Say it ain't so, generator gone south?

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ruckman101
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Say it ain't so, generator gone south?

Post by ruckman101 » Sat Jan 05, 2013 3:40 pm

1970 Ghia running freshly rebuilt 1600 dp. Stock.

Don't seem to be getting any current off of my generator. A fairly new generator Gypsie and Hambone helped me put in what, three, four, five years ago?

The generator light had been playing games lately, sometimes staying on for a few minutes after starting, then randomly going out. No apparent reason. On our last run into town we had no problems, until we stopped, one of many stops, at the Van Mall and there the generator light was glowing brightly and solid. Connections are good, so I assumed it must be the voltage regulator. Barely made it up the hill and home, engine beginning to cough searching for spark, headlights very very very dim. Of course it had to be night time.

I had a spare regulator, put it in, squared away a couple dicey wires, charged battery, and no change. Got out the meter and seem to have all kinds of voltage across the regulator, it's grounded, but nominal at the generator posts. Brushes look fine, I noticed the brushes were visibly sparking when I was in the dark. Wiring is all good.

Am I really looking at a new generator? Is that the life of them now? Please tell me I am missing something.



thanks,
neal
The slipper has no teeth.

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Amskeptic
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Re: Say it ain't so, generator gone south?

Post by Amskeptic » Sat Jan 05, 2013 4:17 pm

ruckman101 wrote:1970 Ghia running freshly rebuilt 1600 dp. Stock.

Don't seem to be getting any current off of my generator. A fairly new generator Gypsie and Hambone helped me put in what, three, four, five years ago?

The generator light had been playing games lately, sometimes staying on for a few minutes after starting, then randomly going out. No apparent reason. On our last run into town we had no problems, until we stopped, one of many stops, at the Van Mall and there the generator light was glowing brightly and solid. Connections are good, so I assumed it must be the voltage regulator. Barely made it up the hill and home, engine beginning to cough searching for spark, headlights very very very dim. Of course it had to be night time.

I had a spare regulator, put it in, squared away a couple dicey wires, charged battery, and no change. Got out the meter and seem to have all kinds of voltage across the regulator, it's grounded, but nominal at the generator posts. Brushes look fine, I noticed the brushes were visibly sparking when I was in the dark. Wiring is all good.

Am I really looking at a new generator? Is that the life of them now? Please tell me I am missing something.



thanks,
neal
Clean thy brushes/commutator. I had the generator light come on several times with Chloe over the summer. Slightly low spring tension on the lower brush seemed to make it particularly susceptible to developing a layer of non-conductive crud. Just follow the cleaning steps . . .

viewtopic.php?f=33&t=11129
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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ruckman101
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Re: Say it ain't so, generator gone south?

Post by ruckman101 » Sat Jan 05, 2013 6:40 pm

Good call, thanks. I'll let you know mañana.


neal
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ruckman101
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Re: Say it ain't so, generator gone south?

Post by ruckman101 » Thu Jan 10, 2013 2:48 pm

So I'm a wuss. Snowy, rainy, no absolute resolution. I approached the task with kindness and gentleness, taking off the belt and spinning the generator by hand with a chopstick and a soft cloth, with brake cleaner sprayed onto the cloth until things cleaned up. No joy. Went to sandpaper, 600 grit emery, buffed it up real nice. No joy. Resolved to abandon the kind and gentle approach and take the sandpaper to the task again with the engine running this time (it wasn't gleaming shiny copper). Didn't need to. Generator light out, generator giving me 17 some volts. I'm beginning to suspect the bottom brush was hanging up. The only thing I did between fiddling episodes, was give the bottom brush a good eyeball, pulling up and releasing the tension spring on the brush. It looked like it may have settled further on the inside side of the brush, so maybe uneven wear, cockeyed?

A couple quick questions, am I correct to assume arcing is bad? And that both brushes need to contact.



neal
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hambone
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Re: Say it ain't so, generator gone south?

Post by hambone » Thu Jan 10, 2013 2:58 pm

Yes and yes. If you are fretful it wouldn't hurt to pull that bottom brush and see the wear. Replacements are cheap. Or you could just run it and see what happens...
http://greencascadia.blogspot.com
http://pdxvolksfolks.blogspot.com
it balances on your head just like a mattress balances on a bottle of wine
your brand new leopard skin pillbox hat

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Amskeptic
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Re: Say it ain't so, generator gone south?

Post by Amskeptic » Thu Jan 10, 2013 3:15 pm

hambone wrote:Yes and yes. If you are fretful it wouldn't hurt to pull that bottom brush and see the wear. Replacements are cheap. Or you could just run it and see what happens...
Endeavor, Ye Olde Bus Pilots, to clean commutators magnificently smooth. Also, make damn good and sure that the brush contact surfaces are smooth. Then make sure that they slide without cocking.

Chloe tells me that she doesn't like running high beam H4s. Apparently the amp load is just severe enough that any imperfections between the commutator and the brush will throw sparks and carbon crud that looks like graphite but is actually a heat crystallization or something, this rips commutator copper. I think there might be some small period of time for the brushes to wear in a radius to the commutator curve.
ColinButAin'tTheseEnginesGreat?
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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ruckman101
Lord God King Bwana
Location: Up next to a volcano.
Contact:
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Re: Say it ain't so, generator gone south?

Post by ruckman101 » Thu Jan 10, 2013 3:18 pm

Going to run it a bit, spare brushes, chopstick, sandpaper and VOM on board, along with the allen wrench to change brushes. Not running any extra or excessive electrics.


neal
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Amskeptic
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Re: Say it ain't so, generator gone south?

Post by Amskeptic » Thu Jan 10, 2013 3:32 pm

ruckman101 wrote:Going to run it a bit, spare brushes, chopstick, sandpaper and VOM on board, along with the allen wrench to change brushes. Not running any extra or excessive electrics.

neal
Grit. What is the number? Recommend an easy 600 +
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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ruckman101
Lord God King Bwana
Location: Up next to a volcano.
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Say it ain't so, generator gone south?

Post by ruckman101 » Thu Jan 10, 2013 3:39 pm

600 grit.


neal
The slipper has no teeth.

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ruckman101
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Location: Up next to a volcano.
Contact:
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Re: Say it ain't so, generator gone south?

Post by ruckman101 » Thu Jan 10, 2013 4:17 pm

Shinier?

Image

Image


neal
The slipper has no teeth.

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hambone
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Location: Portland, Ore.
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Re: Say it ain't so, generator gone south?

Post by hambone » Thu Jan 10, 2013 5:35 pm

I would. And that spray electrical cleaner works well, providing you do it with the engine OFF (highly flammable).
http://greencascadia.blogspot.com
http://pdxvolksfolks.blogspot.com
it balances on your head just like a mattress balances on a bottle of wine
your brand new leopard skin pillbox hat

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Amskeptic
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Re: Say it ain't so, generator gone south?

Post by Amskeptic » Thu Jan 10, 2013 6:39 pm

ruckman101 wrote:Shinier?
Image
neal
Shiny-er, fer, like, sher.

NASTY . . .
Image


NICE . . .
Image

PS . . . I clean it with the engine running, cuiado, claro que si.

Image
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

User avatar
ruckman101
Lord God King Bwana
Location: Up next to a volcano.
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Say it ain't so, generator gone south?

Post by ruckman101 » Thu Jan 10, 2013 6:56 pm

Alrighty then, I'll get brave and less gentle and compassionate, broaching the task with engine running.


neal
The slipper has no teeth.

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Amskeptic
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Re: Say it ain't so, generator gone south?

Post by Amskeptic » Fri Jan 11, 2013 9:15 am

ruckman101 wrote:Alrighty then, I'll get brave and less gentle and compassionate, broaching the task with engine running.
neal
Brushes must be removed. Non-friable sand paper. Grit must stay with paper. Be careful. We accept no liability due to incidental or consequential damages arising from the use of this product aka forum advice. I like using motel room card strip, cut to slightly skinnier than a brush, wrapped with sandpaper held firmly taut. Lightly kiss the brushes crosswise with the same sandpaper then wipe commutator and brushes with a clean paper towel just before reassembly.
Nag nag nag . . .
Colin
BobD - 78 Bus . . . 112,730 miles
Chloe - 70 bus . . . 217,593 miles
Naranja - 77 Westy . . . 142,970 miles
Pluck - 1973 Squareback . . . . . . 55,600 miles
Alexus - 91 Lexus LS400 . . . 96,675 miles

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hambone
Post-Industrial Non-Secular Mennonite
Location: Portland, Ore.
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Re: Say it ain't so, generator gone south?

Post by hambone » Fri Jan 11, 2013 11:33 am

I used a tongue-depressor cut square at the end.
http://greencascadia.blogspot.com
http://pdxvolksfolks.blogspot.com
it balances on your head just like a mattress balances on a bottle of wine
your brand new leopard skin pillbox hat

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