How to ACTUALLY start your Sportsman GEN4000TRI generator on Natural Gas
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- Опубліковано 11 лип 2024
- I bought a Sportsman 4000 tri-fuel generator and couldn't get it to start when connected to natural gas. Here's what I did to get it running.
0:00 Intro
0:34 Following the manual
2:58 JUST TELL ME HOW TO FIX IT
I saw a few reviews that mentioned this problem but couldn't find anything online with a solution. Turns out I had to do the opposite of the what the manual said and make sure that the choke was in the full OPEN/RUN position, not CLOSE/START.
You probably need the choke in the CLOSE/START position if you're starting it up using gasoline, but running on NG the generator absolutely would not start for me that way. With the choke in the OPEN/RUN position, it started on 1 pull.
(Remember, there may be several other issues that cause your generator not to start on NG, such as having the wrong gas line adaptor fitted, your NG pressure being too low, or an actual breakdown - but those are all covered in the manual.) - Навчання та стиль
Great tip, there must be a lot missing in translation when instructions are written from Chinese to English.
Frustrating at times but on point you figured it out for many. Pub time.
So after stored new for 1 1/2 years, this passed few months (Jan2023)started for the first time, went well. Hurricane season is here Jul.2023 Tested did not start but after seeing your suggestions and loosening the gas cap and going opposite of the choke on start, it worked. 👍. Thanks for your help Something customer service could NOT do. They wanted me to get a new spark plug and a spark plug jacked cord… I told its new!!!!
Keep pulling it like that and you are going to pull your starter rope right off!
I don't doubt it - normally I wouldn't pull like that but I wanted to make sure I didn't get any comments saying "you're not pulling hard enough"!
Thanks for doing this video. I have the same generator. I am working on getting the natural gas line set up so this may be helpful. Question for you if you don't mind....I don't see a regulator on your setup and can't figure out if I need to buy one. My water column pressure is 7" from my supplier.
I don't have a separate regulator on mine. I'm afraid I don't know what my pressure is, but the manual says it expects 7-11" WC so if you know you are getting 7 it sounds like you don't need a regulator.
For what it's worth in this video I'm connected to the same outdoor gas connector that I use with the Weber natural gas grill you can see in the background. That is also designed to work at 7" according to the manual and it works fine for me.
@@jschlackman Thanks for the information and thank you again for doing the video.
@@kanicdog There is also the "Internal demand regulator" that BOTH the Propane and NG use too. This is what the NG hose OR the supplied propane hose with regulator connects to. ie behind the LPG/NG inlet sticker.
The gas NG or Propane then goes from the "internal demand regulator"" to the NG or Propane restrictor hollow tube. There are two different ones since Propane is heavier than air and NG is lighter than air. On aftermarket NG/LPG conversion kits for other generators this is often a valve you set differently for the two different gasses.
The "demand regulator" usually works by the vacuum created when you try start the engine. The carb area entrance for the gas is pulled lower than atmospheric some and the big diameter diaphagm opens up a valve to allow the gas to flow.
Nice video.
My guess is they wrote the manual wrong as the choke to be on when starting with NG gas.
With a Friman WH03242 with propane i just used it likes to have the choke on at first start.
I wonder if the Sportsman does too?
I returned mine for the exact reasons here to run on NG. Followed the manual to the T and pulled and pulled but would not start on NG. Would fire right up on Gasoline.
Hi, Thanks for the video! I purchased the dual fuel version of this generator (GEN4KDF) about three years ago, after a hurricane, deciding that I might want a generator the next time one came through. So last year, we had a couple hurricanes come through and we lost power during one of them.
I should note that I had never tested the generator, just kept it in the unopened box to have on hand if/when needed.
So, after waiting a few hours, hoping the power would come back on, I got it out, added the oil, connected it to a ground wire, connected it to a propane tank, and followed the instructions for starting it. I pulled and pulled and pulled - nothing happened!
I contacted their customer support. They emailed me links to three videos - to test the spark plug, to override the low oil level switch, and to clean the carburator. From what I could tell, the spark plug was ok, as was the low oil level switch. I called it a day, and thankfully the power came back on the next day - so the gnerator is again just sitting in our garage (inoperable), but I've been planning to clean the carburator.
However, now having seen your video - I plan to try your solution first! We'll see!
I swear I thought I was reading my own comment that I forgot I made because of similar thing happened to me and it actually did run and generate power but while I was running around testing things the power-generating stopped and I've tried different things but long story short I just didn't buy the right products that I needed a VR
can this model be connected to your main electric panel via transfer switch/inlet box?
Yes, but it probably won't have the capacity to run the whole house and it doesn't have 220V output so no chance of running the dryer or AC (unless you have a window unit or a mini split).
FYI it has a floating neutral (not specified in the manual) so make sure the transfer switch is wired accordingly.
@@jschlackman Awesome! Thanks for the reply. I have a small house with window units so not having the 220 wouldnt be an issue. Mainly I would just want to be able to run my furnace and tv. I guess i would use the RV output to go to the transfer switch?
Yep, using the RV outlet is the best option as it will give you a full 30A feed to the house. Furnace and a TV should be no problem.
@@jschlackman Sweet.. thanks for the help! I do see 3 prong transfer switches online but they look different (locking 3 prong) from the RV output on the generator. Im guessing the RV cable will have the "locking" 3 prong on the end that goes to the house?
Yes, just buy a hookup cable that has the right connector on each end.
Mines doesn’t give out power
choke is only for gasoline.
You know it seems real simple now you've pointed it out but having done some reading I think you're spot on. Now if only they would put that in the manual for those of us who don't know any better!