The Insides of a Rutland 913...and I think I ahve found the problem..

[firstascent2002]

So, having got the wind gen in side last night, I ignored it until this morning.

This morning I ignored it alittle more but finally had to just take the plunge...

First Job is to take off the rear fin that was rusted and needs a clean and repaint. Then then nacelle came off (the cone at the back) which showed a broken nacelle back plate and some fairly clean looking electrics...

No obvious loose connection here...

A multimeter conduction test from the output wires to the bushes showed a failure in the negative connection and with the brush holder removed you can see that the negative brush has actually melted into the bush holder...

So I will contact Marlec on monday for a new nacelle rear plate, a new pair of brushes and a new brush holder...


If the nacelle rear plate had not been shattered then his would have been an easy repair without the trouble of dismounting the whole assembly. In truth it might have been shattered when getting the wind gen off the pole as this did require the light application of a hammer!

Thought the pics might be of interest to anyone who has not had to do this before along with a link...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apAoHAek-F0



Many thanks to all who answered my last post and gave me the confidence to attack it!

 

[Scillypete]

Is that all thats inside it! ! ! ! how come they are so heavy? ? Only had mine for just over two years and the tailfin was looking a lot worse with rust than yours. Its now being repainted having taken it off to clean up.

Useful pics thanks

 

[philip_stevens]

how come they are so heavy? ?

Two large flat magnets and one heavy copper coil.

 

[Mistroma]

Certainly 2 heavy magnets. However, if I remember correctly the stator wasn't that heavy (memory could be playing tricks). Just some copper wire embedded in epoxy or similar and not as much as you'd expect.

I read somewhere that wedges were essential to dismantle as magnets were VERY difficult to prise apart. When I looked at it I could see unused threaded holes. Sur enough, just a matter of taking out the bolts holding the magnets in place and screwing them into the unused holes. This jacks the magnets apart in a slow controlled fashion.

Really easy. Wish I could say the same about getting the bearings out and glueing them back in again.

Silly me, just looked at the YouTube video. Looks as if I accidentally stumbled on the correct way of dismantling.

 

[Scillypete]

Two large flat magnets and one heavy copper coil.

Yep, just watched the video and noticed that, still surprising though. Good video too.

 

[SimonJ]

I took my Rutland 913 back to Marlec a couple of months ago for overhaul (it had not stopped for 11 years! They agreed bearings were rumbling a little but otherwise they thought it was ok - amazing. For £90 or so it was returned a week later looking & behaving like new, brought up to latest spec etc with several new parts (brushes, bearings, fin, front plate etc.) They were very helpful, courteous and polite throughout.
My advice would be to get yours back to them - I now have 'new' one for the fraction of the price of a replacement - I cannot recommend their service highly enough.

They also repeated their advice which I have always followed - never stop the machine from spinning as it must keep turning to exclude moisture from the bearings - obviously good advice from my experience.

Simon

 

[ukmctc]

I took my Rutland 913 back to Marlec a couple of months ago for overhaul (it had not stopped for 11 years! They agreed bearings were rumbling a little but otherwise they thought it was ok - amazing. For £90 or so it was returned a week later looking & behaving like new, brought up to latest spec etc with several new parts (brushes, bearings, fin, front plate etc.) They were very helpful, courteous and polite throughout.
My advice would be to get yours back to them - I now have 'new' one for the fraction of the price of a replacement - I cannot recommend their service highly enough.

They also repeated their advice which I have always followed - never stop the machine from spinning as it must keep turning to exclude moisture from the bearings - obviously good advice from my experience.

Simon

+1 Lloyd West is most helpful

 

[Solent sailer]

I took my Rutland 913 back to Marlec a couple of months ago for overhaul (it had not stopped for 11 years! They agreed bearings were rumbling a little but otherwise they thought it was ok - amazing. For £90 or so it was returned a week later looking & behaving like new, brought up to latest spec etc with several new parts (brushes, bearings, fin, front plate etc.) They were very helpful, courteous and polite throughout.
My advice would be to get yours back to them - I now have 'new' one for the fraction of the price of a replacement - I cannot recommend their service highly enough.

They also repeated their advice which I have always followed - never stop the machine from spinning as it must keep turning to exclude moisture from the bearings - obviously good advice from my experience.

Simon

that is good to know our one has been running for 8 years and is getting a little noisy, sounds like i might as well get it done professionally, by the time i have sourced the bearings and brushes i might as well send it back!

 

[[10753]]

Bearings £25 inc P&P from Marlec. Brushes will probably be ok - negative tends to wear more but you can swap them around according to Marlec.
Pulling the bearings off the shaft can prove tricky but otherwise the job is fairly straight forward.
You can test before you take it back to the boat. Before replacing the blades from a good spin you should get a reading of 4v on the voltmeter.