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Generac Generator Repair
Generator won't start or keeps showing an alarm? We find the cause, quote the fix in writing and test it under load. 24-hour emergency service available.
Get a Free Repair Estimate
We call you back during office hours, Monday to Friday, 7 am to 5 pm.
Prefer to call? (734) 697-8477
Licensed and insured | Family owned | Free quotes | Office Mon to Fri, 7 am to 5 pm
3D Electric handles Generac Generator Repair for homes across Southeast Michigan, from a dead battery to a transfer switch that never moves the house over. We are a family-owned, licensed and insured electrical contractor based in Belleville, with about two decades in the trade. Our Generac Generator Repair service finds the cause, quotes the fix in writing and tests the whole system under load before we leave.
A standby generator is two systems in one: a small engine and the electrical gear that connects it to your house. Many repair calls turn out to be on the electrical side, which is our trade. We also work on Honeywell and Kohler home standby units. If you are still choosing a new system rather than fixing an old one, start with our whole house generator installation overview.
Lectro's tip
Snap a photo of the controller screen before you reset anything, so the alarm doesn't vanish with the reset!
What Generac Generator Repair Covers
A repair visit looks at the whole standby system, not only the part that failed last. Here is what we check and fix.
Starting system
The 12-volt starting battery, its cables and terminals, and the battery charger inside the unit. Together they cause more no-start calls than anything else.
Controller and alarms
We read the alarm history, check the controller settings and the exercise schedule, and clear faults only after we know why they happened.
Engine service parts
Oil level and condition, air filter, spark plugs and the signs of a leak, overheating or rodent damage inside the enclosure.
Fuel supply
Gas pressure at the unit while it runs under load. A gas line that is too small often shows up only when the furnace and water heater are firing at the same time. Gas piping problems go to your gas utility or a licensed gas fitter when the fix is on their side.
Transfer switch and wiring
The automatic transfer switch, the control wires between it and the generator, load management modules and the connections in your panel.
Common Generac Problems and What They Usually Mean
Most Generac home units have a status light. Green means ready, yellow means a warning or maintenance is due, and red means an alarm has shut the unit down. The controller screen or the Mobile Link app names the alarm. Write it down exactly before anyone resets it.
The generator won't start
An Overcrank alarm means the engine cranked and never caught. A Low Battery alarm or no response at all points to the battery or charger. Other causes include low oil, a closed gas valve, a fuel pressure problem or a controller left in Off instead of Auto.
It runs, but the house stays dark
That points to the generator's main breaker, the transfer switch or the control wiring between them. Our generator transfer switch installation page explains how the hand-off should work.
It shuts down during an outage
Overload, low oil pressure, high temperature, underspeed and fuel problems can each stop the engine. If it quits when the central air starts, the load management may not be shedding loads the way it should.
It skips its exercise run
Most units run a short exercise on a set schedule, often weekly. A battery change or a long loss of power to the controller can reset that schedule. A missed exercise is a reason to look before the next storm, not after it.
Generator Battery Replacement and Charger Problems
The starting battery sits inside the enclosure and works hard in Michigan weather. Cold mornings cut its cranking power, and summer heat shortens its life. Many batteries last a few years, but age alone does not tell you when one will fail.
A battery can also die early because the charger stopped working. The charger runs off a 120-volt circuit from your house. If that circuit trips or the charger fails, the battery drains a little with every exercise run until the day it cannot start the engine.
We load-test the battery rather than only reading its voltage.
We check the charger output and the circuit that feeds it.
We replace the battery with the type the manufacturer lists for your model.
We clean the terminals and confirm the controller clock and exercise schedule afterward.
What to Do Safely Until the Repair
If you smell gas, leave the house and call your gas utility or 911 from outside.
If anything is sparking, smoking or burning, call 911.
Keep your hands out of the enclosure while the controller is in Auto. The engine can crank without warning.
Photograph the controller screen and the status light.
Reset the generator's main breaker once if it tripped. If it trips again, leave it off.
Never plug a portable generator into a wall outlet. Backfeeding is illegal and can kill a line worker. Use a proper generator inlet and interlock kit or extension cords to single appliances.
Run any portable generator outdoors, far from doors, windows and vents, and test your CO alarms.
24-hour emergency service available. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 7 am to 5 pm. Our power outage checklist covers the rest of a long outage.
How a Generator Repair Visit Goes
You call. Tell us the brand, model, size and what the screen shows. A photo helps.
We diagnose. We test the battery, charger, fuel supply, engine and transfer switch, and read the alarm history.
We quote in writing. You get the cause and a written estimate before any repair starts.
We repair and test. After the fix, we pull the utility power and watch the generator start, take the house and hand it back.
Some parts have to be ordered. If so, we tell you what you can safely run in the meantime. If your unit is still under the manufacturer's warranty, have the serial number and install date ready. Warranty terms can affect who does the repair and what is covered.
Honeywell and Kohler Generator Repair
We install and service Generac, Honeywell and Kohler home standby generators, so our repair work covers all three.
Honeywell
Many Honeywell home standby units look and work much like air-cooled Generac models, with a similar battery, charger and transfer switch layout. We have installed 22 kW Honeywell units in Belleville and Milan, and the same repair steps apply.
Kohler
Kohler home units use Kohler's own controller and transfer switch, and many owners watch them through Kohler's OnCue app. The common failures are the same: battery, fuel pressure, alarms and transfer problems. See our Kohler generator installation page for how those systems are set up.
For other brands, call and ask before you book.
Repair or Replace an Older Generator
A battery, charger, sensor or control wire is almost always worth fixing. A failed engine or a control board that is hard to find on an older unit may cost more than the generator is worth. We will tell you plainly when that is the case.
A replacement is a new install. It can often reuse the pad location and sometimes the transfer switch. Our Generac generator installation page shows how that job goes, and the whole house generator cost guide explains what drives the price. A new unit usually needs new permits. The generator installation permit guide covers the steps; confirm current requirements for your address with your city or township building department.
Preventing the Next Breakdown
Many repair calls start as small problems a yearly service would have caught: a tired battery, old oil, a mouse nest in the enclosure or a charger circuit that tripped months ago. Our Generac generator maintenance visit covers those checks before storm season.
Living near our shop? See local details for generator repair in Belleville, generator repair in Ann Arbor and generator repair in Ypsilanti. If the generator is fine but circuits in the house keep tripping, our electrical repair service tracks it down. Ready to book? Request a free generator quote or call (734) 697-8477.
Related pages
Local details for Belleville and Van Buren Township
Local details for Ann Arbor homes
Local details for Ypsilanti homes
Yearly service that heads off repairs
Automatic and manual switches
When replacing makes more sense
How Kohler systems are set up
Steps for a long outage
Frequently Asked Questions
The most common causes are a weak battery, a failed battery charger, low oil, a closed gas valve or a controller left in Off. The alarm on the screen usually narrows it down. Photograph it before you reset anything, then call us.
Usually the generator's main breaker tripped or the transfer switch did not move the house over. Reset that breaker once. If it is on and the house is still dark, the transfer switch or its control wiring needs a look.
Many starting batteries last a few years, but cold, heat and a failing charger shorten that. A load test during the yearly service shows when a battery is getting weak, before it fails during an outage.
A red light means an alarm has shut the unit down and it will not run until the fault is found and cleared. Read the alarm name on the screen or in the Mobile Link app and give it to us when you call.
Yes. We install and service Generac, Honeywell and Kohler home standby generators, and we repair all three. For other brands, call and ask before booking.
Yes. 24-hour emergency service available. Our office hours are Monday to Friday, 7 am to 5 pm. Use the safety steps on this page in the meantime, and call 911 for fire, smoke or a gas smell.