@@russellbonesteel1115 If something can be made it can be repaired. The amount of effort sometimes needed to repair something can easily force a "Just replace it" answer. A drop of solder COULD have resolved the immediate problem and after testing COULD have been the simple, easy fix.
The rapture will happen without a doubt. The rapture will happen much sooner than many believe (much less than 10 years according to all the environmental, weather signs , israel timelines, astronomical etc showings: luke 21:11 . It will happen without any warning , not one , in an instant , catching masses of people off guard just like God always does, ie the flood , sodom and gomorrah ~ a rude awakening . Matt. 24:44 jesus said Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. luke 12:40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. No one knows the exact day or hour the rapture will happen is a certainty . THE RAPTURE CAN HAPPEN NOW at ANY TIME make no mistake !! . Please awake to Christ Jesus which is the ONLY hope NOW and dont let yourself find out it IS all true later when its too late and you have been left behind in the most terrible times the earth Has Ever experienced Before and ever will...for anyone who sees this and doesnt know what to do please If you havent given your life and heart to Christ Jesus you will have REAL BIG problems way bigger than any problems you have Ever had If you are left here on earth after the Rapture . After the Rapture The USA , Worldwide , will face More evils , Inner city chaos, firearm wars etc etc ,power and water , food shortages , military invasions,mass executions (yes much blood will be required by antichrist ) etctec than it Has EVER been seen Before and you surely dont want to be Here then . We Have Time NOW to change , please seek Christ Jesus while there is still time to save ! no one knows the day or hour of the rapture ,But the rapture will start out just like any other day .....The Rapture will Take Place In the day In Broad daylight, sunny day , In an Instant FLASH without ANY warning , and there will be peoples Driver Ids, cell phones ,wallets found in various parking lots , Purses bill folds Found at work etc etc with NO explanation , and People VANISHING so No One can refute it has taken place. . romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Many of those that are left behind were seen in deep regret and many hung themselves on fences on interstates , and roadways and different places, their cars left by the roadside and many others also used their cars to kill them selves wrecking into things . It will be a horrible time , and regret will cause many to commit suicide . NOW is the time, dont wait until its too late seek Please Christ Jesus NOW. Those not going in the rapture and left behind , who rejected Christ Jesus' Love, and those that are practicing sin will have a big nightmare when left after the rapture example woman dancing in topless bar practicing sin , will NOT go in the rapture when it happens abruptly , and many other examples of willfully practicing sin daily .matthew 25 :1-13 parable of the 10 virgins, 5 were wise 5 were foolish and payed a severe price . Acts 3:19 all unrepented sins19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Please seek Christ Jesus NOW with your heart, please repent change while theres still time left ... raptureready.com
@@russellbonesteel1115 There is a little woman in China who posts Videos on RUclips that rewires 100 KW generators like she was washing dishes. Maybe you should contact her
We have used the ruclips.net/user/postUgkxOTeIs0vv4_9B5hsmnLsk9r930uDQLu_Y for probably 30 hours with our camper and it’s been great! The noise level is really only noticeable when running the AC and other appliances like the microwave, hair dryer, or coffee pot. It’s not huge like other ones and it has wheels so even at 90lbs, I can move it!
Just so you are aware ... I'm a Ham and operate and repair a number of different radio types including RADAR, I have seen incidents in the past where in many Chinese knock-off feed line cables the "copper" center conductor is often some obscure alloy made to look like copper but in fact is something else. It nearly always refuses normal solder. The soldered joints easily crumble and break and attempting a normal repair is virtually impossible. I believe the coil windings are made of a similar product. I see this quite often and reading resistance values are always skewed out of normal specs. This usually speaks of coil windings made with very cheap product instead of actual copper. Be ware ! Good video .
I have seen the same. The solder is nearly impossible to stick and the wire usually just crumbles when trying to work with it. So I do not try and repair them anymore. The only repair that can be done is to rewind with copper.
I lucked into a pile of around 30 generators recently. I had planned to scrap them until I came across your videos. Hopefully, I can make a few of them run and make more than I would have in scrapping them
The original owner really did a good job of polishing a turd. From the tank and the frame, it looked like almost a brand new generator. But then you look at the oxidation on the top of the engine, the cover on the stator, the wheels, the internals of the panel, etc and you can see that thing had a lot of moisture exposure.
I love how you went through every aspect of the generator. You tested and found everything that was wrong with it and got it to running like new again. It's apparent you're very familiar with generators but that's why we need people like you and your experience on RUclips to show us regular folks what to look for and how to diagnose problems. Thanks again for another great video.
I reckon 90% of that was caused by inadequate care of the machine itself. Leaving it out in the open, or maybe in a hazardous environment. Just look at the state of the micro switches, which you say weren't as bad as some you have seen. That was a surprise to me. Aluminium wire in the stator didn't seem to be the problem there, God knows what that was. A difficult, hard working solution to several problems there, adequately dealt with in a logical and most enjoyable way. I got a lot out of all that. Thankyou :)
As a life long mechanic, techie, general all around Jack of all trades, master of none, I salute you sir. Very nicely done! Great job and presentation. Thank you!
Well, I audibly said “Yessss!” When you said you were going to drill open that breaker! I love seeing not only the main reason for failures, but the specific reason. Cool to learn how the breakers work too. Ty!
Absolutely. I am a strong troubleshooter not because I'm anything special. But because I learn what each part does to make something work. Knowing the theory of anything mechanical will make you appear like a wizard when things fail. But knowing what parts should be doing is 3/4 of the battle trying to get something working again. Repair is just eliminating what works until you find out what doesn't. Does that make sense???? I know what I'm trying to say and I definitely agree with you. Cheers
I just want to mention that I really like the fact that James owns up to his mistakes. I think that is a big reason why he's become so successful and so good at this.
James, it occurred to me that you may have been trying to solder an aluminum wire from the rotor winding to a copper terminal (perhaps chrome plated) also on the rotor circuit. If so, the regular solder and flux used for a copper to copper joint won't work properly. An aluminum to copper solder joint requires a different flux. Maybe even a different solder. That would explain why the solder wouldn't flow onto the aluminum wire in your numerous attempts. As always, a very informative presentation. Thanks.
Soldering aluminium wire to copper wire is extremely difficult. It requires higher temperatures that are closely controlled so that the aluminium does not melt. Precision tools are needed so that the heat can be delivered to the aluminium through the aluminium oxide that forms on the surface. Specialist flux is also needed. It is better described as brazing than soldering. I recall once cutting off a copper braid tail connected to a thin aluminium bar inside a vehicle alternator. It certainly caused me a problem. I should not have done it. I ended up reconnecting the new replacement parts by soldering a copper spade connector to the copper wire and pushing the end of the spade connector over the flat thin end of the aluminium bar so that it was a tight fit. It was not ideal but it worked. I never made that mistake again. Ever since then I usually use a thin round splice with small brass screws on either end. The wires are pushed into the ends of the splice. Ideally the copper should not touch the aluminium and electrical connection is through an internal brass shaped piece with the screw threads fitted into either end. The outside diameter of the splice is always larger than that of the wires so doing this is not always suitable.
"I make it earn an oil change" -- This is solid advice. Avoiding wasting money on new oil and disposal, and time, if the engine is junk to begin with. Love your videos (as do all the little carbs in my garage)
This is one of those things that wasting a $4 quart of oil on an engine that might be bad is better than trying to run the engine that might be good on that contaminated oil.
@@CraigWaterman Agreed sir.. I change my oil annually in equipment that may have only seen a few hours run time for the year. But I save that "used" oil and use it in engines that I'm not sure deserve a fresh oil change. If I'm sure she's a runner/keeper, she gets an oil change with the best. Cheers!
Everyone should ask those friends to subscribe, even if they don't watch! I've learned so much watching his vjdeos . He deserves a bigger audience for sharing his knowledge.
I wasn't sure that the replacement rotor would work because of the position of the magnet I guess that makes no difference. Yes this looked like a really well kept generator at least the nice shinny engine and tank! Somebody made the remark "the original owner really did a good job of polishing a turd" I agree with that remark I am glad your buddy was looking out for you at $80.00 it was still pretty steep. It was unbelievable how lean that if it was the original carb was running so lean. So in the end you triumphed over the broken equipment. Thanks for sharing your video and knowledge James. Ed
Love when you dig into component failure--like circuit breaker -not an expensive part. On the other hand, I sure would like you dig at least a step or 2 deeper into that expensive rotor. Most of us won’t have a very specific rotor sitting on the shelf. What failed in the rotor? Please! A failed rotor would have many of us giving up rather than buying a replacement on a hope. Generally electrical parts are not returnable. Love you very informative videos and frequently comment.
You are very good at filming and discussing your reasoning. I fixed cars for many years and your channel brings back memories of crazy diagnosis of cars. Keep on trucking. I really enjoy your work. Because of watching you I bought a fixer upper generator. Found owner had left gas on. Filled engine with gas. No damage. Lucked out. Yea free generator!!!!!!!
You are alot like me. If I'm that far in I want to know WHY it failed. Found material and workmanship to be more common than not as the cause. The fact that you went that extra mile makes me give you an A+. Great work!. My background is QA and re-writing practices in Telecom, FiberOptics, and Electrical systems. We fine design flaws , improve using better materials and manufacture practices. You EARNED your A+. TJ DeHart.
Hi James, those rotor electrical connection points are not soldered, they are glued on with an electrical conductive adhesive. It can be bought on line from Amazon. I enjoyed this video, well done.
Good job as usual. My first thought was the brushes were squealing because they might have worn slightly different on the other slip rings. Did you compare slip ring diameters? Polishing the slip rings might have helped. It is a true gentleman who admits his mistakes. I think we can thank some CA attorneys for overly lean running engines. :-)
I've started watching your videos (from the very first one) since November '22 up until now. Notice in this video you got a new ultrasonic cleaner. Nice. And thanks for the knowledge, especially on the circuit breaker and how it works. Surprised to see how simple it was.
It’s great when you do the post mortem diagnosis on parts! As much as inflation have increased electrical part prices & scarcity, it pays to drill out rivets & repair some of them.
James, do yourself a favor and find a pump-up work table/cart. Take it from another Jim, the floor gets farther and farther away every year; no need to ruin your knees prematurely. Keep the great content coming.
This was the best video you have ever done. There is so much information and all the troubleshooting to boot! If this doesn't win a RUclips Oscar (I am prescient; it's coming), I don't know what will. Thanks for all that was accomplished.
Agreed. Jim always does excellent troubleshooting, but this video would be a great one stop reference for what to check, how to check and what normal values should be. Literally a "clinic". Thanks again JC!
James I never tire in watching your generator videos, I have learned a lot . Believe it or not while in Puerto Rico was on facebook marketplace looking for old defective generators to attempt to get them to run and none to be found but I did locate (3) running from $100 to $300. One even was electric start with bad battery but with an 85 foot extension cord heavy duty. While in NY ,found a brand new one 3750 watts with 10 hours for $100.00 ,yes $100.00 go figure. I finally located a Chicago Electric 7500 watts electric starter ,no battery 16 HP also no power. I got the motor running real good so far, ordered a battery and filter which was missing. I'll be attempting to get it to power up with what I have learned from your videos. Many thanks
Funny moment when you said ‘just kidding’ as you were replacing the rusty black cover! I said OMG as you did that. Your voice changed tone in latter half of video. Maybe because it was minus 5F. Thanks for such great videos James.
thanks to your youtube page i have just finished repairing my onan rv generator that shop wanted $2000 plus labor to replace stator and bad rotor, that was 3 years ago. i bought a new generator and kept old one. i tried to repair bad slip ring but failed and found new rotor and stator for ABOUT $425. I now have a working spare to keep or sell. Thanks for excellent videos
Perseverance and a willingness to move forward no matter the problem. Patience must be your middle name. Meeting one problem after another and conquering. Super problem solving. Another great video
I can’t Waite to tell you a service tech was sent to a private island in the Caribbean they lost power the problem was a guy was given a job to check the oil level in the generator he had to take a reading of oil pressure on the only gen every day and Wright it down ! He did day one reading 100 next day 90 next day 80 every day the pressure was going down every day until gen blew up when asked why he didn’t report problem he said he was only told to write down the pressure not to report to anyone if there was a problem he did his job !
Use a stripping gel to remove the varnish from the magnet wire. Gel Insulstrip was what I used in the 80's. It's safest since there's no risk to knicking the wire. Once the varnish is removed, use alcohol to clean and neutralize the gel.
Blessed love bro, I have learned a lot from you, I do have one, it's a Honda I will have to look up the numbers, but am building up my courage to repair it myself, am an engineer by profession, but never fix a small engine yet, am a born fixer so I will get there soon, many thanks bro, watching from Jamaica west Indies !!
This one had all the in depth work I wanted. I like seeing why things failed, like that circuit breaker. Then you went back and attacked that rotor, just because it didn't work out this time doesn't mean it won't work out every time. Great video.
Extremely impressed with your detailed analysis and dogged determination to make this, as the gentleman below noted💩, into a nearly a “swiss” watch. Kudos!👍
Hey James..that gen.looks like it's been under water or left outside or in a wet basement...you handled it well.. You sure come up with some great deals..Cheers 🥂🥂🥂🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸⚓⚓⚓
Thanks. Definitely left outside for some period. Probably after it stopped making power. The guy selling it also was right on the ocean, so the salt in the air did not help any.
@@jcondon1 With the water in the tank, and the amount of rust and corrosion, I was ready to bet it was completely underwater for a period of time. The salt air could do that though, but the fuel contamination just added to the mystery. Nice final product though.
I've learnd a lot about generators and especially cleaning carburetors. This is another inexpensive win for you. The frame of the generator is in remarkably excellent condition compared to all the corrosion on the engine and power head. I imagine this came from two bad generators combined into one bad generator before you got it. Probably an underwater recovery.
Nice video, thank you! They make a chemical stripper for copper wire! If they used aluminum then the connection is compressed to copper eyelet for soldering but must have copper to aluminum salve! Aluminum oxidation seems to be the problem there! Your solder pullet worked good! It has been many years! Ron PTL, USA
Pretty indepth and thorough , I like it alot. I know it can be a guessing game at times, but yours are educated guesses. Although intense, your voice is very calming, instructions are precise and any mistakes are explained keep up the good work..
Am I correct that both the white and green sense windings should not have continuity to ground/case? Jim I really enjoy your videos and especially you approach to repairs.
They should not. But if your neutral is bonded to ground then you might see a connection. Isolate the windings first. Then there should be no connection.
James I was watching your video today and saw you having trouble soldering the wire on the armature and just wanted to let you know that you might need to use silver solder on something like that because it works differently than flux solder and you might have a better result, but you have to get it really hot that's the secret.
James you are amazing in finding a fault ! If I was stuck on a island with one generator to use I would want you as my partner in case we loose power to the island ! I wish I had room to tell you a story about a generator on a island that a service mechanic told me about while fixing a generator problem ! You would die laughing! Next time you won’t be leave it !
Good morning, James. Wonderful video on the and trouble shoot, as usual during a cup of coffee on a cool Thursday morning hear in NC. I enjoy watching your video's very much every week. Stay Safe and healthy James. 👍👍👍👍
Nice work. I hate it when I can't get a carburetor figured out, but sometimes that's just the way they are. They seem so simple, and usually worked well when new, so why it insists on hunting/surging now? I have a generator that runs exactly like that. I put a clone carb on it and it's better, but still surges a bit without load.
If it gets better with a little choke then the jetting is off. Otherwise have seen the issue caused by a missing anti surge spring. The Mikuni carbs on these Subaru engines are very lean. The tiniest bit a plaque will cause them to surge.
Always amazed at your attention to detail and going the extra mile to finish the job. Looked like the previous owner thought this was a "submersible" generator... Amazing how some people make a substantial investment in equipment then abuse it this way. Thanks for the great video!
Dad Gum surging anyway. Seems like that is one of weird things to fix but a replacement carb worked perfectly. Great repair of the generator and panel on this generator. Thanks again for the video's.
Thanks for good video. I am working with industrial gensets, but still was very interesting to see this micro power unit repair step by step. 👍👍👍 Cheers!
Never watched you before I am now hooked not mechanically minded as a rule I am more electronics but I found this fascinating you are a meticulous and clever man the wife has just informed me I have been watching you for 4 hours so I'm off to bed now trust me I'll be back haha
James… great repair again. Especially when you tore apart the circuit breaker. Very neat demonstration how they operate. Also I wish praying for yeah when you trying to repair that rotor wire but learned alot. Thanks again for providing such an amazing video on generators. You have me hooked. Keep making great material.
James.....looks like that Husky has been drowned or under water at one time and I thought I was the only one that still uses a trigger solder sucker.....good job
At just over 1/2 way through vid i got the idea that it was left in a basement that flooded or used often in the rain which could explain missing/soggy air filter. this was a very informative video. Thank You!
Very useful, indeed James. Thank you. Some questions: - 1. You used a Torque Wrench on a number of occasions. What did you set it to, for each size / location bolt? 2. I didn't see a capacitor anywhere, to provide a phase shift for the starting of the generator. Was one used or not? If not, how did it work? 3. You mentioned 2 additional windings. Starting and sensing. Can you tell us more about these?
Sweet presentation! ❤️ just fantastic video also many thanks for your time in putting this video together, I was in tv engineering and always loved to tinker with engines and old clock movements. I got all the tools but my age is slowing me down at nearly 81 in July😝; I liked how you cleaned the carb with the ultrasound unit (same way I clean my clock movements) this generator was a nice find looked like it might been used in a salt mine 🤣 however the paint appears to be I perfect condition. Again many thanks for a 5 Star presentation.
That carb jelly comes from too much Stabil in the gas during storage - especially if the gas evaporates some. Should be well cleaned away when the carb is run through your ultra sonic cleaner. Always has been so for me. The solder not coating the looks-like-copper wire problem might actually be that the wire could, in fact, be made of Aluminum with a copper looking surface coloring (sort of a paint). In the case of, say, overheating during operation, the 'sort'a paint' would discolor dark and if that situation were to just happen for some reason, then just WHO would question anything like wire composition? Another good one, sir. Keep cranking them out because even after 2, 3 or more years they're as good as the day you put them up.! Joe S
Your are the man James, great video, same issue i’m having with my neighbors unit, just no AVR on his. Now I have more info, gives me more to look at. Thanks for the video.
The surging got me thinking about a 10K "leading brand" generator I purchased a number of years ago from a local shop. When we went to test it after the electrician was done, it surged like yours did towards the end. Sent it back for "service", and when i got it back there was no change. So I sent it back and got a refund. To this day I don't understand why they couldn't have fixed it, I guess they didn't try too hard. At the urging of some co-workers i purchased a Honda and 10 years later I still love the Honda, great machine.
Great video for anybody looking for an all encompassing repair experience, lol! Had a little bit of everything wrong with it. FYI, multiturn potentiometers are notorious for backlash, so it is likely the wiper didn't move completely back which is why the after setting voltage was a little bit higher. Thanks for taking the time to share this repair with us, it was not only entertaining, but a highly educational demonstration of troubleshooting technique.
Kind of off subject but my blower motor went out in my 1990 Nissan pickup about 8 or 9 years ago. I took it apart and cut some of the metal out so the brushes would come out about a 1/8 of an inch more. It's Nov of 2022 and its still going strong. Its the original blower and I like the original much better than the new stuff. I always fix what I can instead of replacing and I like to see that you do that as well.
It's extremely satisfying to watch someone work who really knows what he's doing. I hope spring gets here soon. I shiver watching you pull starting an engine in your driveway in sub zero temperatures. Good job abd great video.
Its funny, when you were installing the old rusty cover, I was saying to myself "Man hes not going to put that shllty cover back on is he?", then you said "just kidding". Nice job. Great video!
Yup, clean that carb as I have done, James I had some ram-board flooring from a job. I find it makes great gaskets, carb'bowl cover, I make two and use as intake manifold gasket between carb and engine.
Very nice job. I have had some luck with taking the limiter caps off with a Durmil tool. Also like your new ultra sonic cleaner and drill press. Nice to see shop upgrades. Many thanks.
I wonder if someone didn't spray that generator with water while it was running. That would explain the water in the oil. Once it stalled, all that hot metal and plastic cooled and sucked in water all over the place. I have seen that happen to a lot of electronics over the years, where individual components get water inside when they are supposed to be sealed. Great job perservering all the way to the end.
That hunting got me from $100 to 80 bucks! Another great vid Jim!
Thanks Ken for picking up this generator and talking him down to $80. A new Mikuni carb alone would cost $120+
Mr. Ken I Vaguely recall reconditioning Rotors for Alternators in a Shop Class??? Can THAT be done?
@@russellbonesteel1115 If something can be made it can be repaired. The amount of effort sometimes needed to repair something can easily force a "Just replace it" answer.
A drop of solder COULD have resolved the immediate problem and after testing COULD have been the simple, easy fix.
The rapture will happen without a doubt. The rapture will happen much sooner than many believe (much less than 10 years according to all the environmental, weather signs , israel timelines, astronomical etc showings: luke 21:11 . It will happen without any warning , not one , in an instant , catching masses of people off guard just like God always does, ie the flood , sodom and gomorrah ~ a rude awakening .
Matt. 24:44 jesus said
Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
luke 12:40
Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.
No one knows the exact day or hour the rapture will happen is a certainty . THE RAPTURE CAN HAPPEN NOW at ANY TIME make no mistake !! . Please awake to Christ Jesus which is the ONLY hope NOW and dont let yourself find out it IS all true later when its too late and you have been left behind in the most terrible times the earth Has Ever experienced Before and ever will...for anyone who sees this and doesnt know what to do please If you havent given your life and heart to Christ Jesus you will have REAL BIG problems way bigger than any problems you have Ever had If you are left here on earth after the Rapture . After the Rapture The USA , Worldwide , will face More evils , Inner city chaos, firearm wars etc etc ,power and water , food shortages , military invasions,mass executions (yes much blood will be required by antichrist ) etctec than it Has EVER been seen Before and you surely dont want to be Here then . We Have Time NOW to change , please seek Christ Jesus while there is still time to save ! no one knows the day or hour of the rapture ,But the rapture will start out just like any other day .....The Rapture will Take Place In the day In Broad daylight, sunny day , In an Instant FLASH without ANY warning , and there will be peoples Driver Ids, cell phones ,wallets found in various parking lots , Purses bill folds Found at work etc etc with NO explanation , and People VANISHING so No One can refute it has taken place. .
romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Many of those that are left behind were seen in deep regret and many hung themselves on fences on interstates , and roadways and different places, their cars left by the roadside and many others also used their cars to kill them selves wrecking into things . It will be a horrible time , and regret will cause many to commit suicide .
NOW is the time, dont wait until its too late seek Please Christ Jesus NOW.
Those not going in the rapture and left behind , who rejected Christ Jesus' Love, and those that are practicing sin will have a big nightmare when left after the rapture example woman dancing in topless bar practicing sin , will NOT go in the rapture when it happens abruptly , and many other examples of willfully practicing sin daily .matthew 25 :1-13 parable of the 10 virgins, 5 were wise 5 were foolish and payed a severe price . Acts 3:19 all unrepented sins19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Please seek Christ Jesus NOW with your heart, please repent change while theres still time left ...
raptureready.com
@@russellbonesteel1115 There is a little woman in China who posts Videos on RUclips that rewires 100 KW generators like she was washing dishes. Maybe you should contact her
We have used the ruclips.net/user/postUgkxOTeIs0vv4_9B5hsmnLsk9r930uDQLu_Y for probably 30 hours with our camper and it’s been great! The noise level is really only noticeable when running the AC and other appliances like the microwave, hair dryer, or coffee pot. It’s not huge like other ones and it has wheels so even at 90lbs, I can move it!
What I like is that you never give up no matter how bad the generator is.
Just so you are aware ... I'm a Ham and operate and repair a number of different radio types including RADAR, I have seen incidents in the past where in many Chinese knock-off feed line cables the "copper" center conductor is often some obscure alloy made to look like copper but in fact is something else. It nearly always refuses normal solder. The soldered joints easily crumble and break and attempting a normal repair is virtually impossible. I believe the coil windings are made of a similar product. I see this quite often and reading resistance values are always skewed out of normal specs. This usually speaks of coil windings made with very cheap product instead of actual copper. Be ware ! Good video .
I have seen the same. The solder is nearly impossible to stick and the wire usually just crumbles when trying to work with it. So I do not try and repair them anymore. The only repair that can be done is to rewind with copper.
I lucked into a pile of around 30 generators recently. I had planned to scrap them until I came across your videos. Hopefully, I can make a few of them run and make more than I would have in scrapping them
The original owner really did a good job of polishing a turd. From the tank and the frame, it looked like almost a brand new generator. But then you look at the oxidation on the top of the engine, the cover on the stator, the wheels, the internals of the panel, etc and you can see that thing had a lot of moisture exposure.
It was literally under a deck on the beach of Long Island Sound. Salt Spray continuous!
@@KensSmallEngineRepair Yes, occurred to me the previous owner must live very close to the coast.....!!
Sure looked likes a "Bits-a This One and Bits-a That One FRANKEN-GENNY"
@@KensSmallEngineRepair 🥼👩👦👩👦👩👦👩👩👧👧👨👩👧👧
James knows his stuff about electronics .
I love how you went through every aspect of the generator. You tested and found everything that was wrong with it and got it to running like new again. It's apparent you're very familiar with generators but that's why we need people like you and your experience on RUclips to show us regular folks what to look for and how to diagnose problems. Thanks again for another great video.
Yes!
I reckon 90% of that was caused by inadequate care of the machine itself. Leaving it out in the open, or maybe in a hazardous environment. Just look at the state of the micro switches, which you say weren't as bad as some you have seen. That was a surprise to me. Aluminium wire in the stator didn't seem to be the problem there, God knows what that was. A difficult, hard working solution to several problems there, adequately dealt with in a logical and most enjoyable way. I got a lot out of all that. Thankyou :)
Enjoyed watching you repair that one. Was not sure about that carb. Boy do I miss
tinkering with that stuff. Too old now.
As a life long mechanic, techie, general all around Jack of all trades, master of none, I salute you sir. Very nicely done! Great job and presentation. Thank you!
Well, I audibly said “Yessss!” When you said you were going to drill open that breaker! I love seeing not only the main reason for failures, but the specific reason. Cool to learn how the breakers work too. Ty!
Absolutely. I am a strong troubleshooter not because I'm anything special. But because I learn what each part does to make something work. Knowing the theory of anything mechanical will make you appear like a wizard when things fail. But knowing what parts should be doing is 3/4 of the battle trying to get something working again. Repair is just eliminating what works until you find out what doesn't. Does that make sense???? I know what I'm trying to say and I definitely agree with you. Cheers
I agree with the "Why did it break" attitude, and not just toss it and replace. Knowledge is understanding.
Thanks!
Thanks Erick!!
You work a lot in the cold, hope you are well.
Notice the new ultrasonic bath👍🏻. The Husky is happy now.
I just want to mention that I really like the fact that James owns up to his mistakes. I think that is a big reason why he's become so successful and so good at this.
Yes!
James, it occurred to me that you may have been trying to solder an aluminum wire from the rotor winding to a copper terminal (perhaps chrome plated) also on the rotor circuit. If so, the regular solder and flux used for a copper to copper joint won't work properly. An aluminum to copper solder joint requires a different flux. Maybe even a different solder. That would explain why the solder wouldn't flow onto the aluminum wire in your numerous attempts. As always, a very informative presentation. Thanks.
Soldering aluminium wire to copper wire is extremely difficult. It requires higher temperatures that are closely controlled so that the aluminium does not melt. Precision tools are needed so that the heat can be delivered to the aluminium through the aluminium oxide that forms on the surface. Specialist flux is also needed. It is better described as brazing than soldering. I recall once cutting off a copper braid tail connected to a thin aluminium bar inside a vehicle alternator. It certainly caused me a problem. I should not have done it. I ended up reconnecting the new replacement parts by soldering a copper spade connector to the copper wire and pushing the end of the spade connector over the flat thin end of the aluminium bar so that it was a tight fit. It was not ideal but it worked. I never made that mistake again. Ever since then I usually use a thin round splice with small brass screws on either end. The wires are pushed into the ends of the splice. Ideally the copper should not touch the aluminium and electrical connection is through an internal brass shaped piece with the screw threads fitted into either end. The outside diameter of the splice is always larger than that of the wires so doing this is not always suitable.
OK James, you got me again. When you were installing the rusty cover I immediately thought you should clean it and paint it.
Regards Al Hartley
I appreciate the fact that you never give up, and your curiosity.
"I make it earn an oil change" -- This is solid advice. Avoiding wasting money on new oil and disposal, and time, if the engine is junk to begin with. Love your videos (as do all the little carbs in my garage)
I always keep some good shape used oil around for such situations.
This is one of those things that wasting a $4 quart of oil on an engine that might be bad is better than trying to run the engine that might be good on that contaminated oil.
@@danburch9989 oh I agree. In general it's good advice, but that milkshake really needed to go, a good choice *not* to make it earn it, this time :)
@@CraigWaterman Agreed sir.. I change my oil annually in equipment that may have only seen a few hours run time for the year. But I save that "used" oil and use it in engines that I'm not sure deserve a fresh oil change. If I'm sure she's a runner/keeper, she gets an oil change with the best. Cheers!
I repaired two rotors by crimping copper wire to the aluminum wire and then soldering the copper wire to the slip ring terminals. Worked great.
What was those rotors on Robert? I would like to know where aluminium is used as rotor wire on small machines.
@@r8118830 They were on two Firman generators. The aluminum wire must be cheaper than the copper. Made China.
Everyone should ask those friends to subscribe, even if they don't watch! I've learned so much watching his vjdeos . He deserves a bigger audience for sharing his knowledge.
Thanks. Never set out to get subscribers, but they keep coming.
@@jcondon1 The finest quality in the genre will cause that to happen! 😉
I wasn't sure that the replacement rotor would work because of the position of the magnet I guess that makes no difference. Yes this looked like a really well kept generator at least the nice shinny engine and tank! Somebody made the remark "the original owner really did a good job of polishing a turd" I agree with that remark I am glad your buddy was looking out for you at $80.00 it was still pretty steep. It was unbelievable how lean that if it was the original carb was running so lean. So in the end you triumphed over the broken equipment. Thanks for sharing your video and knowledge James. Ed
Love the explanation of the circuit breaker. Seeing it trip with heat applying was a good lesson. I did not know you could fix them.
I used you water trick to get a rotor off at work the other day, worked like a champ. I should of took a video and tagged you in it but I forgot
That generator got caught in a flood, there was corrosion in places that wouldn't get wet in the rain. Good project, nicely filmed!
Or it was under a tarp that flapped in the wind.
Love when you dig into component failure--like circuit breaker -not an expensive part. On the other hand, I sure would like you dig at least a step or 2 deeper into that expensive rotor. Most of us won’t have a very specific rotor sitting on the shelf. What failed in the rotor? Please! A failed rotor would have many of us giving up rather than buying a replacement on a hope. Generally electrical parts are not returnable. Love you very informative videos and frequently comment.
Mr. Rick I Vaguely recall Reconditioning Rotors for Alternators in my High school Shop Class????!!! Cheers!~ Russell
Q
You are very good at filming and discussing your reasoning. I fixed cars for many years and your channel brings back memories of crazy diagnosis of cars. Keep on trucking. I really enjoy your work. Because of watching you I bought a fixer upper generator. Found owner had left gas on. Filled engine with gas. No damage. Lucked out. Yea free generator!!!!!!!
Cannot beat free! Nothing to lose but a little time.
Thanks for showing how the circuit breaker worked.
You are alot like me. If I'm that far in I want to know WHY it failed. Found material and workmanship to be more common than not as the cause. The fact that you went that extra mile makes me give you an A+. Great work!. My background is QA and re-writing practices in Telecom, FiberOptics, and Electrical systems. We fine design flaws , improve using better materials and manufacture practices. You EARNED your A+.
TJ DeHart.
Thanks
Perfect camerawork. Thanks for posting.
Hi James, those rotor electrical connection points are not soldered, they are glued on with an electrical conductive adhesive. It can be bought on line from Amazon. I enjoyed this video, well done.
Good job as usual. My first thought was the brushes were squealing because they might have worn slightly different on the other slip rings. Did you compare slip ring diameters? Polishing the slip rings might have helped. It is a true gentleman who admits his mistakes. I think we can thank some CA attorneys for overly lean running engines. :-)
I've started watching your videos (from the very first one) since November '22 up until now. Notice in this video you got a new ultrasonic cleaner. Nice.
And thanks for the knowledge, especially on the circuit breaker and how it works. Surprised to see how simple it was.
Very well done, thanks for the education with no distracting music or showmanship. Greatly appreciated.
It’s great when you do the post mortem diagnosis on parts!
As much as inflation have increased electrical part prices & scarcity, it pays to drill out rivets & repair some of them.
We think you should run for President, James!
James, do yourself a favor and find a pump-up work table/cart. Take it from another Jim, the floor gets farther and farther away every year; no need to ruin your knees prematurely. Keep the great content coming.
This was the best video you have ever done. There is so much information and all the troubleshooting to boot! If this doesn't win a RUclips Oscar (I am prescient; it's coming), I don't know what will. Thanks for all that was accomplished.
Wow, thanks!
Agreed. Jim always does excellent troubleshooting, but this video would be a great one stop reference for what to check, how to check and what normal values should be. Literally a "clinic". Thanks again JC!
@@ericvaughn1126 Well said. I agree with all of you.
James I never tire in watching your generator videos, I have learned a lot . Believe it or not while in Puerto Rico was on facebook marketplace looking for old defective generators to attempt to get them to run and none to be found but I did locate (3) running from $100 to $300. One even was electric start with bad battery but with an 85 foot extension cord heavy duty. While in NY ,found a brand new one 3750 watts with 10 hours for $100.00 ,yes $100.00 go figure. I finally located a Chicago Electric 7500 watts electric starter ,no battery 16 HP also no power. I got the motor running real good so far, ordered a battery and filter which was missing. I'll be attempting to get it to power up with what I have learned from your videos. Many thanks
Funny moment when you said ‘just kidding’ as you were replacing the rusty black cover!
I said OMG as you did that.
Your voice changed tone in latter half of video.
Maybe because it was minus 5F.
Thanks for such great videos James.
thanks to your youtube page i have just finished repairing my onan rv generator that shop wanted $2000 plus labor to replace stator and bad rotor, that was 3 years ago. i bought a new generator and kept old one. i tried to repair bad slip ring but failed and found new rotor and stator for ABOUT $425. I now have a working spare to keep or sell.
Thanks for excellent videos
Perseverance and a willingness to move forward no matter the problem. Patience must be your middle name. Meeting one problem after another and conquering. Super problem solving. Another great video
I can’t Waite to tell you a service tech was sent to a private island in the Caribbean they lost power the problem was a guy was given a job to check the oil level in the generator he had to take a reading of oil pressure on the only gen every day and Wright it down ! He did day one reading 100 next day 90 next day 80 every day the pressure was going down every day until gen blew up when asked why he didn’t report problem he said he was only told to write down the pressure not to report to anyone if there was a problem he did his job !
Use a stripping gel to remove the varnish from the magnet wire. Gel Insulstrip was what I used in the 80's. It's safest since there's no risk to knicking the wire. Once the varnish is removed, use alcohol to clean and neutralize the gel.
Blessed love bro, I have learned a lot from you, I do have one, it's a Honda I will have to look up the numbers, but am building up my courage to repair it myself, am an engineer by profession, but never fix a small engine yet, am a born fixer so I will get there soon, many thanks bro, watching from Jamaica west Indies !!
Blessed love, when I start to fix it I will inform you, or even asking for some guidance, in the meanwhile I will jus keep watching your videos !!
This one had all the in depth work I wanted. I like seeing why things failed, like that circuit breaker. Then you went back and attacked that rotor, just because it didn't work out this time doesn't mean it won't work out every time. Great video.
Love your videos and really appreciate the fact that you don’t use a background “MUSIC”
You went over so much stuff so clearly in that video. That maybe my favorite video so far.
As always thank you James
Extremely impressed with your detailed analysis and dogged determination to make this, as the gentleman below noted💩, into a nearly a “swiss” watch. Kudos!👍
Hey James another thing that I learned over the years is if you have a jet that is drilled too large it can usually be soldered shut and re-drilled.
True
Put a piece of wire in it
Love your way of working and love your channel, keep it up!
Hey James..that gen.looks like it's been under water or left outside or in a wet basement...you handled it well..
You sure come up with some great deals..Cheers 🥂🥂🥂🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸⚓⚓⚓
Thanks. Definitely left outside for some period. Probably after it stopped making power. The guy selling it also was right on the ocean, so the salt in the air did not help any.
@@jcondon1 yeah but he cleaned the tank and frame to sell it.
@@jcondon1 Guessing the salt air is what corroded the breakers.
@@jcondon1 With the water in the tank, and the amount of rust and corrosion, I was ready to bet it was completely underwater for a period of time. The salt air could do that though, but the fuel contamination just added to the mystery. Nice final product though.
Yep! 😢
I've learnd a lot about generators and especially cleaning carburetors. This is another inexpensive win for you. The frame of the generator is in remarkably excellent condition compared to all the corrosion on the engine and power head. I imagine this came from two bad generators combined into one bad generator before you got it. Probably an underwater recovery.
I agree. Something did not seem right as the frame looked in perfect condition.
@@jcondon1 Generators like any electric or electronic equipment do not swim very well and usually die as a result.
As always, it's a pleasure watching you apply your diagnostic skills and knowledge.
Nice video, thank you! They make a chemical stripper for copper wire! If they used aluminum then the connection is compressed to copper eyelet for soldering but must have copper to aluminum salve! Aluminum oxidation seems to be the problem there! Your solder pullet worked good! It has been many years! Ron PTL, USA
Pretty indepth and thorough , I like it alot. I know it can be a guessing game at times, but yours are educated guesses.
Although intense, your voice is very calming, instructions are precise and any mistakes are explained keep up the good work..
Thanks Ed
Am I correct that both the white and green sense windings should not have continuity to ground/case? Jim I really enjoy your videos and especially you approach to repairs.
They should not. But if your neutral is bonded to ground then you might see a connection. Isolate the windings first. Then there should be no connection.
James I was watching your video today and saw you having trouble soldering the wire on the armature and just wanted to let you know that you might need to use silver solder on something like that because it works differently than flux solder and you might have a better result, but you have to get it really hot that's the secret.
Thanks for the video, your electrical skills are spot on, soldering needs a refresher course in cleaning, material should be spotless.
James you are amazing in finding a fault ! If I was stuck on a island with one generator to use I would want you as my partner in case we loose power to the island ! I wish I had room to tell you a story about a generator on a island that a service mechanic told me about while fixing a generator problem ! You would die laughing! Next time you won’t be leave it !
Good morning, James. Wonderful video on the and trouble shoot, as usual during a cup of coffee on a cool Thursday morning hear in NC. I enjoy watching your video's very much every week. Stay Safe and healthy James. 👍👍👍👍
Nice work. I hate it when I can't get a carburetor figured out, but sometimes that's just the way they are. They seem so simple, and usually worked well when new, so why it insists on hunting/surging now? I have a generator that runs exactly like that. I put a clone carb on it and it's better, but still surges a bit without load.
If it gets better with a little choke then the jetting is off. Otherwise have seen the issue caused by a missing anti surge spring. The Mikuni carbs on these Subaru engines are very lean. The tiniest bit a plaque will cause them to surge.
Nice repair and explanations on what you are doing !
Great video and I never get bored watching your videos, you have to be able to jump in and figure it out. 👍👍
Well done! The Generator Whisperer strikes again!
Hi, James. Some very good clues and tips in this video. Experience is what you have a ton of. Thanks for sharing! Stay Healthy!
Always amazed at your attention to detail and going the extra mile to finish the job. Looked like the previous owner thought this was a "submersible" generator... Amazing how some people make a substantial investment in equipment then abuse it this way. Thanks for the great video!
Great video. I have a brand new generator that doesn't need maintenance or repairs. When that day comes, this will be my go-to. Thanks for posting.
Dad Gum surging anyway. Seems like that is one of weird things to fix but a replacement carb worked perfectly. Great repair of the generator and panel on this generator. Thanks again for the video's.
Happy to see that sometimes it is not just one thing wrong... And I am not the only one who has those challenges...
Thanks for good video. I am working with industrial gensets, but still was very interesting to see this micro power unit repair step by step. 👍👍👍 Cheers!
Never watched you before I am now hooked not mechanically minded as a rule I am more electronics but I found this fascinating you are a meticulous and clever man the wife has just informed me I have been watching you for 4 hours so I'm off to bed now trust me I'll be back haha
James… great repair again. Especially when you tore apart the circuit breaker. Very neat demonstration how they operate. Also I wish praying for yeah when you trying to repair that rotor wire but learned alot. Thanks again for providing such an amazing video on generators. You have me hooked. Keep making great material.
Agreed!
Excellent tutorial as usual! I also appreciate that you shared your "rookie mistake". You're hardly a rookie.
James.....looks like that Husky has been drowned or under water at one time and I thought I was the only one that still uses a trigger solder sucker.....good job
At just over 1/2 way through vid i got the idea that it was left in a basement that flooded or used often in the rain which could explain missing/soggy air filter. this was a very informative video. Thank You!
Very useful, indeed James. Thank you. Some questions: -
1. You used a Torque Wrench on a number of occasions. What did you set it to, for each size / location bolt?
2. I didn't see a capacitor anywhere, to provide a phase shift for the starting of the generator. Was one used or not? If not, how did it work?
3. You mentioned 2 additional windings. Starting and sensing. Can you tell us more about these?
Sweet presentation! ❤️ just fantastic video also many thanks for your time in putting this video together, I was in tv engineering and always loved to tinker with engines and old clock movements. I got all the tools but my age is slowing me down at nearly 81 in July😝; I liked how you cleaned the carb with the ultrasound unit (same way I clean my clock movements) this generator was a nice find looked like it might been used in a salt mine 🤣 however the paint appears to be I perfect condition. Again many thanks for a 5 Star presentation.
Thanks Fred. Was an odd one how perfect the frame was and everything else corroded like it was.
Well, that explains why I can't ever find good deals on generators. James has his minions get them! (j/k) Love the videos. Keep them coming.
I know right?? I never find deals
That carb jelly comes from too much Stabil in the gas during storage - especially if the gas evaporates some. Should be well cleaned away when the carb is run through your ultra sonic cleaner. Always has been so for me.
The solder not coating the looks-like-copper wire problem might actually be that the wire could, in fact, be made of Aluminum with a copper looking surface coloring (sort of a paint). In the case of, say, overheating during operation, the 'sort'a paint' would discolor dark and if that situation were to just happen for some reason, then just WHO would question anything like wire composition?
Another good one, sir. Keep cranking them out because even after 2, 3 or more years they're as good as the day you put them up.!
Joe S
Another great video James! Lots of good information in this one!
Intersting videos James. I am looking to get a generator and now I know what to look for maintenance wise.
James, it would be really interesting to see what the diameter is of the jet on the new carb compared to the old one. Nice video!
😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮
😮😮
Your are the man James, great video, same issue i’m having with my neighbors unit, just no AVR on his. Now I have more info, gives me more to look at. Thanks for the video.
The surging got me thinking about a 10K "leading brand" generator I purchased a number of years ago from a local shop. When we went to test it after the electrician was done, it surged like yours did towards the end. Sent it back for "service", and when i got it back there was no change. So I sent it back and got a refund. To this day I don't understand why they couldn't have fixed it, I guess they didn't try too hard. At the urging of some co-workers i purchased a Honda and 10 years later I still love the Honda, great machine.
My backup generator is a Honda. Not sure its age, has to be 15+ years old. Never a problem.
Great team work between you and Ken. Nice!!!
Lol! That new cover on the powerhead looks great and it was funny when tou pretended to use the rusty old cover.
Great video, it's always handy having spare parts laying around, nice work on this one James!
Great video . After learning all the good things you show, you should have a lot of master diy students 🙂
Thanks 👍
One thing nice about those plastic gas tanks is that with all the water in the gas, you don't have to worry about rust in the tank.
I just came across your videos for the first time. I got a salmon pressed with the process that you go through and how you film it
Thanks
Great video for anybody looking for an all encompassing repair experience, lol! Had a little bit of everything wrong with it. FYI, multiturn potentiometers are notorious for backlash, so it is likely the wiper didn't move completely back which is why the after setting voltage was a little bit higher. Thanks for taking the time to share this repair with us, it was not only entertaining, but a highly educational demonstration of troubleshooting technique.
Great job James glad you have the patience to do a job like that look forward to the next live stream with ken
Kind of off subject but my blower motor went out in my 1990 Nissan pickup about 8 or 9 years ago. I took it apart and cut some of the metal out so the brushes would come out about a 1/8 of an inch more. It's Nov of 2022 and its still going strong. Its the original blower and I like the original much better than the new stuff. I always fix what I can instead of replacing and I like to see that you do that as well.
It's extremely satisfying to watch someone work who really knows what he's doing. I hope spring gets here soon. I shiver watching you pull starting an engine in your driveway in sub zero temperatures. Good job abd great video.
Thanks Rich!
Its funny, when you were installing the old rusty cover, I was saying to myself "Man hes not going to put that shllty cover back on is he?", then you said "just kidding". Nice job. Great video!
I think it is great that you have the no give up attitude. More people should be like you.
Yup, clean that carb as I have done, James I had some ram-board flooring from a job. I find it
makes great gaskets, carb'bowl cover, I make two and use as intake manifold gasket between
carb and engine.
Very nice job. I have had some luck with taking the limiter caps off with a Durmil tool. Also like your new ultra sonic cleaner and drill press. Nice to see shop upgrades. Many thanks.
I wonder if someone didn't spray that generator with water while it was running. That would explain the water in the oil. Once it stalled, all that hot metal and plastic cooled and sucked in water all over the place. I have seen that happen to a lot of electronics over the years, where individual components get water inside when they are supposed to be sealed. Great job perservering all the way to the end.
Thanks Ernie