Robin Generator - No power

[Skyco]

I agree with Ron. Sorry, didn't look at the pics or read the post thoroughly. Flashing probably wont help.

Oops me neither And I agree flashing isn't gonna help.

 

[Soundguy]

Yep.. looks like a popped transistor.. or regulator or diode in a to-220 package..

If'n ya could find a schematic, ya might be able to get that component from mauser/MCM and desolder it after chipping it out, assuming there are no other faults and it was just a component failure.. if it was a cheap component.. I'd risk it at this point..

soundguy

Flashing the field probably won't do much good with that burnt component on the regulator board. There is only those 4 wires between generator housing and box? I would have expected 5 or 6(two hots, neutral and maybe a ground, as well as the 2 leadsto feed the field winding). That burnt board is most likley the voltage regulator. It takes a little of the generated power and sends it back to the rotating field via the aformentioned brushes or a separate induction coil. The amount sent back, controls the amount of voltage generated. IF that part is smoked, you might have a hard time finding just what that part is to replace, and what caused it to fail also. And as voltage regulators go, it would probably cost as much for that regulator board, if you can find it, as for a newer replacement generator...

Good Luck

 

[alchemysa]

Thanks for the info fellas. I touched a multimeter to the wires circled. In AC mode I got 6 and 15 volts from a couple of the wires. I guess thats nowhere near enough so when I get a chance I'll check the brushes and anything else I can see. If I can get an improvement there without too much trouble I'll move on to the regulator board. If I can't get a schematic or a cheap replacement I'll chip away at the board and see if I can get the blown component identified. I have no great investment in this so, yes, I can afford a little experimenting. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[RonMar]

Without excitation, that output voltage sounds about right. I am guessing that you got voltage on 2 of the wires? What you were seeing was excitation output from the stator windings, caused by the residual magnetism in the iron core of the rotor. That regulator board would take that small output, rectify it into DC and send it to the brushes/rotor field winding to build on that magnetic field. More magnetic field = more voltage output, so the voltage output would start to increase. At some point, the regulator board will see the output voltage it is looking for and start to limit the current it sends back to the rotor field windings and hold the output voltage at it's regulated point. In a properly operating generator, this startup only takes a second or perhaps less once you get the generator spinning.


Is this strictly a 120V generator, or was it designed for a 120/240V output? If a 240V capable generator, you might find that when measuring from one of the hot wires to the case, you get 1/2 the voltage you see when measuring across the two hot wires.

 

[alchemysa]

Without excitation, that output voltage sounds about right. I am guessing that you got voltage on 2 of the wires?

RonMar. I should have mentioned that the Robin engine was running at the time - but I think thats what you meant anyway. (I don't think you meant that it was residual voltage stored in a stationary generator, like a battery).

So, thats good news I think. Maybe with a clean up and some new brushes (if they are available) I can move on to trying to repair or replace the the regulator.

Yes I just got voltage on two of the wires, and yes its strictly 240v.

Thanks.

 

[Soundguy]

The component you are trying to ID looks to have had the front of it's case blown off.. unfortunately, that is where it's ID info would have been. A schematic / parts list would be of great help here. as I said.. could be a diode, transistor, ets, in that package..e tc.

Quite honestly, i wouldn't invest a dime in doing anything else unless I got the regulator board part first... why go to the trouble of checking / changing brushes if the regualtor is a lost cause... kinda like pulling a car out of a junkyard and changing all the tires and wheel bearings before you try to get the motor unstuck and running.

soundguy

 

[alchemysa]

Quite honestly, i wouldn't invest a dime in doing anything else unless I got the regulator board part first...
soundguy

Agreed. I'll just inspect the brushes for now. Then I'll have a chip around on the regulator board to see if I can expose/identify the part. I can borrow one of those Dremel gizmos. Maybe that will be useful. (It'll be like a little archealogical dig!) Theres a small engine/pump/generator place only about 1/2 a mile away so I'll take the board in there for some advice if I think its worthwhile. I didn't want to go that way until I'd established a few basics.

Thanks

 

[Egon]

A shop with some knowledge, and they do exist, would be your best bet and much cheaper in the long run!

 

[alchemysa]

I said it would be like an archealogical dig and it was! Heres the 'find'.

Before I take it to the 'generator shop' and get laughed at does anyone want to hazard a guess what it is?

I had no idea what a to-220 was so i had to look it up.
TO220 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

(P.S. Why do so-called experts always think the obvious answer to anything is to buy a new one for a $2000 instead if spending a few cents trying to fix the old one?)



WOW..Thumbnails!. Thats new!!!

 

[Eagleview]

The component on the right is a $2 transistor it could be a voltage regulator or a rectifier you will buy from Tandy or Jaycar . But what caused it to blow ? If your lucky the generator was overloaded and that may be all that is wrong with it . Can you see a partial number on it ?