought my emergency generator, I didn't mind pulling on that 8-HP rope. During those years blackouts were 'hit-and-miss' meaning, some years I never started the old girl. Other years, it was a life saver. Remember when the north eastern USA was dark for 2-1/2 days including NYC? It was Aug, 2003 and hotter than blazes in Detroit. Much of Ontario, Canada was dark as well. Not at my house:
I collected my 93 yr-old Mom who lived 2 miles away and she spent the power outage in air conditioning with lights and TV.
We don't get blackouts often but spring and fall ice and high winds break trees that down power lines. It's like shakin' dice but ol' Davey-boy doesn't like taking chances, especially when winter cold easily ruptures water pipes.
My generator has a Briggs & Stratton engine (thank God) that is well supported with aftermarket and online offerings to keep prices down and availability of parts on the shelf. I always knew there was an electric start option. Now in my old age, 'that rope' feels much harder, especially on cold winter days when gasoline engines rarely cooperate and gloves get in the way. $100 seems like a very reasonable cost to save my arm, so I popped for all the components.
OMG! Why didn't I do this decades ago? Now, I simply connect jumper cables and push a button. Before, if it didn't start after about five or six pulls, I was in trouble, laying on the ground, gasping for air and my arm felt like it fell off. Now, if it doesn't go after pressing the button for a few seconds I simply give it a shot of starting fluid and she's off...
The retrofit included, adding a ring gear to the flywheel and mounting an electric motor. Ok, drill four thru-holes in the cast iron flywheel and use the supplied long bolts with nylok nuts to hold the aluminum ring gear in place. I cut a slot in the edge of the air shroud, where the starter gear engages, then made a simple guard around the starter gear so little fingers stay out.
For my 'control panel', I used a 3/4" plastic conduit. I heated the ends over the electric range burner then flattened and cooled them. Being plastic, it is also an electrical insulator. I drilled two holes and used long screws for jumper cables. Then, I wired a 12-volt starter solenoid from my 'parts box' and a simple momentary switch next to the carburetor. A little spray paint, mounted to the frame and it looks like it belongs there.
As an added bonus... That nasty pull rope still functions (just in case). - Dave
I collected my 93 yr-old Mom who lived 2 miles away and she spent the power outage in air conditioning with lights and TV.
We don't get blackouts often but spring and fall ice and high winds break trees that down power lines. It's like shakin' dice but ol' Davey-boy doesn't like taking chances, especially when winter cold easily ruptures water pipes.
My generator has a Briggs & Stratton engine (thank God) that is well supported with aftermarket and online offerings to keep prices down and availability of parts on the shelf. I always knew there was an electric start option. Now in my old age, 'that rope' feels much harder, especially on cold winter days when gasoline engines rarely cooperate and gloves get in the way. $100 seems like a very reasonable cost to save my arm, so I popped for all the components.
OMG! Why didn't I do this decades ago? Now, I simply connect jumper cables and push a button. Before, if it didn't start after about five or six pulls, I was in trouble, laying on the ground, gasping for air and my arm felt like it fell off. Now, if it doesn't go after pressing the button for a few seconds I simply give it a shot of starting fluid and she's off...
The retrofit included, adding a ring gear to the flywheel and mounting an electric motor. Ok, drill four thru-holes in the cast iron flywheel and use the supplied long bolts with nylok nuts to hold the aluminum ring gear in place. I cut a slot in the edge of the air shroud, where the starter gear engages, then made a simple guard around the starter gear so little fingers stay out.
For my 'control panel', I used a 3/4" plastic conduit. I heated the ends over the electric range burner then flattened and cooled them. Being plastic, it is also an electrical insulator. I drilled two holes and used long screws for jumper cables. Then, I wired a 12-volt starter solenoid from my 'parts box' and a simple momentary switch next to the carburetor. A little spray paint, mounted to the frame and it looks like it belongs there.
As an added bonus... That nasty pull rope still functions (just in case). - Dave
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