Generator Windings

8 years ago
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Toph
Toph
WA
1886 posts
WA, 1886 posts
9 Jul 2017 10:53am
Long story short, but I have blown (if that is what it can called) the 'windings' on my generator and has been confirmed by a marine technician that was crew on a boat anchored next to me at Lizard Is. This techie was German an his English while ok I suspect there may of been some misinterpretation -from both ends

Does anybody in the know know, if these are either easily replaced or worthwhile replacing. All I got from him was "it's the windings and the generator is f@$ked and it will be better to replace it than to repair it. It dawned on me later he could of ment to replace the winding rather then the whole genny.

I plan on about 3 weeks to a month through the Kimberlies and need the genny to make water. If its not worth replacing the windings I will need to buy a 2kva genny in TI (or Weipa.. Shout out to southace... do you know where I can source one???), or if viable to replace, fill up with water in TI and dash across to Darwin for the repair.

Your thoughs please
southace
southace
SA
4803 posts
SA, 4803 posts
9 Jul 2017 2:57pm
Go to Darwin. Can get water at Thursday island . Weipa is a bit out of the way.
Trek
Trek
NSW
1213 posts
NSW, 1213 posts
10 Jul 2017 6:13am
Toph, what brand geny? What did he measure?
Toph
Toph
WA
1886 posts
WA, 1886 posts
10 Jul 2017 9:19am
Trek, it is a Fisher Pander 4KvA so worth exploring the economics in fixing.

I am not in slightest bit cluey when it comes to electrics so not sure what he tested but it seemed to be some kind of bus or something. I can probably take a photo a little later if you thinknit will help (I've just spotted the boat here in TI so if I get the chance I will ask him). I know the genny itself still runs great and he tested for power getting to the fuse switch on the main AC panel. He then tested a few bits on the genny itself. He was vigouresly switching between settings on his multi metre and constantly shaking his head.

Sorry I can't be more specific to your question..
Trek
Trek
NSW
1213 posts
NSW, 1213 posts
10 Jul 2017 3:50pm
If the motor runs Ok it sounds like its worth fixing. The windings can be either open circuit or short circuit. If they were short circuit you would expect maybe a hot smell and the motor would be loaded a bit. Sounds too hard to fix on boat I think.
slammin
slammin
QLD
998 posts
QLD, 998 posts
10 Jul 2017 4:25pm
Yes they can be rewound. The insulation between the copper gets damaged, heat expansion etc and then they don't work. In Cairns there is Cairns Motor Rewinds, + 1 other newer shop which is not as busy. Maybe post to Cairns and pickup somewhere along the Top. Other than that you would need to send it ahead to Darwin.

That being said it sounds like a second opinion wouldn't hurt.
FreeRadical
FreeRadical
WA
855 posts
WA, 855 posts
10 Jul 2017 6:38pm
You are playing with an AC generator!

Id go to Darwin and get a tech to confirm and remove. Should easily find a place in Darwin to have it rewound. Get tech to reinstall and test.
Toph
Toph
WA
1886 posts
WA, 1886 posts
10 Jul 2017 8:00pm
Thanks all, I bought a little Honda 2KvA at TI. Based price off major mainland town prices and only paid about 200 more so not as bad as I had expected. But it certainly sounds like a worth while effort in rewinding these ones too.

Yes FR, it is an AC genny. I know enough about AC to know I don't want to mess around with it. Besides, I don't even know what I'm looking for
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