John100156
Well-Known Member
Hi Dave, I just replied to your PM but for the benefit of others that have this type of generator:
Yes, the capacitor is the one in the box that sits on top of the generator housing.
Assuming you have not tripped the mains isolator/MCB off, that normally sits close to the generator and isolates the 240v supply from the generator, then hopefully the capacitor has just lost its charge.
You are correct, there is no AVR on the 6kVA it is self exciting.
With the generator not running, you just need to flash 12Vdc across the capacitor, it will spark a little, but don't worry about that, no more than one second should do it.
The capacitor is in a closed loop with the rotor/armature winding, when the capacitor is charged, it should remain so, unless for some reason it becomes discharged of course, which it can do if one of its cables gets wet or earths out. Simply put: When you start the generator, the small voltage across the capacitor is sufficient to generate a magnetic field in the armature winding which it is connected to, which it rotates, it induces a field in the stator (main) winding, this is turn induces a larger magnetic field in the armature, and so on until the main winding reaches its maximum voltage output 220-240Vac.
What worries me is, if water has penetrated the winding casing, then you may have shorted-out the main winding which could have burned out. Lets hope that's not the case, but if so, I can tell you how you can remove the stator/main winding without taking the entire generator/motor unit out. Wish I knew that before my one went....!
Anyway, try re-energising the capacitor first, leaving the wires connected to it polarity is not important as its a closed loop, if you're not confident, please have an electrician do it, or at least have someone with you just in case.
Do take care, but it is a very simple thing to do and the 6kVA really is a simple and very reliable generator.
Best of luck.
Yes, the capacitor is the one in the box that sits on top of the generator housing.
Assuming you have not tripped the mains isolator/MCB off, that normally sits close to the generator and isolates the 240v supply from the generator, then hopefully the capacitor has just lost its charge.
You are correct, there is no AVR on the 6kVA it is self exciting.
With the generator not running, you just need to flash 12Vdc across the capacitor, it will spark a little, but don't worry about that, no more than one second should do it.
The capacitor is in a closed loop with the rotor/armature winding, when the capacitor is charged, it should remain so, unless for some reason it becomes discharged of course, which it can do if one of its cables gets wet or earths out. Simply put: When you start the generator, the small voltage across the capacitor is sufficient to generate a magnetic field in the armature winding which it is connected to, which it rotates, it induces a field in the stator (main) winding, this is turn induces a larger magnetic field in the armature, and so on until the main winding reaches its maximum voltage output 220-240Vac.
What worries me is, if water has penetrated the winding casing, then you may have shorted-out the main winding which could have burned out. Lets hope that's not the case, but if so, I can tell you how you can remove the stator/main winding without taking the entire generator/motor unit out. Wish I knew that before my one went....!
Anyway, try re-energising the capacitor first, leaving the wires connected to it polarity is not important as its a closed loop, if you're not confident, please have an electrician do it, or at least have someone with you just in case.
Do take care, but it is a very simple thing to do and the 6kVA really is a simple and very reliable generator.
Best of luck.
