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I bought the 7000EXL in April 2010. It is is a great machine. It had very low running hours and was in almost new condition. Electric start is sweet. The engine was running but there was no electrical output. The former owner wasn't interested in repair and just bought another one. I replaced two faulty components on a circuit board and now it works perfectly. It is now my backup generator during power outages.
Engine labels. I don't know the exact age of the generator. It is model 1657-2. From the manuals, revision 2 seems to have been produced in early 2006. Briggs & Stratton Power Products Group, LLC. acquired Generac Portable Products in March of 2001. The label in the left picture would indicate this generator was built following the B&S acquisition.
Powered by Generac GN410 14HP OHVI (OverHead Valve Industrial) gasoline engine with electric start.
PowerSurge Alternator delivers 7000 watts continuous, 12250 watt starting power.
Automatic idle control, automatic voltage regulation.
Pressurized lubrication system. Uses readily available automotive type spin on oil filter, same type as Toyota Corolla. Most other small engines use splash lubrication.
7-gallon metal fuel tank and wheel kit.
Standard 120VAC duplex outlets for use with extension cords
Mine has 120/240V 30A and 20A twistlock outlets with floating neutral for safe connection to transfer panel. The original 120V 30A connector has been replaced. The neutral bond can be easily installed again if required.
Generac is built in Wisconsin.
Visit their web page.
It is not a Chinese generator.
From www.generac.com
Unlike all other engines manufactured primarily for lawn and garden applications, Generac OHVI engines are made specifically for generators. They are engineered to run for the long periods of time required during a severe power outage or on a job site, utilizing the same type of pressurized oil lubrication used to give automobile engines long and trouble-free lives. Generac OHVI engines have a significantly longer life than competitive engines – an unprecedented three to four times longer – making them the best investment on the market. They also run 30-50 degrees cooler, are 5% more fuel-efficient and reduce oil consumption by 25%.
Read more here.
SPECIFICATIONS
Starting Wattage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,250 Watts
Wattage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,000 Watts
AC Load Current
At 120 Volts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58.3 Amps
At 240 Volts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29.2 Amps
Phase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-phase
Rated Frequency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Hertz
Fuel Tank Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 U.S. gallons
Shipping Weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 lbs
Operator's manual
Illustrated parts List
Manual with electrical diagram
Engine owner's manual
Engine Service and Repair manual
The internal circuit boards can be expensive to replace. It can be a great money saver to repair them instead.
After removing the 84132 regulator board from the generator the black potting material was removed.
A heat gun and small screwdriver made easy work to get to the circuit board.
Diode D2 and the SCR had both shorted and were replaced.
Total repair cost $8.99
I performed some tests while awaiting parts. The field coil was connected to a variable DC power supply. DPE coil and AC output connected to a voltmeter for measurement.
Resistance measurements, engine off
| Field coil | DPE coil | Output coils, twistlock outlet to ground |
| 2 ohms | 15 ohms | 0.4 ohms |
Voltage measurements, engine running.
| Field voltage applied | DPE | Output, 120VAC duplex outlet |
| 10VDC@1.1A | 170VAC | 95VAC |
| 15VDC@1.8A | 217VAC | 121VAC |
| 28VDC@3.6A | 262VAC | 145VAC |
For a quick check of the 83970 system control board, disconnect the white three-terminal connector on the 84132 regulator board. Start the engine. Voltage at the 120VAC outlets should be above 130VAC. Connect a jumper between the two outer pins of the 84132 connector and start the engine again. Output should drop to below 10VAC.
If the voltages are as described but the generator still does not work properly, it is likely that the System Control Board is not functioning.
Here are pictures and schematic diagram for the 84132 power regulator board.
Schematic diagram. Hand drawn with parts list, but should be easy to follow.
Original board epoxy sealed.
Top of board.
Bottom of board.
DPE coil connections.
Field coil connections.
I replaced the 120VAC 30A outlet with a 20A 120/240VAC twistlock outlet. The neutral conductor has been changed to floating. This will make it better suited to transfer panel connections.
Valve Adjustment
At one time the electric starter refused to turn the engine over and the pull cord felt like something was blocking the piston from moving. I removed the spark plug and the engine spun over quite easily. The compression release wasn't adjusted properly. Overhead valve engines often have very high compression that must be reduced at startup to allow the engine to rotate. Most of the overhead valve engines have a compression release feature which allows for the starter to not have to work hard to crank the engine. It's a slight raising, or bump, on the exhaust lobe of the camshaft. It opens the exhaust valve a little early to allow excess compression to bleed off. At speeds over 300rpm, the tappet just sort of floats over this bump and it has no effect on engine performance. But at starting speeds, it's essential or the starter just can't turn the engine over. The piston needs to be 1/4" past top dead center before valves are adjusted.
warrenstone@eastlink.ca
Please email any comments or suggestions.