Honda EX5500 Generator - no power output

[dcyrilc]

OK, need some help here guys.

I've got an EX5500 which went through a fire about 11 years ago. Actually, the exhaust caught the wall on fire and the heat scorched the paint on the area near the muffler and over the fuel tank.

After the fire, the generator ran great, but the power wasn't stable and would spike. I turned off the fuel, ran the carb dry, and put it aside with the intention of fixing it later. Well, later turned out to be 11 years.:laughing:

I've replaced the fuel tank due to rust inside, replaced filters, oil, and battery. It starts and runs great, but now I only have 4 volts output on the 110 side of the generator and 2 volts on the 12 volt side. I figured the automatic voltage regulator had been overheated and died while sitting so I replaced it. No change. Same voltage outputs.

Anyone have any other ideas? I keep going through the schematics, but just don't see anything else in the circuit to cause this. Ideas?

 

[KJINTF]

Hi,

I have the very same 1996 EX5500 generator, it's been great. Additionally I have the factory shop manual (paper not electronic) which supplies far greater detail than the "Wiring Diagram" on page #43 of the owners manual. The owners is a PDF file and can be sent your way if needed, Happy to email you a few pictures of the electrical system if that is of any help. My guess is that the coil got hot and shorted, however that is only a guess. You would need to have a quality DVM to determine if indeed this is the problem. All the parts are still available from many places on line.

Ken

 

[dcyrilc]

Hi,

I have the very same 1996 EX5500 generator, it's been great. Additionally I have the factory shop manual (paper not electronic) which supplies far greater detail than the "Wiring Diagram" on page #43 of the owners manual. The owners is a PDF file and can be sent your way if needed, Happy to email you a few pictures of the electrical system if that is of any help. My guess is that the coil got hot and shorted, however that is only a guess. You would need to have a quality DVM to determine if indeed this is the problem. All the parts are still available from many places on line.

Ken

Thanks Ken,

I have the owners manual and ordered the factory shop manual today. I'm thinking the same thing you are about the coil shorting. Being an electrician by trade, I have several good quality DVMs. Does the shop manual give exploded views with part numbers or will I need the parts manual as well?

 

[KJINTF]

No parts numbers in the shop manual but you can get them all at "Boats.net" on line - I have found they have about every part and part number you will ever need.

Ken

 

[dcyrilc]

No parts numbers in the shop manual but you can get them all at "Boats.net" on line - I have found they have about every part and part number you will ever need.

Ken

Thanks for that link. I'm not looking forward to see what this is going to cost. Some of those parts get expensive. But then, so is the generator I guess.:laughing:

Should have the repair manual next week, so we'll see what happens from there. I'll document what I find when I get back into troubleshooting this thing.

 

[Gator6x4]

You may want to try this prior to starting on major repairs.

I've never had to do that but here's a link about a rather easy thing to
try:

PER Notebook - Generator Field Flashing


Field Flashing of Portable Generators

This tip comes from the Briggs & Stratton Customer Education Department.
As an alternative to flashing a rotor winding with a battery applied to
the brushes, an electric drill may be used. Follow these steps to flash
the generator:

Plug the electric drill into the generator receptacle. (Cordless drills
do not work)
If the drill is reversible, move the direction switch to the forward
position.
Start the generator

While depressing the trigger on the drill, spin the drill chuck in
reverse direction. (A neighbor tried this and used a small wooden dowel that will break easily and a batterry drill to spin the electric drill in reverse)This will excite the field and the generator will now produce electricity. If spinning the chuck one direction does not work, try spinning the chuck in the other direction as you may have the
reverse switch positioned backwards.

Use caution not to get your hand or other materials caught in the chuck.
As soon as the field is excited, the generator will produce power and
the drill will turn on.

The reason this works is because the electric motor
in the drill will act as a small generator when spun backwards. The magnets in the drill's
motor induce a voltage into the motor windings, which is fed back
through the trigger, cord and into the generators receptacle. From there
it goes into the power winding of the stator. The voltage going through
the power winding creates a magnetic field, which is intensified due to
the iron core of the stator laminations. The rotor intersects this
magnetic field as it is spun past the power winding, thus inducing a
voltage in the rotor winding. Once current flow is present in the rotor
winding the rotor has been flashed.

If flashing the field does not make the generator work, you may have
additional problems, besides a lack of magnetism in the rotor. Further
testing will be needed. Hopefully, this will give a simple way to field
flash your generator if needed

 

[dcyrilc]

You may want to try this prior to starting on major repairs.

I've never had to do that but here's a link about a rather easy thing to
try:

PER Notebook - Generator Field Flashing


Field Flashing of Portable Generators

This tip comes from the Briggs & Stratton Customer Education Department.
As an alternative to flashing a rotor winding with a battery applied to
the brushes, an electric drill may be used. Follow these steps to flash
the generator:

Plug the electric drill into the generator receptacle. (Cordless drills
do not work)
If the drill is reversible, move the direction switch to the forward
position.
Start the generator

While depressing the trigger on the drill, spin the drill chuck in
reverse direction. (A neighbor tried this and used a small wooden dowel that will break easily and a batterry drill to spin the electric drill in reverse)This will excite the field and the generator will now produce electricity. If spinning the chuck one direction does not work, try spinning the chuck in the other direction as you may have the
reverse switch positioned backwards.

Use caution not to get your hand or other materials caught in the chuck.
As soon as the field is excited, the generator will produce power and
the drill will turn on.

The reason this works is because the electric motor
in the drill will act as a small generator when spun backwards. The magnets in the drill's
motor induce a voltage into the motor windings, which is fed back
through the trigger, cord and into the generators receptacle. From there
it goes into the power winding of the stator. The voltage going through
the power winding creates a magnetic field, which is intensified due to
the iron core of the stator laminations. The rotor intersects this
magnetic field as it is spun past the power winding, thus inducing a
voltage in the rotor winding. Once current flow is present in the rotor
winding the rotor has been flashed.

If flashing the field does not make the generator work, you may have
additional problems, besides a lack of magnetism in the rotor. Further
testing will be needed. Hopefully, this will give a simple way to field
flash your generator if needed

Interesting. I've never heard of something like that. I'll have to take some time to read the link you gave. Thanks.:thumbsup:

 

[dcyrilc]

You may want to try this prior to starting on major repairs.

I've never had to do that but here's a link about a rather easy thing to
try:

Field Flashing of Portable Generators...

I read through it and thought about it for a bit. I'm not sure this will work as my generator uses an exciter coil to control output voltage, but I'm going to give it a try anyway.

Now I just have to find where I put my corded drill.:laughing: Haven't used it in a couple of years. Just keep using the cordless.

 

[crazyal]

I love how they say a cordless drills do not work. I'll I could think of was someone sitting there plugging in his battery charger into the gen and then turning the chuck on his cordless and wondering why it wasn't working.

 

[dcyrilc]

I love how they say a cordless drills do not work. I'll I could think of was someone sitting there plugging in his battery charger into the gen and then turning the chuck on his cordless and wondering why it wasn't working.

I had a similar mental picture.:laughing: