What voltage does your generator run at?

[TomSeller]

I picked up a nice 7500W Gillette generator a while back cheap off of CL with a Honda GX engine that had a simple carb problem. With the carb problem fixed I measured the "120V output" at 110V and steady +-.02V with my Fluke 112 meter. My commercial power runs at 123V on the same meter. I have not checked yet if the voltage regulator is adjustable but was curious what voltage people run at.

 

[Stimw]

You need to adjust the governed speed up to 120 V and check it with a load.

 

[JerryK]

The important thing is the ' cycles per second '. Voltage is really somewhat meaningless measurement, which varies with load, and only has to be in a certain range. Even your house voltage varies depending on how much current you, your neighbors, and the other folks around you are using. The electric company attempts to place a voltage on the high side of your residential transformer that will give you a certain range of voltage going to your house. But the cycles stay at 60 per second. They make meters to set up generators by measuring the cycles per second... which is what you are changing by adjusting the motor RPM...

 

[Gary Fowler]

What JerryK said. While voltage is important, setting your generator to 60 cycles per sec (CPS) is the way to set them. All the high priced commercial generators will have a meter to register both voltage and CPS but the engine RPM's is set by bringing the engine speed up till the 60 CPS is reached. Once this is set the voltage should be 120V + or - 10 volts and 220-240 volts on the high voltage terminal.

 

[TomSeller]

Excellent advice. My Fluke meter can toggle to Hz so I will use that when setting the voltage regulator, assuming it can be set. Gillette seems to be a commercial brand so at this point I assume I can. The regulators are usually under the cover at the end of the generator, correct?

Gillette Generators | Standby & Portable Generators

 

[CCWKen]

I think I'd disagree. Depends on what you're going to run on it. Voltage is just as important as Hz if you're running motors or electronics. That 110v could drop to less than 80v under a load and cook motors where less than 60Hz will just make them a little noisy. Electronics will just stop working. Not good for delicate stuff. Most everything will tolerate +/_ 5% voltage but not less. And products today usually tolerate 50/60Hz without problems.

 

[TomSeller]

I am going to use this to power the generator circuits in the house so lights, refrigerator, TV, fart fans, that type of thing. No big loads but since it is listed at 6%THD it is better than my other house generator. I have a diesel generator I use around the farm for motors, tools etc.

 

[Stimw]

Cycles check is great BUT when he messed with the carb he probably got the governed speed off.
Being used anyone could have changed the setting.
By correcting the speed the cycles should come back.
I was a Honda Small Engine Dealer for 15 years, carburetor work can/will alter set RPM.

 

[TomSeller]

Cycles check is great BUT when he messed with the carb he probably got the governed speed off.
Being used anyone could have changed the setting.
By correcting the speed the cycles should come back.
I was a Honda Small Engine Dealer for 15 years, carburetor work can/will alter set RPM.

No, it ran rough prior to doing anything with the carburetor and I measured it around the same voltage output the last time I ran it. The throttle is governed by the regulator, so all that changed is that it now runs smooth.

What do you mean by "Cycles check is great BUT when he messed with the carb he probably got the governed speed off" ? Cycles per second is "speed", no?

 

[RNeumann]

I think I'd disagree. Depends on what you're going to run on it. Voltage is just as important as Hz if you're running motors or electronics. That 110v could drop to less than 80v under a load and cook motors where less than 60Hz will just make them a little noisy. Electronics will just stop working. Not good for delicate stuff. Most everything will tolerate +/_ 5% voltage but not less. And products today usually tolerate 50/60Hz without problems.

Yep getting the gen to run at the proper voltage will be cheaper than a new refer. You need to get the voltage up to 120-123 at the unit.