Charging the battery on an electric start portable generator

A battery is used for starting an electric start portable generator without the use of a recoil. Because of this, most electric start units come with a battery that requires charging.

An electric start portable generator may need to have its battery charged before first use. To do this, all electric start units come with an included wall charger. Because there is a range of required battery charging times and durations, users should reference the owner’s manual for their specific portable generator model to determine battery charging requirements. Owner's manuals can be found on our website here.

Environment

This article applies to portable generators that feature an electric start. These are indicated by an "E" in the model name: EFI, GP15000E, etc. For general information about portable generator battery charging, see: Portable generator battery charging guidelines

Charging instructions (video)

 

What portable generators can self-charge?

Some portable generator models charge their own battery when running and with a load applied. For more information, see: Portable generator battery charging guidelines

Why is my electric start still not working?

• Confirm the battery cables are securely connected.
• Confirm the battery on your portable generator is fully charged following the correct procedure described in the owner's manual. 
• Confirm there are no extension cords, cables, or electrical loads connected to the generator while starting.

Additional tips

• Charge the battery for 24 hours every 3 months for EFI (Electronic Fuel-injected units), and 24 hours every month for non-EFI units (generators with a carburetor).
• Because there is no charge level indicator on the generator, it's important to keep track of how long the battery has been charging.
• During prolonged outages and repeated starts, plug the charger into the generator while running for no more than 24 hours.
• Do NOT charge the battery longer than 48 hours, which may cause battery damage.
• Some generator models feature a separate 12v DC battery charging receptacle for recharging a separate automotive-style battery while the generator is running. Do not use this for charging the starter battery. 
• For generators with a plug charger and pull start option: If your battery is dead on a pull-start generator, and you get the generator running via pull start, you can plug the charger into the generator while the charger is connected to the battery and continue to charge the battery off of the generator's power. 

See also

• Portable generator battery charging guidelines