These are usually shipped with very little oil and until you add oil, it will not start. I had the same problem, changed the plug, pulled my arm out of socket and finally in a state of confusion, I checked my paperwork and it said "don't forget to add oil to crank case, I added oil and it started on the first pull. They'll also die if the oil gets low and of course won't start again until you add oil....Good luck...Errol

My answer:

Hello Gary,

Well - I guess you too are one in a long list of people that bought these Powermate Gensets from Home Depot and first now - WOW - after 4 years in the box you are first firing it up. 2 years in the box would be bad enough, but 4 years boxed could have even more gasket, etc related problems even more! Never know with these cheaper Made in China Gensets these days.

So - where to start on yours?

I guess I better tell you what I've already told others in your same situation unless you already know what I'm going to tell you.

I'll repost a shortened section below for you to read first as you have NO warranty option at this point, but might have a Home Depot option as you read the following below - after which I'll run through some common problems as it seems you already have the most common problem covered - as to adding the proper type and level of oil before you do anything to start the Genset - being careful NOT to over-fill the oil sump.


FOLLOW-UP ON ALL POWERMATE GENSETS

A follow-up to my original post here with some added Powermate info that hopefully will get you an Operator's Manual, service for your Genset, and more - for all your Powermate Gensets out there if you follow-up on the info here.

As you are now hopefully but painfully aware - Powermate has gone totally Bankrupt, and is no longer in business as of this past year or so.

There is hope though - as I state below in the previous Footnote I posted to many having similar problems.

Previous Footnote: It's too late now for all those out there that unfortunately bought these now still Brand New "unservicealbe" Powermate units that won't start for whatever, whether still Brand New "NIB", or whether taken out of the box and still not used, and are now seeking some kind of service on them (btw it's a sign of the present day GOP ran economic woes we are in AND it will only get worse - CHINA is going on the very same downward path right now thanks to you know who - W!). If you buy anything today "made in China" you better be making a GOOD buying decision - otherwise you will be in the very same situation you are in now with your Powermate Gensets - as China is starting to collapse from within just like this USA economy of ours has been doing for the last 5-6 years to no end! All politics aside as well - as blame is put where it is deserved in my books and we can only blame YOU KNOW WHO! Sorry but true!

NOW -

Any inventory stock of their (Powermate) Gensets - that were once formerly sold in the USA & Canada - have been totally liquidated out to a company in Georgia I was told, and it was said to be true.

I was able to get this NEW added info through another source said to be VERY accurate btw - so hopefully it is.

That Company's name is PRAMAC, and their address and phone # info is:

PRAMAC INDUSTRIES, Inc.

* Regional head office:

1100 Cobb Parkway North C
30062 Marietta, Georgia

Phone: 770-218-5430
Fax : 770 218 2810

or:

* International sales office:

10100 NW 116 Way, Suite 10
33178 Medley, Florida

Phone: 305-888-9911
Fax : 305-888-3711

Site info:

PRAMAC Global Gateway
BUT -

Before you blame me for any possible false Powermate info posted above in regards to that PRAMAC Co, or their contact info - read the GOOD NEWS below first.

The GOOD NEWS is that I spoke with a very close contact inside Home Depot (not saying who so don't even ask), and that person gave me some very GOOD NEWS for those that act on it NOW!

Not tomorrow - Not next week - Not next month - and certainly NOT NEXT YEAR!

DO IT RIGHT NOW!!

I spoke with my Home Depot Corp contact today (using your "not starting" dilemma - as my own - to get a response) to see if anything could be done from their point of view and here's what I was told to do.

What I was told is that if I (you) bring in my (your) ORIGINAL HOME DEPOT CASH REGISTER DATED RECEIPT and speak to the (whichever Home Depot store applies here) Home Depot Store Manager there, and explain to them that the brand new never used Powermate Genset they sold me (you in this case) won't start - they would send your Genset out to their local Genset Service Vendor FREE OF CHARGE BTW, and hopefully get it started for you.

Anything more then that - you would be on your own if it was damaged by you or someone else that tried using it improperly.

Here's another IMPORTANT FACT my contact at Home Depot told me.

Almost 95% of all the Genset problems found by the Service Center are related to the fact that people don't read the OWNERS MANUAL first, and just didn't put OIL in the Genset - as they are shipped from the MFR without OIL in the units to begin with!!!!

And here I thought everybody KNEW THAT!!

I guess sometimes you just have to ask the most OBVIOUS ??'s first huh (dumb as " it " may sound)?

If you bought your Powermate Genset from other then a Home Depot Store then you will have to contact that outlet and see what they have to say.

Some other obvious things to look for that may be the cause of a NO start condition even after adding proper gas & oil to the brand new Genset.

1 - Some Genset gas tanks come with a gas cap "blocking insert" under the gas cap that should be removed according to your manual if it states this. (Read manual section on "First Time Starting")

2 - Is the gas tank shutoff valve FULLY OPEN?

3 - Is the RUN SWITCH set to ON or RUN position (this is purely an "Electrical Switch" btw)? Is it working properly? Test it using an DVM or OHM meter! It's contacts may have become tarnished just from sitting so long?

3 - Is the choke being set to the proper position with or without using Ether spray to the Carb?

4 - Does the Carb have a Yellow or Black wire coming off of the bottom of the Float Bowl? This goes to the GAS CUT OFF SOLENOID mounted in the Main Jet inside the Float Bowl. NEVER CUT THIS WIRE as some people have suggested, as there are better ways to test the solenoid without doing that! If equipped with one - This anti-dieseling solenoid has to work properly or else flooding will occur with the gas shutoff valve OPEN.

5 - Is the Float stuck in the CLOSED position not letting gas into the Main Jet? You might try and tap carefully on the bottom or side of the Float Bowl with a hard rubber hammer first to try and see if you can dislodge the stuck Float inside. If there is a WIRE at the bottom of the Float Bowl on your model - DO NOT HIT THAT GAS SHUT-OFF SOLENOID WITH THE RUBBER HAMMER - as you will do damage to it! If this dislodges the stuck Float then your problem is solved! NEVER FORCE ANYTHING!! It's possibly that you might have to loosen the Float Bowl slightly to see if indeed gas is getting inside to the Float at all. If gas comes out readily but still no gas is getting into the Main Jet and intake then you purely have a Carb issue and nothing more! If you're not smelling gas through the air filter box then you are FUEL STARVED.

6 - As dumb as this next ? is to ask I have to ask anyway - Are you getting GOOD spark at the spark plug? Some units ship with the spark wire cap disconnected and it may look like it's on the plug, but in reality it really isn't fully connected!

That's about all there is unless you got a Defective Genset from the start. Next stop - Home Depot!

Best regards to all with the same problems, and hope I helped you out 100% - all political humor/truth aside.

Please post me a reply as to finding this solution being the best resolve to your Powermate problem there by following my recommendations above. Also please rate my troubleshooting fix as well.

Keep me posted and I'll follow up as well.

Best regards,

Frank