Eaton Unstable Run Command or Fault-Induced Cycling

Generator starts and stops repeatedly during an outage, cycling on and off.

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Safety Warning

This repair may involve working with high voltage components or water connections. Always unplug the appliance before removing any panels.

If you are not confident in your ability to perform this repair safely, we strongly recommend contacting a professional technician.

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Possible Causes

Intermittent utility sensing at ATS, Loose run signal wiring between ATS and generator, Overload or temperature fault resetting after cool-down, Faulty controller logic

How to Fix / Troubleshooting

Safety first: This cycling can stress the engine and loads. Place the generator in OFF until the cause is identified.

Steps:

  • Check utility status: Verify actual utility voltage at the service entrance. If it is fluctuating, the ATS may be legitimately transferring back and forth.
  • Inspect control wiring: Tighten all low-voltage control terminals between the Eaton ATS and generator controller.
  • Review fault history: Use the controller menu to view recent fault codes that may be causing shutdowns (overtemp, overload, etc.). Address underlying issues.
  • Controller reset: After correcting wiring and faults, perform a controller reset per Eaton instructions and test operation.
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Repair Difficulty

Hard 4/5

Required Part

Control Wiring Harness
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