Generator repair help requested

[Paladin]

I have a Generac 10,000XL that smoked on me. It was my house backup and was powering two 110v lights when I notice a change in the tone of the engine. I went out to check and the generator head was sizzling. I shut it off quickly and let it cool down. While it cooled i could hear a sizzling sound from inside and it smelled burned.
After it cooled I did a visual once over but saw nothing visually wrong, no breaker blown, nothing. I started it to see if I could test any output but there was none. Right after it started the engine died and refuses to start again. Since then the engine has started again and seems to run fine but there is no power output.

So, without any diatribes on brand preference etc, does anyone have any ideas as to how I can trouble shoot this? It looks fine cosmetically, no physical signs of trouble but inside the case I'm betting with my luck that the rotor they want $1100 for is smoked. Could I hope for it be the power regulator without damage to the rotor?


-Dave

[Sean]

Dave,

The manufacturer should have a spec on the resistance of each winding.  I would start there -- sounds like you fried the windings in either the armature or stator, possibly due to a short.

-Sean
http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com

[buswarrior]

Concurrently, price a few other brands of generator heads as replacements.

Might be cheaper to change it out than be stuck with Genereck rebuild bits?

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[Paladin]

Thanks guys,
I suspect that the v twin engine is probably the only thing left worth anything and trying to repair might be more than the thing is actually worth. I'm seeing ads for 7500 watt sets for under $300 used though they are still Generacs.
I'm going to do some more basic sleuthing on it but since I have or rather, had three gensets but need as always to get more work done on the bus which means money spent I'll probably sell or trade this off for whatever I can get and cut my losses. After all, it is a Generac.

[buswarrior]

Consider keeping the engine, just replace the generating parts.

My personal experience was with a pair of 8K diesel late 80's units. EVERYTHING on the electrical end was repaired or replaced in an ongoing cycle, the little engines just kept on spinning dead electric bits.

The negative reports from the legions of other haters rarely include engine troubles.

FWIW

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[babell2]

I just went through a repair on my 6.5KW Generac.  It did consist of repairing stuff that other people attempted to fix it.  Details at mci-conversion.blogspot.com mine was a botched ac regulator repair and some other "redneck" repairs that had to be sorted out not a operating failure even though that's what started the repair.