Generator repair/ re-exciting windings

Jw5875 · Mar 5, 2007

Hi to All!

Somewhere in my past I had to re-excite a generator that had sat in storage for several years. The process involved using several 75 watt? light bulbs hooked in series and I don't remember if I had two male plugs, one to plug into a 120 A.C. outlet and the other back into the generator, or if the lead from the 120 A.C. with bulbs was just touched to the brushes.

The Coleman manual shows using a 6 volt battery and touching the polarized (Battery + to generator brush +, Battery - to generator brush -) wire to the brushes.

Does someone out there have reference to my first method described or where I can find more info on this procedure?

Thanks,

jw5875

montejw · Mar 6, 2007

Jw5875 said:
Hi to All!

Somewhere in my past I had to re-excite a generator that had sat in storage for several years. The process involved using several 75 watt? light bulbs hooked in series and I don't remember if I had two male plugs, one to plug into a 120 A.C. outlet and the other back into the generator, or if the lead from the 120 A.C. with bulbs was just touched to the brushes.

The Coleman manual shows using a 6 volt battery and touching the polarized (Battery + to generator brush +, Battery - to generator brush -) wire to the brushes.

Does someone out there have reference to my first method described or where I can find more info on this procedure?

Thanks,

jw5875

Google, [excite generator windings "light bulbs"], first hit, RE-ENERGIZING DEAD GENERATORS

Monte

Jw5875 · Mar 6, 2007

Monte,

Many "Thanks". That was what I needed to "Re Excite" my memory on how I did it yrs. ago.

Have a Good one!

jw5875

montejw · Mar 6, 2007

Jw5875 said:
Monte,

Many "Thanks". That was what I needed to "Re Excite" my memory on how I did it yrs. ago.

Have a Good one!

jw5875

Did you check out the rest of the web site? Interesting.

Monte

Jw5875 · Mar 7, 2007

Especially using a reversible drill!!!!!!!!!!!

jw5875

_RaT_ · Mar 7, 2007

Thanks for the post, I never knew this was necessary... All these years I just took the cover off my old Honda generator and tap the grey plastic blob inside with a mallet, something clicks and it works. I do start it up almost once a month though so maybe mine never had this issue, but it is good to know. Now I want to put my volt meter on my drill and check for voltage.

oldmech · Mar 7, 2007

Hi! I remember! I make it many times! Operation is for POLARIZE the generator. With generator you have a control box with three lugs GEN ARM BAT You put for a VERY SHORT TIME a jumper between GEN lug and the BAT lug. WHen Motor is running! Good Luck ! Oldmech

Soundguy · Mar 7, 2007

Oldmech.. they are not talking about polarizing a generator that is engine mounted for charging an auto or tractor 6v or 12v battery.. I'm pretty sure they are talking about getting an AC generator going.. IE one to produce 120v / 240vac.. etc.

Also to note.. your polarization technique of flashing GEN/BAT ONLY holds true for A-Circuit generators. A B circuit generator will need the FLD/BAT terminals flashed.

Soundguy

slowrev · Mar 7, 2007

This thread title reminds me about a little ditty about Millie Watt and Mike O'Farad.....

zuiko · Mar 7, 2007

Anyone know why this would ever be necessary? The magnets in one of these things are permanent. They should stay magnetized for a very long time unless something (like physical shock or another magnetic field) demagnetizes them. Is the purpose of this procedure to remagnetize the magnets if they've lost their magnetization?

Soundguy · Mar 8, 2007

No... not the permanent magnets, but rather the field coils.

Soundguy

Halmar · Jul 15, 2010

montejw said:
Google, [excite generator windings "light bulbs"], first hit, RE-ENERGIZING DEAD GENERATORS

Monte

Hi Monte, I tried re-exciting my generator with the light bulbs in series and I had no luck. The bulbs didn't flash at all, they just light up dimely.The generator is an Arctic Cat AC 4000 G2. Any idea what is wrong?
Thanks,
Mark

Halmar · Jul 15, 2010

K7LN said:
This thread is over 3 years old. I have always used the method used in the Coleman manual:

The Coleman manual shows using a 6 volt battery and touching the polarized (Battery + to generator brush +, Battery - to generator brush -) wire to the brushes.

I think I've always used a 6 volt lantern battery, but I suspect that a good 9V will also work.

Here is what I have. A friend brought over a generator for me to get running.
It was sitting for a few years so the carb needed cleaning. I got the motor running and it purrs like a kitten. When I tried the generator I found it does not produce any power. It worked perfectly last time he used it. He told me I could have it for the motor or scrap it. Before I scrap it I would like to try to get it working. I assume it needs to be re-excited. I saw this thread on Google and tried the light bulb thing and it didn,t work.

I could try the way that Coleman recommends tomorrow but I don't know the procedure. Do you have any other info on this method? Do I need to disassemble the generator to do this? Any help is appreciated.
Thanks,
Mark

Soundguy · Jul 15, 2010

what about the drill method?

soundguy

tommu56 · Jul 15, 2010

I think the term is flash the generator

I ran 2 wires out from brush holders and tap them on a 12 v battery while its running

or the drill method

How to flash an AC generator

tom

Halmar · Jul 15, 2010

tommu56 said:
I think the term is flash the generator

I ran 2 wires out from brush holders and tap them on a 12 v battery while its running

or the drill method

How to flash an AC generator

tom

Thanks guys, I'll try the drill method next. I will let you know what I find out tomorrow.
thanks,
Mark

Halmar · Jul 16, 2010

Halmar said:
Thanks guys, I'll try the drill method next. I will let you know what I find out tomorrow.
thanks,
Mark

Tried the drill method today. No luck. Any idea what else to look for?
Thanks,
Mark

Halmar · Jul 16, 2010

K7LN said:
This is the method in a nutshell. I just use a pair of short clip leads from the battery I use and touch the brushes while it's running. I usually plug a light bulb in one of the sockets at the same time to check it out. Most generators have a small inspection plate on the back that covers the brushes, something like 1" x 4". If this doesn't work, you probably have a problem in the generator.

I just tried flashing the brushes with no luck. There must be something else wrong inside the generator. It's funny because it worked when they put it away. Oh well I guess i will pull the motor and scrap the rest.
Thanks for all the help, I really appreciate it.
Thanks again,
Mark

Travelover · Jul 16, 2010

Halmar said:
I just tried flashing the brushes with no luck. There must be something else wrong inside the generator. It's funny because it worked when they put it away. Oh well I guess i will pull the motor and scrap the rest.
Thanks for all the help, I really appreciate it.
Thanks again,
Mark

I've got a generator that I only use for power outages, so it is 20 years old but has very few hours. It quit putting out full power so I took it in and it needed a new capacitor. The repair guy said electronics parts have a finite life in years, so just sitting can make them go bad. My brother, who is an electrical engineer, said that all the military stuff his company makes has special protective coverings on electronic components to overcome this problem.

Long story short, maybe you just need an inexpensive component.