Mastervolt (Whisperpower) Whisper 3.5 kw 110v marine generator

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peterdev

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In advance - I appreciate any help and advice.......

Does anyone know how to disassemble a Mastervolt Whisper 3,5 generator in order to replace the diodes on the rotor?

I have tried to get a manual from both Mastervolt and the new owners of this product line - Whisperpower and neither have a workshop manual available.
 
I am sorry - no I can't help directly, however I had the same problem trying to overhaul my very elderly Paguro 3kw generator which hadn't been made for years. What might help is to identify who made the engine (at that size most likely either Faryman or Hatz) and who makes the alternator (mine is an Italian one). I found that I could get a workshop manual for the industrial engine that was close enough (both Faryman and Hatz are still in business and have manuals on the web). The alternator I got rewound and overhauled by a chap recommended to me by Paguro. I can Dig out his details if you PM me. The thing came apart fairly easily, but I found it easier to remove it from the boat and take home to work on it on the bench in my garage. The only tricky bit was getting the wiring back together - make careful notes as you dissemble. I got it back together and after a bit of troubleshooting it now runs a treat. The only part I couldn't find for it (hunting around on eBay and industrial engine suppliers and maintainer) was a new thermostat, so it does run a bit cool, which is a fault in the right direction I suppose.

Hope this helps.

Puggy
 
Puggy said:
I am sorry - no I can't help directly, however I had the same problem trying to overhaul my very elderly Paguro 3kw generator which hadn't been made for years. What might help is to identify who made the engine (at that size most likely either Faryman or Hatz) and who makes the alternator (mine is an Italian one). I found that I could get a workshop manual for the industrial engine that was close enough (both Faryman and Hatz are still in business and have manuals on the web). The alternator I got rewound and overhauled by a chap recommended to me by Paguro. I can Dig out his details if you PM me. The thing came apart fairly easily, but I found it easier to remove it from the boat and take home to work on it on the bench in my garage. The only tricky bit was getting the wiring back together - make careful notes as you dissemble. I got it back together and after a bit of troubleshooting it now runs a treat. The only part I couldn't find for it (hunting around on eBay and industrial engine suppliers and maintainer) was a new thermostat, so it does run a bit cool, which is a fault in the right direction I suppose.

Hope this helps.

Puggy
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Mitcham diesels supplied me the original Farymann Thermostat when I did my top end a few months ago.
 
peterdev said:
In advance - I appreciate any help and advice.......

Does anyone know how to disassemble a Mastervolt Whisper 3,5 generator in order to replace the diodes on the rotor?

I have tried to get a manual from both Mastervolt and the new owners of this product line - Whisperpower and neither have a workshop manual available.
Click to expand...

I'm not entirely sure that a workshop manual per-se is available, but between these 3 documents all the required info is there.

1. User manual shows where the diodes are and how to change them
2. Parts list has exploded diagrams (often in Dutch, but that doesn't matter)
3. Kubota OC60 Workshop manual in case of engine issues.

PM me and I can email the two Whisper ones. I have only the European 50Hz, 230V manuals, but the wiring diagrams in them show the wiring for both the 110V and 230V versions and the diodes are in the same place whichever.
 
Puggy - thanks so much for getting back to me. This is quite an expensive generator - made and supplied by Mastervolt approx 5 years ago. The engine is a Kubota from Japan which I am very familiar with so this does not present a challenge. My real problem is understanding how to disassemble the generator in order to get to the rotor and then change the diodes, capacitors, and varistors that are on the rotor. So far I have removed the housing opposite to the motor - but now I discover that the rotor does not come out the end - but has to be removed from the middle.

Your suggestions definitely do help - I have been meticulous in photographing everything - including the wiring - so I believe I can reassemble it exactly as it came apart.

I am very grateful to forums like this and people such as you where I can come for help and advice.......
 
@Superheat6k - thanks for another source for parts. It seems that the diesel motor part of this generator is straight forward, but the actual generator seems to be bought from an unknown source and then fitted to the Kubota motor by Mastervolt who have now become Whisperpower.

Thanks...
 
Hi jdc - thanks for your help, and for taking the time to write.

Thank you also for your very kind offer of the manual copies.

You must know this Generator very well as you have exactly the same documentation that I presently have. The Kubota manual is great - I have worked on their industrial engines in the past and they are quite logical.

I downloaded the Mastervolt Whisper 3,5 user manual from the old Mastervolt site and on page 29 of the US 110 volt model they list under Section 6 - Spare Parts List: Workshop Manual - part number 05-02-00170. It also shows that this manual is available in one of the spare parts kits.

I also downloaded the "Illustrated Parts Calalogue" - Whisper 3,5 3000 / 3600 RPM from Whisperpower, and in this document on Page 25 they list and picture the "Workshop Manual" as part number 5020XXXX.

So with the 3 documents that I do have, I have begun the disassembly - but incorrectly made the assumption that the place to start is the opposite end to the Kubota motor. Having removed the housings that cover the cooling coils and fins - I discovered that in order to get to the rotor I need to split the motor and generator in the "middle" of the whole assembly.

I have asked both Mastervolt and Whisperpower here in the USA for this workshop manual - but both say they do not have it. As you probably know Mastervolt sold this product line to Whisperpower in 2009, and in 2011 Whisperpower took full control of the global sales/customer interface as well.

Ideally I would like to get hold of this Workshop Manual, and failing this - the next best alternative would be to engage with someone who has done this job before.

If you could locate this elusive Workshop Manual on your side of the Atlantic - I would be eternally grateful......
 
Thanks @superheat6k - will get in touch with Mitcham diesels.

Good luck @peterdev - I am sure you will get it sorted. Hadn't noticed you were in the USA so my offer of an alternator rewinder in East Kent isn't going to be very relevant here! :-)
 
peterdev said:
Hi jdc - thanks for your help, and for taking the time to write.

... they list and picture the "Workshop Manual" as part number 5020XXXX...
Click to expand...

I believe the WS manual part number to be 50200170 (the XXXX was presumably just an editor's place-holder). Not that this makes it now simple to obtain, indeed it may not even exist! But contacting Mastervolt in the Netherlands might work.

However if you don't find a true WS manual and have to do it without, to change the diodes one has to remove the rotor, and the instructions to remove the rotor are in the owner's manual on p33, as follows:

"6. The rotor can be taken off by removing the bolt which goes through the shaft (normal clockwise threaded). The end of the shaft is specially threaded to push off the rotor from the conic sub shaft, which is on the flywheel, using a 6-mm rod of 165-mm length and a M10 bolt."

An exploded drawing of this assembly is on p17 of the parts catalogue, showing the housing and Allen socket bolt which need removing first.

Best of luck anyway!
 
@jdc - thanks for your perspectives and encouragement.

Agree with you - the workshop manual probably does not exist as if were correctly written - it would conflict directly with the User manual and the Parts catalogue.

Made some progress today - tried to follow the user manual and the parts list diagram that you mentioned.

Both of these manuals must refer to a different version/evolution of this Magnavolt Whisper 3,5 product. The 165mm shaft sticks out of the end of the rotor by about 30mm, and there is no M10 thread on the inside with which to detach/push the rotor off the taper on the end of the Kubota crankshaft.

In addition - the assembly drawing on page 17 indicates that the housing is detached by removing the 3 allen socket bolts. What they omit however is that the Kubota starter motor is bolted directly to the housing and has to also be removed prior to removal of the housing.

Finally - the manual says there are 2 diodes on the rotor. Well there is only one.

Very frustrating..........

But thanks to everyone who has so kindly taken the time to provide guidance, advice, and encouragement. I really appreciate it!
 
Update:

I now have the whole generator completely disassembled - if one looks at the active components it can only be diode on the rotor, or the capacitor in the exciter winding. On the passive side - it can be any of the windings - but these are really heavy gauge copper - so hopefully the inherent design of the generator is such that these are never overloaded for their size.

After much frustration - I have finally removed the diode from the rotor and as mentioned above - there is only one, not 2 as the manuals indicate. I took it out of circuit and tested it to be open circuit in both directions - so it has definitely failed.

I have ordered a new diode, and will get everything back together next week. I have also ordered new capacitors - this generator has a 30uF and a 2uF connected in parallel - so will test the old and new when it is running again.

If anyone needs to go through this disassemble process - please contact me as I can try to guide you through how to get this accomplished. I think the workshop manuals are not available as there are a few different generations of this product in the field, and maybe the documentation has not been able to keep up.

More to follow as I assemble.....
 
peterdev said:
Update:

I now have the whole generator completely disassembled - if one looks at the active components it can only be diode on the rotor, or the capacitor in the exciter winding. On the passive side - it can be any of the windings - but these are really heavy gauge copper - so hopefully the inherent design of the generator is such that these are never overloaded for their size.

After much frustration - I have finally removed the diode from the rotor and as mentioned above - there is only one, not 2 as the manuals indicate. I took it out of circuit and tested it to be open circuit in both directions - so it has definitely failed.

I have ordered a new diode, and will get everything back together next week. I have also ordered new capacitors - this generator has a 30uF and a 2uF connected in parallel - so will test the old and new when it is running again.

If anyone needs to go through this disassemble process - please contact me as I can try to guide you through how to get this accomplished. I think the workshop manuals are not available as there are a few different generations of this product in the field, and maybe the documentation has not been able to keep up.

More to follow as I assemble.....
Click to expand...

Hi, this is an old thread, I know.

Bought a boat yesterday, a Cranchi Zaffiro with an old Mastervolt 3,5kW. It says AC-1 after 25 sec after firing it up. I cant find any manuals of the subject. Some info regarding mechanical engine, but thats not the issue.

If anyone have a "how to" change these diodes or capacitors, please share the pictures or info. For the upcoming years, there will be plenty of these problems.

Where do we even buy these parts?
 
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