WWA Info Exchange

With such a nice day, I thought I would get some things checked out for the upcoming season.

So first I pulled out the generator, of course it would not start. I got the carb all cleaned up and re-installed, it starts fine and the engine runs great. Next I plug in a drill to check out the output. NOTHING. Checked the breakers, they are fine. Unplug the the panel from the generator, get out the v/0 meter. Check all the connections and nothing leaving the generator itself.

Troy Built, so now I will have to take it to a dealer to see what it will take to fix it.

It is 25 months old, electric start. 1 year warrenty and 2 years on parts.

I have never had a chance to use it, but forgot to keep starting it montly to make sure it starts. That won't happen again.

_________________
My father was my Mentor for my WW hobby. luv ya dad.

WW'ers I have met.
Guroo
Verna
Wooder
Paul, (brother,)
Falcon1.
Gene and his friend George

Hey Yank,

Your generator is really an alternator, which requires a field current from a battery or some other source. You might check to see if you have voltage at the field windings. If your voltage regulator is stuck (mechanical) or otherwise malfunctioning (electronic) that would explain a lack of field.

Good luck,
Tom

_________________
"There is no path to peace, peace is the path."
Mohandas K. Ghandi

Thanks for the brain thump, Yank. That time of the month to drag mine out as well. Fortunately (in a bizar kinda way) we lose power often enough during the winter I don't need a reminder to start it.

Curious, Tom, how you would know that Yank's generator/alternator would need a battery. I don't have one on mine and it works fine. Mine's a Generac 10KW manual start. No battery.

_________________
Nullum Gratuitum Prandium

Cheers - Dennis

Hey Dennis,
Ah Grasshopper, please to note the use of the qualifying phrase, "...or other source." In the case of your "generator" the initial source is the ignition magneto. Once started, an alternator can produce its own field current. In any case, it does have to pass through the voltage regulator.

Thirty three years as a federal employee have given me ample experience in the use of qualifiers.
Cheers,
Tom

_________________
"There is no path to peace, peace is the path."
Mohandas K. Ghandi

"Thirty three years as a federal employee have given me ample experience in the use of qualifiers. "

Or, as some call them - "weasel words."

Mine was used three times this winter, never for more than a few hours, but given the neighbors' problems with their gas rigs, I was glad I paid the extra hundred for the propane model. Keep a tank or two available, and I remembered to bring the rig into the heat early on so the oil wasn't goo. Problem I have is that now I'm thinking lazy and wanting one big enough to run the furnace, freezer, fridge and well simultaneously, instead of rotating them through. The gas folks who bought the ethanol-free premium available at most stations here fared the best.

I see people post the ethonal free gas on websites a lot when small engine/outboard engines topics come up. Here in suburban Philly, It seems all the pumps have ethanol mix for all grades in the winter.

_________________
"To all those who work come moments of beauty unseen by the rest of the world." Norman Maclean

Thus far I've not had any problems with gas pump regular gas in my generator. (holding my breath as I type)

The question was, Tom, what tipped you off that his was an alternator rather than a generator? I understand the difference between the two but didn't spot anything that would indicate Yank's was an alternator. Are all Troy Built's alternators?

Just curious is all.

_________________
Nullum Gratuitum Prandium

Cheers - Dennis

Hey Dennis,

The simplistic answer is because it produces an alternating current, but that really doesn't explain much.

The term "generator" has both specific and generic meanings. Specifically, a generator is a magnetic dynamo that produces DC current. It has field magnets (possibly electromagnets) that create the static field. The power output of the generator is modulated by the speed of the rotor. In an alternator, the frequency of the alternating current is modulated by the speed of the rotor, and the power out put is controlled by the amount of current sent to the windings. Your car's alternator creates variable frequency AC that is rectified to DC for the car's electrical system. Generators were common in vehicles up to around the early1930s; after that, alternators have been used because they provide more power at idle, and are more size and weight efficient.
Your portable generator (in the generic sense) probably uses an electronic frequency controller, otherwise a throttle governor would be needed to keep the frequency at 60Hz.

Tom

_________________
"There is no path to peace, peace is the path."
Mohandas K. Ghandi

Thanks for the info, Tom. Never bothered to consider my "generator" was producing 60c alternating current for the house although as I said, I really do know the difference (grin)

_________________
Nullum Gratuitum Prandium

Cheers - Dennis

My generator is propane (actually dual fuel - propane or natural gas, plumbed to both). I discovered the hard way that it won't run at below -30F or so. It's not that the oil turns to goo (use winter weight oil), but rather that the propane won't aerosolize at that temperature. The boiling point of propane is about -40F, and I've gotten close enough to find out that it won't work.

This is a Kohler 15KW, water-cooled, 1800RPM unit. It's got a 4-cyl GM engine, same as some of the smaller cars. Quiet and extremely reliable, except the bit about the cold. Needless to say, it's not portable.

Strange, as I see propane tanks outside of so many dwellings here, where the weather can get pretty cold. I don't have the problem, because I keep the tank for immediate use indoors where it's warm(er). As you know, liquid expanding to gaseous state is a powerful coolant on its own. Sounds like you need either a preexpansion chamber or some warm fuel to chill the line to less than the temperature which would re liquify it.

Finally removed the carb. cleaned it, and reinstalled, works fine now. Just need to remember to crank it once or twice a month to keep the carb from getting clogged up.