Pto generator not working... Pls help?

[gogojuice]

So I purchased a pto generator
IMS 16 kW.

This was the first time I could try it out for real.

It ran for 15 min then stopped.

It still spins on the pto, but there is no power.

It has an avr panel and it no longer lights up.

Any suggestions ?

Thanks

 

[zzvyb6]

You must run it very close to 540 pto rpm. Not what your tach may read, but 540 actual pto rpm. Try some faster or slower throttle settings. I suppose a fuse could be a problem too, though ...

 

[gogojuice]

Thanks for trying.

So.. this one has an AVR digital gauge built into it that lights up. You set your tach to where it goes green and your good to go.
As for the fuse.. I can't find one. There are breakers on it, but those are not tripped. I have tried to reset them, but nothing.

This is the model.
IMD 16KW PTO Generator

I can't seem to find any other hidden fuse. I checked the oil. I can turn it by hand. No smells, no different sound of the tractor when it went off etc.

I'm kind of stuck as to what it could be. I thought PTO were supposed to be almost bullet proof. I have emailed the manufacture.

 

[bcp]

Belt drive? Loose, slipping, or broken?

Bruce

 

[b2910]

Did you happen to try turning it by hand before you first used it? I would think there would be some significant resistance to being turned and if you can easily turn it by hand maybe there is a shear pin that has broken. Not too mention information on the page you linked but if you got a good manual with it maybe the parts page will help figure out how the drive mechanism works.

 

[gogojuice]

Thanks for the suggestions.

Bruce it's a PTO shaft. (not sure if I understand if that was the question)

I can turn it by hand. There is resistance, but I can turn it by hand. I have checked the manual. Not much help there unfortunately. I was hoping there was a fuse that could have blown, or another breaker that I had missed.

 

[buickanddeere]

AVR failure . After several years capacitors just fail from old age.

 

[bcp]

I was thinking there should be belts (gearing?) behind the PTO shaft to make the generator turn faster than 540 RPM.

Bruce

 

[Industrial Toys]

So, is your guess that the rotor is spinning? It has a fan for cooling, so this should be unmistakable.

How much did you load up the gen when it quit?

Do they have tech support? If so, they would have a much better idea what goes wrong with their stuff.

 

[buickanddeere]

Who is IMS brand ?

 

[PILOON]

If it is a true 'generator' and not an alternator then perhaps the field coil needs to be 'flashed' as was commonly done on older cars B4 alternators.
Alternators and generators work on the principal of magnetic fields being interrupted by a moving coil.
To retain magnetism occasional operation is required.

 

[gogojuice]

Just got home and read the emails from the company. There is a fuse inside the housing. It doesn't mention this in the manual.
I took the housing off, looked and sure enough, it was blown. They put a spare inside, so I changed it and it started to work.
I didn't get a chance to test it for long and put it through it's paces. That will have to wait for a couple of days.

The fuse was a 5x20. I can't tell what kind of 5x20 so I have emailed the company.

I'm not sure what caused this. If I overloaded the generator, shouldn't the breaker blow in the housing?

Thanks for everyones help

 

[Industrial Toys]

This is why so many generators fail. Breakers only come in certain sizes, for one. So you pick the NEXT highest size. Then, you must allow for motor start currents, which isn't what the genset is capable of in continuous duty. So it is possible to run the genset way over it's capacity to destruction.

It is a good idea to have some way of knowing your loading.I use a stand alone UHF (wireless) EFERGY energy monitor which has been great for this purpose. Even has alarming capability, although awkward to program.

 

[David_Kb7uns]

5x20 is a 5mm by 20mm fuse, used in alot of test equipment and other things such as auto power plugs and some on board fuses for amateur radio equipment. Radio Shack used to carry some values.

Do not think they make bigger then maybe a 10 or 15 amp max so it will be located on the AVR control board

Something made it blow, now find out why?

David

 

[Industrial Toys]

I think sometimes the fuse itself is just bad. I have had it happen.

I am guessing from age, poor quality, possible poor qc, moisture or vibration.

If you can clearly (on larger ratings) see the metal burned through or it is blackened, there probably was an event.

 

[buickanddeere]

If it is a true 'generator' and not an alternator then perhaps the field coil needs to be 'flashed' as was commonly done on older cars B4 alternators.
Alternators and generators work on the principal of magnetic fields being interrupted by a moving coil.
To retain magnetism occasional operation is required.

Nope, it was generating then quit

 

[buickanddeere]

Just got home and read the emails from the company. There is a fuse inside the housing. It doesn't mention this in the manual.
I took the housing off, looked and sure enough, it was blown. They put a spare inside, so I changed it and it started to work.
I didn't get a chance to test it for long and put it through it's paces. That will have to wait for a couple of days.

The fuse was a 5x20. I can't tell what kind of 5x20 so I have emailed the company.

I'm not sure what caused this. If I overloaded the generator, shouldn't the breaker blow in the housing?

Thanks for everyones help

A time delay fuse of the same rated amperage prevents many phantom fuse failures.

 

[gogojuice]

Thanks for all the help. I'll post this in case it helps others.

So after having discussed this with the manufacture, who was great, I have found out that most likely what happened was that there was a sudden momentary draw of power that the tractor couldn't produce which caused the fuse to go. (He is not sure, but that scenario... if I have described it right, could blow the fuse along with others mentioned on the board.

You can't see the fuse, You have to remove the metal housing (6 screws) and

This is a fuse on the AVR board itself.
The fuse should be 5x20 3.15A

I have it up and running, just haven't had time to give it a full run for more than 10 min. Will do on my next days off