Coleman Powermate Generator Capacitor.

[DJ54]

I bought a Coleman 4000 watt Generator day before yesterday, in almost like new condition, for a really good price. The fellow said it would generate, if you would excite it, jumping across two poles he showed me, with a 6V lantern battery. He said once you did this, it was good for a couple of months. After a little investigation, found out this is common for these generators, and has to do with the capacitor going bad, or is weak, and won't hold a charge.

Checking the Coleman site, I found out the capacitors are N/A through them. So, off on a part number search. I found 2 in Canada. When I filled out the online order form, and went to put in my address, there was no place for a U.S address. Seeing the 1-800 number, I decided to order by phone. To make a long story short, the lady based here in the U.S. division of this company informed me the one's for the U.S. were also N/A. I told her these were in Canada, so I need the number to order them. She then informed me they did have 2 in Canada, but they were for Canada residents, NOT the U.S.

I've never ran across anything like that before. Has anyone else ever had problems getting items that were sold here, but now N/A, but have them in Canada (supposedly), reserved especially for their residents..??

It's not like they are a $20 item, in fact, less that a dollar apiece. And also found out that I'm not alone in trying to find one. There are literally hundreds, if not thousands of these generators with the same problem. I'm not sure what it would take for a company to run several thousand of them, but there is a market for them..!! I did find one through an old expired ebay auction, and the guy was getting $16.99 ea. for them. Some pretty good price gouging, but if you need one, much less than a new genny, and he knew that...

 

[jaydee325]

Coleman is now Powermate.

I've got a 6500 watt generator and I got a replacement exciter board (capacitor smoked) from Jackssmallengines dot com. As a matter of fact, I'm thinking about ordering another one to have on the shelf just in case.

 

[buickanddeere]

As long as the voltage rating is the same or higher and the mfd rating is the same or higher . Any old electronic mail order warehouse capacitor will do.

 

[David_Kb7uns]

I would think that you could find a common capacitor to replace it with, sometimes the diodes in the rotating field take a dump also check the brushes for good contact.

David

 

[DJ54]

Coleman is now Powermate.

I've got a 6500 watt generator and I got a replacement exciter board (capacitor smoked) from Jackssmallengines dot com. As a matter of fact, I'm thinking about ordering another one to have on the shelf just in case.

Jacks is one of the one's that said the capacitor was N/A.

 

[DJ54]

As long as the voltage rating is the same or higher and the mfd rating is the same or higher . Any old electronic mail order warehouse capacitor will do.

According to checking some threads, guys orderd comparable in specs aluminum capacitors, and the blew right away. Others told them the original is an oil filled, running capacitor, not a starting type. I did a search with the specs for it, and got an endless list. Not a lot of time to check at the time. Supposed to rain/snow this weekend, so maybe I can find something. Just irritating I know where 2 of them are, just can't get them shipped here.

 

[newbury]

Since they are so cheap but necessary try contacting a TBN'er as an intermediary.

 

[murphy1244]

Since they are so cheap but necessary try contacting a TBN'er as an intermediary.

Now your talking. We have a bunch of Canucks here.. Speaking of which what happened to Mace?

 

[tommu56]

Take the cap to a electric motor shop they will be able to get an equal to it.
What is the micro fared on it and voltage. post a picture too.

the we can help better

Tom

 

[DJ54]

Take the cap to a electric motor shop they will be able to get an equal to it.
What is the micro fared on it and voltage. post a picture too.

the we can help better

Tom

130uf 200V 85 C Yeah I thought about seeing if one of our Canadian friends would do that, but, hate to burden someone with that.

Doing another search around the horn a different way, I did happen to find some here in the US, and are the OEM capacitor. They are $1.54 each. Shipping is $10.99. So thought, what the hey, I'd order 3, for just in case. Come to find out, it charged me $10.99 for each one ordered. Hmmm... They have a 1-800#, and are open on Saturdays, so will call tomorrow, and see if that is correct. Seems a bit gougy to me...

 

[tommu56]

ebay it

Motor Start Capacitor 13 156 MFD uf 22 Vac V Volt New in Box Free Shipping | eBay

7.00 includes freight

tom

 

[DJ54]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and help, but problem is pretty well solved. No new capacitor needed. I found an online OP manual, and read down through it. Right in the manual it does say there are times it may not generate, if not ran for a while, and all it needs is excited with a 6V lantern battery. So I reckon' it makes it well worth the $35 I paid for it after all...

 

[100 td]

Nah, you paid way too much, it will fail for sure!(I'll take it)
The problem is generally the loss of residual magnetism in the rotor, which is needed to self excite the generator. (This is due to the quality of the rotor) A lot of times this can be overcome by starting the generator and letting it run for a minute or two, with nothing plugged in to it. If the rotor has the tiniest bit of magnetism left, it will slowly build up voltage in the excitation module and self excite. If you start it and plug something in straight away, then it basically shorts out the windings and loads it up reducing any residual magnetism/excitation to zero.
So when you start it next time after sitting for an extended period, make sure everything is switched off and unplugged, start it and let it sit for a few minutes running at full speed, then try a small load and see if you have a win.

 

[DJ54]

Will do..!! Thanks..!!

After it started so easy when I was looking at it, I figured if nothing else, the engine was worth that to repower one of my old David Bradley's. WAY more hp than they need, but the price was right.

 

[David_Kb7uns]

Hard to use the engine for a repower as the crankshaft end is tapered.

To tell how losing the magnetism is our 20KW air cooled Generac has a flashing circuit that uses battery power to flash the field on every start up and exercise.

David