Inverter/generator disaster.

 A couple of months ago, I was using the generator alone, with some electrical tools and disconnected from the house. The Predator 2000 was running as usual when I heard a loud slapping-banging noise.

I ran as fast as I could to turn the thing off. By the time I reached the generator, the noise had gotten louder and a thrashing noise had started. I turned off the machine and the engine chugged to a slow stop.

The coiled spring-loaded strap in the recoil starter assembly had come loose and damaged the motor and surrounding space. I ordered a new rope starter assembly and a new ignitor. I installed the parts and decided to adjust the valves while I was at it.

The unit did not start. The compression has improved but there's no spark getting to the cylinder as far as I can tell. There is one other part that may solve the problem: the ignition coil.

Now, Harbor Freight calls an 'ignitor', what most would call the 'ignition coil'. And calls an 'ignition coil' what most might call a 'pick-up coil' or 'sensor coil' mounted deep inside the generator. Their 'ignitor' is mounted outside and on the motor housing and plugs onto the spark plug electrode, as in a car.

My guess is the machine will run if I replace that part they refewr to as the 'ingnition coil.'

I've been in no hurry since, as quiet as the generator is, I enjoy the silence and zero gasoliine costs I save by not running the thing daily. But, I will evetually need to get the unit running for Winter.

Lightning strike!

 Several months ago, a lightning storm occurred. During that storm, a bolt struck my solar array framework. The array was not adequately grounded. A steel cable connects the array to the house, outside, and is used to support the electrical wiring that runs from the array to the control center inside the house.

Subsequently, when the bolt struck the frame, the cable acted as an electrical conductor. The lightning jumped from the outside metal wall fastener to the system iniside. There was a flash of light from the storm's bolt and a smaller flash inside the house along with a loud pop sound.

The lightning blew out the charge controller and damaged the inverter. The batteries, two, did not last long after that.

The charge controller was replaced by a better version from the same company, used but cheaper. 

The inverter was a stroke of luck purchase on eBay. The unit has an automatic sitch inside that detects an existing line voltage. This makes transistioning from generator to invereter/batteries easy and automatic. Prior to that, I had to manually connect and disconnect power cables.

I added a bolt and washers to connect the cable to the array frame. This creates a direct path to ground for lighning.