If an electric-start model has a hard-to-reach battery, like a Generac XG8000E, you may need to do some outage prep before bad weather arrives.
In a Reddit thread, a Reddit user who helped someone replace that portable generator's battery lamented how hard it can be to get a generator to start if it hasn't been run in a while.
Here's what to know
Because the battery is one of the parts most likely to need replacement on this kind of generator, aside from gas and oil, the original poster argued that the design is especially frustrating.
A commenter wrote, "I have the same generator, and it is a huge pain. .. I have changed my battery twice now, and I have attached a lead to it so you can charge it without having actual access to it."
Another person with the same unit said, "That onboard charging is crap."
More background
Because this is an electric-start generator, it's supposed to be simpler to use during an outage. According to the OP, even preparing for an emergency jump-start requires taking parts off first.
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"God knows these aren't the easiest things to pull start!" another person complained.
"I've been selling Generac since 1991….. oh the tales I could tell you and the things I've seen them do in those 35 years," explained a Reddit user. "In fact, battery placement has always been a Generac issue, even in standby units. I blame engineers more than any particular company, since everyone does this."
What can be done?
The most common suggestion was adding access in advance. The OP's advice was to add extra leads to the battery lugs ahead of time so the unit can still be jump-started "in the dark, and in the middle of a storm," since that can be difficult to do if it's already night with no electricity.
Because several owners view the built-in charging setup as weak, commenters described adding external charging connections instead.
A more extensive workaround came from one commenter who said they mounted a boat-type battery box and ran heavy cables to replace the motorcycle-style battery with a larger vehicle battery.
"The larger vehicle battery was 8-10 times more capacity and about 70% of the custom battery cost," they said.
Someone else noted that owners who keep the stock setup may still have alternate jump points like using the frame for negative and the starter solenoid terminal for positive. Even so, that commenter said a quick-connect pigtail was "not a bad idea."
"I did something similar; adding the pigtails on the battery so that I could use a battery tender jr. Smartest thing I had ever done - that onboard charging is crap," they wrote.
"I was going to add lugs for jumping, but ended up going the pigtail route instead. But never say never! God knows these aren't the easiest things to pull start! Love this model, however. I have the exact unit."
All that said, any user should only consider modifications at their own risk and should consult an electrician or the manufacturer for safety purposes.
Where can I learn more?
If this generator issue has you thinking about other backup power options, take a look at what other people and companies are doing.
• SunPower and Palmetto now offer home backup batteries without upfront installation costs.
• One homeowner said solar setup works just fine without a battery after adding an EV charger.
• In China, a carmaker unveiled a voice-activated battery-swap system to cut charging waits.
• In California, old EV packs showed grid-transforming benefits when reused for storage.
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