generator frustrations

[canesisters]

I'm just about at my wits end - and yall have ALWAYS been so helpful - so I'm grasping at straws

A couple of years ago I busted my savings and bought a generator. I have not had to USE it one single time thank goodness. But when I will need it - it needs to work. I have started it up every couple months and hooked the air compressor up to it and let them both run (compressor cycling on and off) for 30 mins or so.
Early this summer I could NOT get it to start. I called a neighbor who came over and fiddled with it - mostly just drained the gas and refilled - and finally got it started. In all this time I've used the pull cord to start it - but it DOES have a key to start IF the battery is charged.
So.. here's my dilemma. I think that I'm just simply not pulling the cord hard enough/fast enough to start it. My shoulder just won't do it. And I CAN NOT figure out HOW to attach a charger or how to remove the battery to replace it.

Any suggestions yall can offer I will gladly try.

You're looking down from the top. You can just see the panel with the switches and plugs on the right side. Below that, with a peeling sticker, is the panel that the battery is behind.

This is REALLY hard to see - but this is the battery

The yellow hash marks are the welded on panel that has the peeling sticker on the other side - that extends several inches past the far end of the battery
The battery is tucked down in this tight little space that I can barely get my hand in. I can access the negative terminal (first white circle) but by the time I shove my arm elbow deep in there to reach the positive one (second white circle), I can't see what I'm doing. There isn't any access from the other side that I can get my hand in.
Can ANYONE see a way to attach a battery charger????

 

[dickiebird]

I can't tell by the pic if the bolts/screws that hold the cables to the batt. are "naked". If they are bare just hook the pos end of the charger to the positive end on the batt. You can just hook the neg end of the charger onto the frame of the gen. That is if the batt. is grounded to the frame.
Some times they will put some sort of insulation on the wire where it attaches to the batt. and you'll have to peal that back to attach any thing to the terminal
I do a bunch of repairs on small engine equipment and from my experience once one of those small batts. are more than a year old, you won't get them to hold a charge. When you buy one of them they usually only have a 6 mo. warranty.
If you know anyone that has a portable jumper pack maybe you can borrow that to see if you can get it going.
I'll try and attach a link to a jumper pack. It's just the 1st one that popped up in my search, I know there are less expensive ones out there
https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DXAEJ...CM/?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid={creative}&hvpos={adposition}&hvnetw=o&hvrand={random}&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl={devicemodel}&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583657822851890&psc=1
Wow that's a long link!!!

THANX RICH

 

[canesisters]

Thank you. I'm almost ready to ask someone to CUT that panel off.
Funny enough, I got a call this afternoon from that neighbor that got it going last time. He needed his dog's nails cut. I said I would be happy to come over and do it. Oh, by the way, remember that generator.....

 

[Dirtmechanic]

That square strap holds the battery down so you can take it right out. A computerized charger can restore it if it is restorable, and simultaneously check for a bad cell. Personally I would suggest washing the machine and spray it down with a clear car wax. Those machines just sit and sit, and oxygen gets to the bare parts causing oxidation. The plastic insulation can crack, connections get corrosion etc, all of which are related to oxygen. The wax job relies on silicone to prevent oxygen from getting to surfaces. When replaced, the battery terminals should also be cleaned and an antioxidant applied. I use my generator from time to time when the power goes out. I found out that the cable tv signal is not dependant on the power as it is self supplied, but the boxes do require power. Now when the power is out we can watch tv, run computers on the internet etc. Generators are very cool.