B&Q Generator

Talbot

Talbot

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I bought one of those £50 generators last year (just over a year ago). I reckon there must have been a time switch on it cause it now doesnt work. no spark. spark plug has been replaced, and HT insulation tested - fine. So its further inside the thing. two wound magnets under the flywheel are my probable cuprits.

I ring B&Q for spares - no dont do spares. so what do you do if they break - replacement if they are less than 1 year old otherwise hard luck!!!!!!

Anybody feel like playing with it. Otherwise I shall be getting a Kipor instead!
 
Sounds familiar! Had the same problem with two successive little gennys bought from screfix last year - sent them back.
 
remove the electronic black box,take it to a lawnmower servicer and most Italian engines will fit yours, might look sligtly different but will work.
 
You could kill a few hours by claiming that it was not of 'satisfactory quality' as it did not last a 'reasonable time'. This is not a garuantee issue, but under trading standards. There is a push by EEC that most consumer stuff should last at least two years.
 
It's 6 years that you have to be able to notify the shop of faulty goods, if it be reasonably assumed they were designed to work for more than 6 months/year. Last a reasonable time is the leagal statement, a generator used occasionaly should be good for 5 years if looked after.

The 1 year is something that the retailer offers in addition to the sale of goods act.

So take it back say you would expect a product of this nature to have lasted more than a year and ask for replacement.

Satisfactory quality covers minor and cosmetic defects as well as substantial problems. It also means that products must last a reasonable time. But it doesn't give you any rights if a fault was obvious or pointed out to you at point of sale.

Fit for purpose covers not only the obvious purpose of an item but any purpose you queried and were given assurances about by the trader.

The short time limit (I used to say 2 days) is for a full refund, after which you are deemed to have accepted the goods, then its replacement or repair up to 6 years.

Get a copy of The Sale of Goods Act 1979 (as amended)' and go along to the shop with it. I've found the counter staff at B&Q don't know the law but if you speak to a manager they will know the rules. I know because I use dto set up and run shops and I also returned a 2½ year old chain saw to B&Q and was given a replacement.

Good luck
 
Dont know what it is on the end of the HT lead - small black cylinder abt 50mm long and 35mm diameter. two small wires go into it, and out comes the HT lead.
 
not only that, by substitution you can find out what the problem akshurly was ........ fix it, and wow - u got 2
 
yep, so you bring your old one in - in 7 months, and get a new one, and with the knowledge of what went wrong ...... get a spare /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif so your new one will be as good as new in 24 months /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
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Dont know what it is on the end of the HT lead - small black cylinder abt 50mm long and 35mm diameter. two small wires go into it, and out comes the HT lead.

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Tis surely the HT coil ? Which would explain the lack of sparks if thats gone.
Quick substitute with almost any other coil should work or you can test original with s/plug in HT lead and a 12V battery flicked across two smaller wires. (Plug must be earthed too).
 
Re: B&Q Generator

I think that B&Q cheapies are designed to last about a year! - I buy their stuff on the basis that for the price a year's service is about all I expect and anything more is a bonus!
 
What do you expect for £50? If you get a year out of it I think you've done well. If you try to get it fixed anywhere I'm sure it would cost more that £50,
 
Suggest you bare the two wires going into the "cylinder thing" which is probably the HT coil and attach a small voltmeter across them. As you swing the engine to start see if you have a pulsing current. If you do it is just the coil that has gone and you can replace it with any other. If its not this its the electronic ignition thingy which should be on the other end of those 2 wires. What generates the current is a crude 2 magnet DC brushless dynamo which has little to go wrong with it unless burnt out. My guess is the coil. As someone else said though there may be a condensor (capacitor) in the circuit too which may also be the culprit. Go on, you know you want to take it apart! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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Anybody feel like playing with it. Otherwise I shall be getting a Kipor instead!

[/ QUOTE ]If going for a Kipor dare I suggest you contact The Green Reaper? Just bought one from them, excellent service and they were the cheapest around - even better than the other supplier much promoted on the forums. No hidden extras in the price such as VAT or delivery!
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