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Battery cables for small engine starter?

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MushCreek

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I have a generator with a Honda GX390 (about 13 hp) engine. I just discovered that it has electric start! I connected an 8 ga. wire to the solenoid, and another to the ground, and it cranks right up with a lawn mower battery. This was just to test it, so now I'm going to build a battery bracket, and use regular battery cables. I'll borrow the battery out of my zero-turn for the once in a blue moon I need the gennie. The question is- What size cable? I have an owner's manual for the gennie, but it doesn't specify what gauge wire. I was thinking 6 ga. should be enough, but it doesn't cost much more to go 4 ga. I can buy premade cables cheaper than I can buy the materials to make them.
 
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mm08822

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4s will certainly cover it w/o issue.

Go to batterycablesusa and you can configure any cable you want.
 
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MushCreek

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My generator seemed to be missing the electric start option. I picked it up at an auction, and have always just pull started it. I was looking at it one day, and realized it had a starter and solenoid. No cables, or battery bracket, which are options. I hot wired my lawn tractor battery just to see what would happen and it cranked right up. The on-off switch has a 'Start' position, which activates the solenoid if there's a battery connected to it. Honda wants a lot of money for the 'electric start kit', which is nothing more the cables and battery mount. Now I have the cables, and I'll weld up a battery mount. Now if I could figure out how to drain the gas tank easily and quickly when I store it....
 
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Codyboy

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MushCreek said:
My generator seemed to be missing the electric start option. I picked it up at an auction, and have always just pull started it. I was looking at it one day, and realized it had a starter and solenoid. No cables, or battery bracket, which are options. I hot wired my lawn tractor battery just to see what would happen and it cranked right up. The on-off switch has a 'Start' position, which activates the solenoid if there's a battery connected to it. Honda wants a lot of money for the 'electric start kit', which is nothing more the cables and battery mount. Now I have the cables, and I'll weld up a battery mount. Now if I could figure out how to drain the gas tank easily and quickly when I store it....
Click to expand...
Oh gotcha.

As far as draining the tank, you could splice a T in the fuel line and install a petcock on the end of it.
 
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LopezBart

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If the cap seals properly, just shut off the gas and drain the carburetor... that way it's easy to get running in an emergency - just turn on the gas and go. Of course, that assumes it's not stored in your garage....
 
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MushCreek

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When I bought the generator at an auction, it looked like it had never been run. The paint wasn't even fully burned off the muffler. The unit also has an ignition switch made for electric start.
I've tried storing it with gas in it, but we keep it in the garage and it stinks. That, and it might be several years in between uses. I like to drain everything out, both the carb and the tank. I put a new filter and fitting, but the ID of the components is tiny. Adding a Tee will help as I won't have to pull the hose off the carb to drain the tank. If the extra hose is the right length, I can leave it unattended as it drains. Of course, the power always comes on right after I fill it!
 
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mm08822

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MushCreek said:
When I bought the generator at an auction, it looked like it had never been run. The paint wasn't even fully burned off the muffler. The unit also has an ignition switch made for electric start.
I've tried storing it with gas in it, but we keep it in the garage and it stinks. That, and it might be several years in between uses. I like to drain everything out, both the carb and the tank. I put a new filter and fitting, but the ID of the components is tiny. Adding a Tee will help as I won't have to pull the hose off the carb to drain the tank. If the extra hose is the right length, I can leave it unattended as it drains. Of course, the power always comes on right after I fill it!
Click to expand...
Even with gas stabilizer being used, I always run my gen dry before putting it away.

See if yours has a drain nut on the bowl also as it may be in a location to permit a neat collection of remaining fuel without making a mess.

I never fill my 5 gallon tank full of gas to eliminate having to drain almost all of it out after the power comes on 2 mins later.
 
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CTyankee

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I had a big Honda generator that had an electric start, but I didn't use it enough to justify buying a battery for it. I used my small lithium-ion jumper to start it. Worked great.
 
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ipgenie

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Probably not worth it if the genny is only used every few years but you could probably rig it up to draw directly from a fuel can rather than the on board tank. Then you'd be able to disconnect and run the carb dry before storage.
I bet a tool battery would start it just fine with one of the 3d printed power wheel adapters.
 
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MushCreek

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It only takes a few minutes to pop the battery out of my zero-turn for the rare occasions I need it. As for a remote tank- it's gravity feed, so I'd need to add a fuel pump, or some way to prime it, like an outboard motor fuel bulb to get a siphon going. TBH, I think adding a tee and a longer hose will be fine. As it is now, I have to take some stuff off to take the fuel hose off of the carb, and then the hose isn't quite long enough to reach into my gas can. I wonder if the really slow fuel flow might have something to do with why my 6500 watt gennie won't run my 4500 watt water heater?
 
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OccupantRJ

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Eastern North Carolina
I added a ring gear and starter to my generator because I am getting too old to pull on it comfortably. I used a set of HF jumper cables with one end of them permanently attached to ground and to a solenoid on the unit with lug ends. I added a fold up hitch to the front end. Now if I need it I hook it to a mower and pull it to where needed, then attach the clip ends of the on board cables to the mower battery for starting. I did not want another battery to deal with between uses.
 
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Codyboy

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My 7550W has electric start but the battery was crapped out when I inherited from my dad in 2015. I suppose its a gel type that is tucked in and under the fuel tank.
So I said screw it and fabbed a mounting bracket from some angle used for realtor for sale signs.
Bought a lawnmower size battery for it. Worked great!
That battery crapped out after a year or so even with a battery tender on it.

So I just pull start it now.
It has always started on the first pull. Occasionaly two pulls.
Choke, pull, start, off choke.

I have never drained the tank, I do not use ethanol free fuel in anything I own. If I remember , I'll put in some stabil.

I do shut off the fuel and run it until it dies.

Has never been a problem.
 

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nadogail

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Coronado, CA
My single cylinder 13 horse Lifan engine, a Honda Clone, came with 10 gauge cable to connect to the starting battery.
 
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