Generac Failure Again

[sundance_8]

For the second time I have had a Generac generator stop producing electricity due to a major failure. The first was on my National Dolphin after about 340 hours the stator went out.
This time on my 2002 Tradewinds the Generac LP65 had rotor failure after 315 hours. I was able in both cases to remove the genset and repair it myself. But this time it was quite frustrating.
After teardown and reassembly today was the day to reinstall it. Got everything back in place and hooked up. Started the unit and it ran fine.....but still not producing electricity. After doing all the diagnostics again everything seemed to check out except current draw thru the rotor rings.
Well the new OEM brushes and holder were the problem. It seems that the mounting ears are a little too thick and allow the lower brush to contact both rings at the same time. Therefore no flash voltage and no power.
After grinding down the ears a little and reinstalling everything works.
Just sharing and venting in case anybody else is changing their brushes and runs into problems. I've also advised Generac.

[Weasel1USA]

You mention running the "diagnostics" again. Do you have or do you know where I can find a Service/Technical Manual? I have a Generac 6600 in a 95 Rexhall that runs fine but has no output voltage. Thanks, Rick

[Kpackpackkelley]

Yea I got a marquis 7000 and 15 jc off cl and the guys at stak help me get them running they are about good as it gets .

[DryCamper11]

Kpackpackkelley wrote:
Your right dry camper there on Craigslist all the time and they are good ones.

I'd suggest reading a few threads at smokstak, as there are some good pointers there on buying old gens. If it's not running, treat it as having only scrap value and if the seller wants more, wait for the next one. For about 3 months I watched CL and saw 20-30 within a 1.5 hour drive. I found a really nice 15KW Onan for $350 that was easily worth $2K-$3k if repaired, but I just didn't need that power and ended up with a nice 6.5KW unit for $100 that needed either a $200 VR or a $6 part to fix the VR (after 5 hours digging out the potting compound). There are lots of smokstak guys that just catch the "green disease" and have a half dozen Onans collected. I'm down to only 2 now, but occasionally check CL for fun. Fortunately for my wife and the garage, Sandy has driven the price up. 🙂

[Kpackpackkelley]

Your right dry camper there on Craigslist all the time and they are good ones.

[DryCamper11]

larrymorrell wrote:
where do all the old generators go everyone does not like any more. I do not see old ones for RV use advertized. I want to get a couple and play with them.

They are grabbed by the guys over at smokstak.com who haunt craigslist. They have a thread for tracking them once they are spotted 🙂

Seriously, I see them all the time, for reasonable prices, as long as there's been no natural disaster in the last year. I've bought a few out of RVs. A few hundred hours of wear with the factory crosshatch still showing on the cylinder walls on a 20-30 year old gen isn't that unusual. I'm often surprised that more people don't buy them for home backup as the cast iron block Onans are built like tanks and will last for many decades.

Although I prefer cast iron for home use. For RVs, I'd go with the aluminum block. Their only problem is that corroded steel bolts in aluminum blocks are very hard to get out without breakage - best solution is welding torch and get the bolt red hot a few times. I've gotten good at it after breaking a few bolts.

[Denny___Jami]

bushman512003 wrote:
Well had a rattler Generac junk 4000 motor ran fine much noise.out put of power total of less than 2 years with not a lot off use JUNK never again.I bought a #3000is Honda 8years ago love it same battery use it a lot.Think about all the******out there.Glad I found Big Red..Bushman

Your comparing a cheap contractor grade generator to a expensive Honda that is sold as a quiet RV style generator.

Denny

[larrymorrell]

where do all the old generators go everyone does not like any more. I do not see old ones for RV use advertized. I want to get a couple and play with them.

I have pulled by unit for one proble or other related to vales 4 times.

Also having trouble on surfside national rv generator placement because hot air out put is not isolated from input air in the same compartment it is a problem because unless you open door in hot weather it over heats.

[big_whitey]

they ain't called Genecrap for no reason.IMHO the Onan isn't much better nowadays. blue & red is the way to go.

[bushman512003]

Well had a rattler Generac junk 4000 motor ran fine much noise.out put of power total of less than 2 years with not a lot off use JUNK never again.I bought a #3000is Honda 8years ago love it same battery use it a lot.Think about all the******out there.Glad I found Big Red..Bushman

[Denny___Jami]

Billieg2 wrote:
Thanks for giving me another thing to worry about....

I've got a 1998 Generac 50G (I bought new) that is installed in it's 3rd 5ver and I have never had any problems with it, yes there are some out there that have problems but there is also many other brands that have problems. The biggest cause of failure in anything is lack of maintenance, misuse or abuse. And if you didn't buy it new you have no idea what happened to it before it can into your procession.

Denny

[westend]

I've got one of their contractor frame sets, 5500w. and it seems to be reliable for the limited use it sees. I've also had hands-on experience with larger Kato units and they are the best. Funny story, Mex, but it's always good to get a little reward for work done right.

[romore]

:B That is funny. I am less than satisfied with Generac product. I sold their home standby units and had a lot of grief with unhappy customers.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Weigh a Generac 20 KW stator, a LIMA 20 KW stator and a KATO 20 KW stator.

After which, Generac owners are entitled to start weeping.


Generac would be far better off making a DC generator and bolt it to someone else's inverter.

I got called out on a long-distance service all in Inyo County California. A 12.5 KW Generac. It ran fine but developed no power. There were bullet holes in the generator end! "Sum@#$%^&! fourth time it quit on us so I shot it!" Gold miners. I raced back 200 miles and snagged a LIMA and had the thing going in a couple of days. Out of the blue several months later the guy shows up at the plant bearing a forty pound box of outrageously expensive fillet Mignon steaks. In dry ice. "It's still workin'" he quipped. He slammed the box down on the counter then turned around and walked off.

[revump]

I have had a lot of problems with mine this past 12 months ... hoping for a better year this year