Your last generator Maintenance Run

[Industrial Toys]

There are many generic voltage regulators for generators. As long as you know the voltage range of your rotor. Most VRs have a pretty broad range and will put that voltage to the Rotor that will create 120 or whatever you set it for on the output.

 

[Chilliwack Murray]

If that transformer regulated unit is running with a high voltage it is probably running too fast. Check the frequency, the faster it spins the higher the voltage and the transformer only compensated for changes in load, not speed. There are usually taps as well to fine tune the output but I’m not familiar with that model. Usually when that type is system fails it will have no output. The two factors you need to know for replacing the regulator are input voltage which is easily changed with a transformer, and exciter (or rotor on a small unit) resistance.

On the oil topic, yes oils have improved in many ways however under most operating conditions an oil doesn’t have to perform to the limit of its capability and most engines will run a very long time with no noticeable impact on an outdated oil. You will however immediately fail on emissions.

Heck, I’ve seen several engines run an hour or more with no oil when not heavily loaded I’ve also seen them fail in under a minute when at full load.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I was doing my once a year shopping at Wallyworld yesterday. Looking for well priced coolant for various small diesel engines/generators. I was annoyed that most were 50/50 mix. I am not going to buy half a jug of water at regular coolant prices! I might pay an extra two bucks for the convenience. No more. They had HD diesel Prestone coolant, but again 50/50. And full strenth Prestone for all makes and models of cars and light trucks but not a word about Diesel. I bought a couple of jugs for use in my small Kubota engines/generators.

 

[Chilliwack Murray]

I’m with you on the premix at that price though I buy it from work for less than the full strength elsewhere. I use the premix because we have very hard well water and don’t want to add all that mineral to the cooling system.

The main difference with diesel antifreeze is anti cavitation additives which can be easily added to any coolant. You can get them from any heavy duty engine supplier - the Fleetguard product is called DCA but all are similar.

 

[buickanddeere]

There are many generic voltage regulators for generators. As long as you know the voltage range of your rotor. Most VRs have a pretty broad range and will put that voltage to the Rotor that will create 120 or whatever you set it for on the output.

I was hoping for an AVR that is powered from the separate excitation windings and only references the output terminal voltage .
The typical generic AVR both uses power from the main output terminals to excite the rotor and take the reference voltage from the output terminals .
On a small 5500W machine . That is giving up a lot of the generator’s capacity for excitation that will not available to carry electrical loads .

 

[aczlan]

I’m with you on the premix at that price though I buy it from work for less than the full strength elsewhere. I use the premix because we have very hard well water and don’t want to add all that mineral to the cooling system.

The main difference with diesel antifreeze is anti cavitation additives which can be easily added to any coolant. You can get them from any heavy duty engine supplier - the Fleetguard product is called DCA but all are similar.

I usually just buy the full strength coolant and mix it with distilled water. I'll buy the water in a 3 gallon jug and that takes care of my needs for a while.
I usually buy coolant at Tractor Supply or another such store. their selection is usually better than at Walmart and the price isn't much different.

Aaron Z

 

[buickanddeere]

I was doing my once a year shopping at Wallyworld yesterday. Looking for well priced coolant for various small diesel engines/generators. I was annoyed that most were 50/50 mix. I am not going to buy half a jug of water at regular coolant prices! I might pay an extra two bucks for the convenience. No more. They had HD diesel Prestone coolant, but again 50/50. And full strenth Prestone for all makes and models of cars and light trucks but not a word about Diesel. I bought a couple of jugs for use in my small Kubota engines/generators.

How many people mix the concentrate with distilled water? How many users try to get by with 10,20 or 30% concentration instead of 50%.

 

[buickanddeere]

Here is a description of how the typical six wire AVR specs . It senses a range of 14-24VAC and typical operation of 18VAC to the sensing leads will make the AVR regulate the rotor excitation to obtain 120VAC from the stator windings.

 

[LouNY]

How many people mix the concentrate with distilled water? How many users try to get by with 10,20 or 30% concentration instead of 50%.

I tend to push my mixture for anti freezes;
I use 60% anti freeze to 40% distilled water, I do buy some of the premixed occasionally just to be sure and have some ready to go.
When I use it I try and follow up with some straight concentrate to bump up the mixture.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I hoard a bunch of distilled water from dehumidifier condensate in the summer. The rest I dump in the washing machine. We have hard well water and a softener.

I guess the issue with mixing is that you never know how much you are going to use. And pet peave. It would have been nice of them to put marks on the jug.

Thinking about how to approach the VR issue with seperate winding.

EDIT: Flight Systems (A great company) sells a model 480 with seperate sensing input. Not crazy prices but not chinese pricing either.