First things first - Read our safety rules.

Definitions:

Crank: This means the starter motor engages and rotates the engine.

Gas: When talking about generators, gas means propane or natural gas, not gasoline. Gasoline is called gasoline.

Run: This means the engine sustains normal speed without the aid of the starter motor.

Start: This means the engine fires and accelerates to sufficient speed to disengage the starter motor.
 

Are you trying to start the generator from the generator control panel or the automatic transfer switch?

From the control panel:

1. Check all fluid levels. This includes oil, coolant and fuel.

2. Check to see if any alarm lights are on. These include Low Oil Pressure, High Engine Temperature, Overspeed, Overcrank, Low Battery Voltage, Auxiliary Alarm and RPM Sensor Loss.  (Low Engine Temperature, Pre-Alarm Low Oil Pressure and Pre-Alarm High Engine Temperature should not prevent the engine from cranking)

3. Correct any deficiencies, then reset the alarms. (Reset the alarms even if low lights are showing)

4. Try to start the generator again.

From the Automatic Transfer Switch:

1. Check to make sure the automatic transfer switch and the generator control panel are both in the automatic (or remote) mode.

2. Most automatic transfer switches are time delayed.  Make sure you hold the test switch in the test mode long enough to bypass the time delay start.

3. Follow our flow chart for the generator control panel.

Does the generator crank?

Yes

1.Check the battery voltage while the engine is cranking.  It must maintain at least 9 volts per 12 volt battery in order for the engine to achieve sufficient speed to start reliably. If the battery voltage falls below 9 volts per 12 volt battery during the cranking cycle, refer to Lester's How Do Batteries Work?.

2. If the battery voltage remains above 12 volts, check the run circuit.  Do this by measuring DC voltage at the + side of the ignition coil and fuel solenoid (gas units) or the fuel valve on the injector pump (diesel units). Check this voltage while cranking.

3. If the voltage remains above 9 volts per 12 volt battery at the test points above, check the following:

Diesel: The fuel system.

Gas:  Check for spark.

If the voltage is not present at the test points, check the fuses in the control panel.