Generator Issue

[Isan Farang]

So today i went and purchased a new battery for my gen set. While I had it running I flicked the breaker switch to on but I observed no reading on the volt meter. I then went and plugged in a power tool thinking perhaps it was the meter that was faulty, but I am getting no power at the socket.

 

I pulled off the front panel and had a peep to check for anything obvious, there was also an inline fuse I observed and checked and it was good.

 

Just checking if there is any other things I can look at before I have it sent to my repair shop.  

[bankruatsteve]

You sure the breaker switch is ON?  Maybe turn off then on.  Does it stay on?

[Crossy]

If it's been stood for a long while it may have lost it's residual magnetism.

 

You can "flash" it with a vehicle battery, check Google for instructions.

 

[Isan Farang]

47 minutes ago, Crossy said:

If it's been stood for a long while it may have lost it's residual magnetism.

 

You can "flash" it with a vehicle battery, check Google for instructions.

 

The repair man will come to my location within a couple of days, so I will leave him to find the issue. Will let you know the outcome.

 

[Isan Farang]

On ‎6‎/‎5‎/‎2019 at 5:26 PM, Isan Farang said:

The repair man will come to my location within a couple of days, so I will leave him to find the issue. Will let you know the outcome.

 

My repair man just fixed the issue in 1 min. Option 1 done the trick

He told me the first two things to perform is

1. On the speed control lever coming from the carb, give it a flick to rev the engine speed.

2. Flash two specific points on the back of the motor with two wires connected to the battery

 

I purchased this genset new on 2005 and so far I have spent 3.500 Baht on repairs, not bad for a China made item that many state is crap.

[Crossy]

Result!

 

Sounds like it just needed a bit of extra oomph to get it to self-excite.

 

Try not to leave it stood for long periods so the residual magnetism stays strong enough. I run ours once a month (first Sunday of the month) for an hour whether it has been used or not. I charge the battery at the same time.  

[bankruatsteve]

5 minutes ago, Crossy said:

I charge the battery at the same time.  

External charge?  Or just using the genset?

[Crossy]

6 minutes ago, bankruatsteve said:

External charge?  Or just using the genset?

 

External, a simple smart-charger.

 

The task goes:-

• Put the kettle on.
• Hook the charger to the battery and start the charger (mine has a button).
• Make and drink tea.
• Check email etc etc.
• Once the "charged" light comes on open the breaker that feeds the ATS.
• Genset starts.
• Run for an hour feeding the normal house load.
• Drink more tea, feed fish, chooks, dogs
• Turn the ATS breaker back on
• Genset stops
• Check and re-fuel if necessary.
• Forget about it until next month.

 

 

[bankruatsteve]

Now you got me wondering again...  Wouldn't your genset charge the battery during an hour's operation?  Is external charge necessary or do you do just because?

 

BTW:  If you have a checklist for bedtime, I'd hope not to see it.

[Isan Farang]

10 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

External, a simple smart-charger.

 

The task goes:-

• Put the kettle on.
• Hook the charger to the battery and start the charger (mine has a button).
• Make and drink tea.
• Check email etc etc.
• Once the "charged" light comes on open the breaker that feeds the ATS.
• Genset starts.
• Run for an hour feeding the normal house load.
• Drink more tea, feed fish, chooks, dogs
• Turn the ATS breaker back on
• Genset stops
• Check and re-fuel if necessary.
• Forget about it until next month.

 

 

Previously when I purchased a new battery, I just got one from the suppliers shelf already charged, the issue for me was if its a slow selling type how long has it been sitting there.

 

On my last two replacements I have told them to fill a new battery with acid and then I will bring home and charge alone. This arrangement has for sure extended the battery life.

[Crossy]

20 minutes ago, bankruatsteve said:

Wouldn't your genset charge the battery during an hour's operation?

 

Yup, it should put back the bit of charge it used to start, I just don't like standing in the rain pulling the recoil starter when it doesn't.

 

As an OCD sufferer I have many checklists, not physical ones, all in the (warped) mind.

 

EDIT Make a note to check it actually is charging when running ????

 

[Wirejerker]

My repair man just fixed the issue in 1 min. Option 1 done the trick
He told me the first two things to perform is
1. On the speed control lever coming from the carb, give it a flick to rev the engine speed.
2. Flash two specific points on the back of the motor with two wires connected to the battery
 
I purchased this genset new on 2005 and so far I have spent 3.500 Baht on repairs, not bad for a China made item that many state is crap.

I’ve preformed item two a couple of times with great success and I now wonder had I known about item 1 I may have saved a lot of dickering around. Next time.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Crossy]

5 minutes ago, Wirejerker said:

I’ve preformed item two a couple of times with great success and I now wonder had I known about item 1 I may have saved a lot of dickering around. Next time.

 

Same here, never even thought of giving it a few more revs to get it going ????

 

Even at my age you learn something new every day.

 

[sometimewoodworker]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

 

Same here, never even thought of giving it a few more revs to get it going ????

 

Even at my age you learn something new every day.

 

I guess that you were not a motorcyclist as I was for about 40 some years, as blipping the throttle would be an almost instinctive action when starting any petrol engine, where you have access to the throttle.

 

I haven't had extensive diesel experience, only having driven about 50,000 miles, so I'm not sure that that works for them.