Starter system for portable internal combustion engine electric generators using a portable universal battery pack

A portable electrical generator system, comprising:

• a manually movable frame supporting an internal combustion engine that drives a generator device supported on the frame that generates AC power, the internal combustion engine coupled to the generator device;
• a starting device coupled to the internal combustion engine;
• and
• a control panel assembly coupled to the frame, comprising:
• a control panel having at least one AC outlet coupled to the generator device;
• a housing having a battery receptacle therein electrically coupled to the starting device, the battery receptacle adapted to receive a cordless power tool battery pack for providing electrical power to the starting device when the battery pack is received in the battery receptacle;
• and
• a charger assembly substantially enclosed within the control panel and the housing, comprising:
• a stand alone charger electrically coupled between the battery pack received in the receptacle and the generator device when the internal combustion engine is running to charge the battery pack and electrically decoupled from the battery pack when the internal combustion engine is being started;
• and
• a base portion coupled to a cage portion, the stand alone charger received on the base portion and substantially enclosed by the base portion and cage portion.