Started my generator the other day, let out a lot of smoke. Puts out about 30 volts now.....

It is a Vanguard with a Briggs & Stratton engine. I rarely use it, but would like to fix it. Don't see any other tags on it besides the one on the engine. Should I start ripping it apart and see if there are any tags under the cover at the generator end?

Mike.....The first thing to look for on a smallish portable is a blown capacitor.

The cheap units have no voltage regulator.
They use a capacitor in the circuit.
It would usually be mounted under the end bell cover. A couple screws to remove cover.

Beyond that....a lot of smoke would indicate a burnt up something significant.....maybe a stator winding or rotor winding.

The blown cap is an easy fix if thats all that is wrong....some have the specs printed right on it. Others don't so you have to do trial and error. I have metal can types on the shelf in various MFD ratings.....30 to 50 MFD's is about a normal number used in generators....


Replacing a major component is usually costly and the size and age of the unit might make it not worth fixing...

Rich, finally got time to take the end off, you were right, burnt winding....... What a fancy setup, bridge rectifier and single cap.... Both look fine, but the windings look like burnt toast.





Time to get another unit?

I use it maybe 4 or 5 times a year at most. This one is an easy 10 years old with very little use, except for when Sandy came through, then it ran for two weeks straight!

buy another cheap one. The best ones, and they are quite, are the DuroMax XP4400 ones, you can usually find them on ebay or Amazon for 299-349 on sale. Great gen sets with electric start and are only a few DB's above a invertor. Best little gen set we ever had. Ran battery chargers for 2 cars and AC unit

Not sure how much power you need, but consider investing in a Honda Inverter gen set. Been looking for years for a deal on a EU2000i and found a used that was new looking.
One less thing to worry about failing was my justification and as quiet as they come.

I run a battery charger for quicker cool-downs between rounds when I am double or triple entered. Summer can be hot and humid here and I don't run alky.

Also run a small air compressor for topping-off the tires before the day starts.

That's it.

You may be able to get by with a EU1000i?
If cost is an issue, I had good luck with one of those 950W 2 cycle units. They are $100, not very loud and surprisingly reliable.
I got mine in a same box bundle with a compressor from Pet Boys for $80 at a Black Friday sale over a decade ago and neither one have ever done anything rude. I just needed a little more power.

Sounds to me like it is time for a new one. You may be able to get new generator head for it on Ebay but I would just get new generator. I highly recommend the Champion 2000 for quiet long running power.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Curly1,

quote:

Originally posted by The Bozman:
buy another cheap one. The best ones, and they are quite, are the DuroMax XP4400 ones, you can usually find them on ebay or Amazon for 299-349 on sale. Great gen sets with electric start and are only a few DB's above a invertor. Best little gen set we ever had. Ran battery chargers for 2 cars and AC unit

I've had one of the Duromax XP4400 for over ten years. Actually they were called PowerMax back then. It's been a trooper. I just bought a Westinghouse WH2400i inverter and it seems like a nice piece also.

These things are so cheap, just buy another one. One of the best generators that I ever had was a Coleman Vanguard but it had a ohv mitsubishi engine. Man I loved that thing. I sold it with my trailer and then bought a noisy Generac with a Briggs. I still rifle through cl an look for the vanguard with that mitsubishi motor.

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Beck:
I run a battery charger for quicker cool-downs between rounds when I am double or triple entered. Summer can be hot and humid here and I don't run alky.

Also run a small air compressor for topping-off the tires before the day starts.

That's it.

I'm not sure why I spent the money for a Honda at the time, but I don't regret it a bit. I run a eu2000, super quiet, fuel efficient, runs lights, compressor, charger, etc and super light and easy to start

No 1 issue with Generators is sitting with fuel in them.

I left a Honda EU2000i sit with fuel in for a few years. I't started up after a while of yanking but ran pretty ruff, had to leave the choke on to keep it running.

I drained the fuel, poured straight SeaFoam in the tank, ran it choked for a little bit, let it sit with the straight SeaFoam for a couple days and Now it starts on one pull and runs like new.

Also, the Honda's are very serviceable, my bigger Honda had the same issue and I popped the carb off, Jet was clogged (looked like a Holley), cleaned it, put back together and ran like new.

Allot of the junk out there, you have to throw the carb away and replace (If it's available)

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Beck:
Rich, finally got time to take the end off, you were right, burnt winding....... What a fancy setup, bridge rectifier and single cap.... Both look fine, but the windings look like burnt toast.





Time to get another unit?

I use it maybe 4 or 5 times a year at most. This one is an easy 10 years old with very little use, except for when Sandy came through, then it ran for two weeks straight!

Mike ....Assuming you could find a suitable stator to replace the burnt up one.....it would cost probably $200-$300 just for that part. Now you have to pull it apart to change it and hope nothing else is bad. The rotor is probably ok but all you could do is ohm test it and the other components in there. That still doesn't assure you it will work until you actually put it all back together and try it....

Stators do burn up like that and usually there is no obvious reason...

Being back fed with 120 volts will do it...as will a turn to turn short of the winding...

It may also have shorted to ground causing it...

I would highly recommend replacing the entire unit......I have had piles of portable units like that during storms....and the cost to make repairs would be ridiculous.

Most every brand you can name is made in China.....and that includes HONDA....trust me they are doing it too...I have learned that just from researching parts for their machines.....

We have some Generac portables.....from 5000 to 8000 and only have them leftover from storm events....

Their typical of everyone elses machines.....

Thanks Rich. For the amount of times I use a generator I will get something cheap. I only use it at Atco and Cecil and I rarely go there.... At E-Town I know where all the electrical outlets are so I never need a generator there.

Harbor freight Predator generators are pretty inexpensive. Yes, they are Chinese, but if you don't need a ton of output, and you're not using it to run a construction (or other) business that requires 6-8 hours of run-time per day, they can fit the requirement.
They are on sale right now, just got the email coupons this morning. I bought the 4,000W unit 2 years ago, it has just over 400 hours on it now, and has been flawless, and very easy to start, (never more than 1-2 pulls, from 40* to 100* air temp). I was advised to get the 50-state emissions version, not the California version, they seem to carry a mix of them in their non-CA stores. Same price, but the gen-set repair guy who told me that said the additional Cali emissions stuff would likely shorten the engine life, and possibly reduce output at max load by a tad. Under $300 with coupon, added the $19 wheel kit, fairly quiet, sips very little fuel, still happy with it after 2 years of use. I will say that it is in reality 2 separate output circuits, so if you need more than 1800-2000 watts on a single 120V load, it won't work. I plug in my compressor on one bank, and battery charger, fan, lights, etc on the other. 240V will work fine at full load. Does have some nice features, like a separate 12V output, cigar-lighter type jack, fuel gauge, low oil light, automatic shutdown stuff for over-temp or low oil, etc.

Anyone listened to the Champion 4000 hybrid unit?
https://www.amazon.com/Champio...s=champion+generator
I have the closed 3000 unit and it is really quiet. I have run out of watts, and have had such good luck with that one I was thinking of this one. It is an inverter unit, but not sure how much louder it is without the enclosure. They give idle noise ratings, which are pretty worthless.

Every time we have a big storm event where peole lose power and use the portables they bought and neglected.....or use for a while...and they fail...

I get bombarded with machines.

Bad fuel, carbs all gunked up and far worse on Ethanol fuels.....

Stators burnt up.....caps blown up, diodes shorted or open in brushless types....and no matter what brand they are like trailer tires......MADE IN CHINA...

Parts are available for some but as I stated in an earlier post it just is not cost effective to repair a fairly small KW unit.....

I've seen plenty of the Chinese inverter types and of course they are great when they are working.....good luck getting one fixed if it fails....

I have fixed a few popular units .....and are marketed by 3 companies.....all the same unit...

Cummins, Wacker, Subaru......3200 watts and they also made a 4300 unit but discontinued them....People loved those don't know why the stopped making them....

I have friends with the 3200 and they run the heck out of them.....no failures...Very similar to a Honda 3000 inverter/generator and cheaper.

One buddy hurt one by somehow back feeding it I believe....

I just saw a brand new Honda 6500 Inverter/generator for sale on Facebook marketplace in my area for $2500 asking price......that is less than half of new.....and it is new....That's a steal if its real and I think it was.

You could use it at the track or home in a power failure.

We just bought a predator 3000 invertor at harbor freight for 599 with the coupon. We have onan's on the motorhomes but use the predator as a backup or at night. They are very quiet, easy to work, and it runs everything in the RV. It seems to work well for the price and they have a 2 year warranty available for a little more.

quote:

Originally posted by dragstermike:
We just bought a predator 3000 invertor at harbor freight for 599 with the coupon. We have onan's on the motorhomes but use the predator as a backup or at night. They are very quiet, easy to work, and it runs everything in the RV. It seems to work well for the price and they have a 2 year warranty available for a little more.

I kind of want to upgrade to some more watts this time. Then I don't have to worry about the inverter pulling hard or the fridge being on 110v. Or the circuit breaker tripping on the generator when the compressor comes back on in the middle of the night.

My brother has living quarters in his trailer. He uses The predator gen for everything. We use it on the motorhome at night to save on noise. It only tripped once and that was with the AC running in the RV, trailer, and I plugged in the kobalt air compressor. The air compressor usually kicks the breaker on any of the generators. I don't know why, but that compressor is hard to start. The only negative I have with the HF predator is the fuel cell. It'll run for about 6-8 hrs with the AC running full tilt in the RV. You'll have to get up and fill it in the early morning.