Troubleshooting Westinghouse iGen 4500

[Kenner97]

I have a Westinghouse IGen 4500 and having problem with it. I was troubling shooting today and has 124 volts with no load and if I just run a drill or angle grinder it stays at 124 volts l but I plugged in a 1,500 watt heater and engine lugs down and voltage drops to 89-90 volts and then will eventually go into over load mode.
Engine idles and run fine but when load is applied instead of it reving to handle the load it bogs down.
Could it be the voltage regulator?

[60 Deluxe]

Probably the controller isn't telling the servo to give it more gas.

[Kenner97]

I took it to a shop a few months ago for the same reason and they said they just tuned the carb and everything worked good.

[Kenner97]

Probably the controller isn't telling the servo to give it more gas.

I’m not a mechanic, so how hard is it to change controller?

[60 Deluxe]

If you can, manually rev the engine under load and see if you can get it to make 120 volts. That is probably a 3600 rpm machine. When you put a load on it, something senses that the rpm has dropped and compensates by opening the throttle until whatever reading the controller looks at is satisfied. It may be voltage or it may be hertz, but I doubt that a small machine like that has a tachometer or any other more sophisticated system of determining speed. My big machine has a set-up very similar to the anti-lock brakes on a car. It gets a pulse with every revolution of the main shaft. Some of the smaller machines are not even voltage regulated. Pull up the specs for you machine and do some research to determine what to look for.

[Kenner97]

If you can, manually rev the engine under load and see if you can get it to make 120 volts. That is probably a 3600 rpm machine. When you put a load on it, something senses that the rpm has dropped and compensates by opening the throttle until whatever reading the controller looks at is satisfied. It may be voltage or it may be hertz, but I doubt that a small machine like that has a tachometer or any other more sophisticated system of determining speed. My big machine has a set-up very similar to the anti-lock brakes on a car. It gets a pulse with every revolution of the main shaft. Some of the smaller machines are not even voltage regulated. Pull up the specs for you machine and do some research to determine what to look for.

Thank you.
I’ll try and check.

[60 Deluxe]

I’m not a mechanic, so how hard is it to change controller?

I can't answer that without looking at the electrical schematic. I doubt that there is much to it on the small standby generators. It could very well be the carburetor fouling if you haven't kept fuel stabilizer in the gas tank.

[Drycreek3189]

I’m not a mechanic either, but Mechanic In A Bottle has been a lifesaver for me in all small engines that don’t get used very often. I use it in a woodsplitter, pressure washer, two generators, etc. Try it, if it works that’s your cheapest option.

[Kenner97]

I’m not a mechanic either, but Mechanic In A Bottle has been a lifesaver for me in all small engines that don’t get used very often. I use it in a woodsplitter, pressure washer, two generators, etc. Try it, if it works that’s your cheapest option.

Thanks. I put seafoam in fuel and run it atleast once a month to prevent any problems with fuel.
Engine runs fine so I don’t think it’s a fuel issue.

[Walker]

That generator has some kind of governor, either mechanical or electronic. My guess is the governor is not working.

[Bucknaked]

I don’t know if it is true or not regarding generators but I’ve been told that if you don’t use them often with a full or close to a full load that they lose capacity. Please don’t shoot the messenger , it’s just what I have been told.

[MadHatter]

I don’t know if it is true or not regarding generators but I’ve been told that if you don’t use them often with a full or close to a full load that they lose capacity. Please don’t shoot the messenger , it’s just what I have been told.

What is them?
You talking about lithium batteries?

[Kenner97]

I don’t know if it is true or not regarding generators but I’ve been told that if you don’t use them often with a full or close to a full load that they lose capacity. Please don’t shoot the messenger , it’s just what I have been told.

I will have to research this. Normally it is only running 25% or less.