Generator troubleshooting

[ourkid2000]

Howdy folks,

Was over to my folks place yesterday and my father showed me a problem with his generator. I didn't have a lot of time to really get into it but it looked pretty bad.....

Engine starts up just fine but it struggles to turn the alternator, this is with no load attached. After about 2 mins, you could smell the electrical burning and I could see smoke coming from the alternator cooling fan area. Shut it down as soon as I saw this.

So what's going on here I wonder? The problem is obviously in the alternator......It's a Coleman 6500w

 

[pop pop]

Once the smoke gets out you cannot put it back.

 

[sk farmer]

coleman with a plastic generator body?

if so i will take a guess that the bearing went out and spun in the housing. i doubt your outlook is good

 

[G_P]

Either a bearing went or there was a short in one of the coils in the generator head and it was under an extreme load until it smoked itself.

Time to pull the generator head off and see what damage has been done. But most likely its toast.

 

[ourkid2000]

Oh I'm under no illusions....I figure the generator is toast. I was just curious what would cause it.

Seems to be under an awful load so I would guess some kind of short causing the strain.

 

[STClurker]

Once the smoke gets out you cannot put it back.

if thats true, why do they sell replacement smoke?

http://sjpdesigns.com/poa/lucas.html

 

[pop pop]

Those kits only work on Lucas wiring, which is why no one really knows if it works or not. Lucas didn't work with or without the smoke.

 

[frankzlt1]

Is this generator a portable? If so buying a new alternator is going come to the same cost of a new one. But if the generator is still producing power it might be the rear bearing went bad. What's most commonly found is if the generator has a 12v plug or a battery charger built into the altinator that's probably what is smoking.