Just bought a generator and it failed within two hours of usage. Mfg. say
maybe capacitor and will ship a new one. But am not sure. I have a
voltmeter
with capacitor readings. Know how to test for resistance and voltage but
never tried to test a capacitor. I know the circuit should be open, and
this
one is open, but don't know if it is being charged nor how to do that
procedure.

"Wayne Lundberg" <Waynelund@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:Q35yh.544332$Fi1.257258@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...

Just bought a generator and it failed within two hours of usage. Mfg.
say
maybe capacitor and will ship a new one. But am not sure. I have a
voltmeter
with capacitor readings. Know how to test for resistance and voltage but
never tried to test a capacitor. I know the circuit should be open, and
this
one is open, but don't know if it is being charged nor how to do that
procedure.

Does the meter show any reading when you test the cap?

I tested for continuity and it showed no short circuitry evident. I then

I tested for continuity and it showed no short circuitry evident. I then
just connected the probes to both terminals and swithce the voltmeter from
high to low.... all indications fell to zero after only a short time...
which tells me that my VM may have charged, then masured as power
dissipated... but I'm just guessing.

"Homer J Simpson" <nobody@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:ky6yh.40824$Y6.6053@edtnps89...

"Wayne Lundberg" <Waynelund@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:Q35yh.544332$Fi1.257258@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...

Just bought a generator and it failed within two hours of usage. Mfg.
say
maybe capacitor and will ship a new one. But am not sure. I have a
voltmeter
with capacitor readings. Know how to test for resistance and voltage
but
never tried to test a capacitor. I know the circuit should be open,
and
this
one is open, but don't know if it is being charged nor how to do that
procedure.

Does the meter show any reading when you test the cap?

I tested for continuity and it showed no short circuitry evident. I then
just connected the probes to both terminals and swithce the voltmeter
from
high to low.... all indications fell to zero after only a short time...
which tells me that my VM may have charged, then masured as power
dissipated... but I'm just guessing.

I think I need to charge the cap with a battery and then measure... but
don't want to blow my VM... so... advice?

The readings on the cap is 24 microfarads plus minus 5% 400 VAC 50/60 Hz

Wayne

Just bought a generator and it failed within two hours of usage. Mfg. say
maybe capacitor and will ship a new one. But am not sure. I have a voltmeter
with capacitor readings. Know how to test for resistance and voltage but
never tried to test a capacitor. I know the circuit should be open, and this
one is open, but don't know if it is being charged nor how to do that
procedure.

Help!

Wayne

"Wayne Lundberg" <Waynelund@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:aM6yh.545165$Fi1.161214@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...

I tested for continuity and it showed no short circuitry evident. I then
just connected the probes to both terminals and swithce the voltmeter
from
high to low.... all indications fell to zero after only a short time...
which tells me that my VM may have charged, then masured as power
dissipated... but I'm just guessing.

I would put the meter on ohms and connect it to the cap. Then switch the
leads over where they are connected and see what happens. If the cap is OK
the meter will deflect up and then go down. When reversed the meter will
go
below zero come up and go down. This indicates possibly a good cap.

Is this a gas power generator? How did it fail - symptoms?

OK, I'll try that. This is a brand new 13HP four stroke driving a 5,500 Watt

OK, I'll try that. This is a brand new 13HP four stroke driving a 5,500
Watt
generator. It started with a single pull and reved up showing full power
and
my son started welding. It worked for a couple of hours then simply
stopped
producing juice. Motor running fine, no other indication except no output.

He took it back to Pep Boys who refused to exchange it ( after one day!)
and
is now saddled with the problem of facing one month service waiting
time...
so much for other than Wal-Mart vendors! ( I bought a HDTV from Wal-Mart,
it
did not live up to the advertised standards, and they simply gave me a new
one... I think I'm spoiled by their kind of service.)

So son is running around getting replacement capacitors and fuses even
though they may not be needed. And can't get a straight answer from Pep
Boys
or the Power Pro 5500 people.

"Homer J Simpson" <nobody@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:Eu7yh.40846$Y6.26690@edtnps89...

"Wayne Lundberg" <Waynelund@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:aM6yh.545165$Fi1.161214@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...


I tested for continuity and it showed no short circuitry evident. I then
just connected the probes to both terminals and swithce the voltmeter

from

high to low.... all indications fell to zero after only a short time...
which tells me that my VM may have charged, then masured as power
dissipated... but I'm just guessing.

I would put the meter on ohms and connect it to the cap. Then switch the
leads over where they are connected and see what happens. If the cap is OK
the meter will deflect up and then go down. When reversed the meter will

go

below zero come up and go down. This indicates possibly a good cap.

Is this a gas power generator? How did it fail - symptoms?


OK, I'll try that. This is a brand new 13HP four stroke driving a 5,500 Watt
generator. It started with a single pull and reved up showing full power and
my son started welding. It worked for a couple of hours then simply stopped
producing juice. Motor running fine, no other indication except no output.

He took it back to Pep Boys who refused to exchange it ( after one day!) and
is now saddled with the problem of facing one month service waiting time...
so much for other than Wal-Mart vendors! ( I bought a HDTV from Wal-Mart, it
did not live up to the advertised standards, and they simply gave me a new
one... I think I'm spoiled by their kind of service.)

So son is running around getting replacement capacitors and fuses even
though they may not be needed. And can't get a straight answer from Pep Boys
or the Power Pro 5500 people.



Simplest things first - did you attempt to reset

Wayne Lundberg wrote:
"Homer J Simpson" <nobody@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:Eu7yh.40846$Y6.26690@edtnps89...

"Wayne Lundberg" <Waynelund@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:aM6yh.545165$Fi1.161214@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...


I tested for continuity and it showed no short circuitry evident. I
then
just connected the probes to both terminals and swithce the voltmeter

from

high to low.... all indications fell to zero after only a short time...
which tells me that my VM may have charged, then masured as power
dissipated... but I'm just guessing.

I would put the meter on ohms and connect it to the cap. Then switch the
leads over where they are connected and see what happens. If the cap is
OK
the meter will deflect up and then go down. When reversed the meter will

go

below zero come up and go down. This indicates possibly a good cap.

Is this a gas power generator? How did it fail - symptoms?


OK, I'll try that. This is a brand new 13HP four stroke driving a 5,500
Watt
generator. It started with a single pull and reved up showing full power
and
my son started welding. It worked for a couple of hours then simply
stopped
producing juice. Motor running fine, no other indication except no
output.

He took it back to Pep Boys who refused to exchange it ( after one day!)
and
is now saddled with the problem of facing one month service waiting
time...
so much for other than Wal-Mart vendors! ( I bought a HDTV from
Wal-Mart, it
did not live up to the advertised standards, and they simply gave me a
new
one... I think I'm spoiled by their kind of service.)

So son is running around getting replacement capacitors and fuses even
though they may not be needed. And can't get a straight answer from Pep
Boys
or the Power Pro 5500 people.



Simplest things first - did you attempt to reset
the circuit breakers? (Sometimes overlooked because
it can be hard to see they're tripped.)

Ed

On Tue, 06 Feb 2007 19:56:32 GMT, "Wayne Lundberg"
Waynelund@worldnet.att.net> wrote:

Just bought a generator and it failed within two hours of usage. Mfg. say
maybe capacitor and will ship a new one. But am not sure. I have a
voltmeter
with capacitor readings. Know how to test for resistance and voltage but
never tried to test a capacitor. I know the circuit should be open, and
this
one is open, but don't know if it is being charged nor how to do that
procedure.

Help!

Wayne



If you have a capacitance range on your meter then simply connect the
probes across the capacitor terminals (make sure all other leads are
disconnected from the cap). Since you know the cap should be 24uF then
.look to see if the meter reads very close to this value (22.8uF -
25.2uF). This is not necessarily an indication that the cap is "good"
- you need other test equipment to determine this, it is a indicator
that it may not be faulty. The cap can measure the right value on your
meter but it may break down when subjected to the much higher voltage
it sees in normal operation. For the general public who can't carry
out full testing the best option is to try a new cap and if the fault
is still evident then the likelihood that your original cap is faulty
is nil. Once this is established then return your generator for a new
one.

The only problem with the self fix route on brand new products is that
the supplier/distributor may void the warranty because you have
"played around with it" when you are not an authorised repairer. It is
generally safer to simply not do anything and take it back and say
"fix it or replace it " under warranty.

"Wayne Lundberg" <Waynelund@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:aM6yh.545165$Fi1.161214@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...

"Homer J Simpson" <nobody@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:ky6yh.40824$Y6.6053@edtnps89...

"Wayne Lundberg" <Waynelund@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:Q35yh.544332$Fi1.257258@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...

Just bought a generator and it failed within two hours of usage. Mfg.
say
maybe capacitor and will ship a new one. But am not sure. I have a
voltmeter
with capacitor readings. Know how to test for resistance and voltage
but
never tried to test a capacitor. I know the circuit should be open,
and
this
one is open, but don't know if it is being charged nor how to do that
procedure.

Does the meter show any reading when you test the cap?

I tested for continuity and it showed no short circuitry evident. I then
just connected the probes to both terminals and swithce the voltmeter
from
high to low.... all indications fell to zero after only a short time...
which tells me that my VM may have charged, then masured as power
dissipated... but I'm just guessing.

I think I need to charge the cap with a battery and then measure... but
don't want to blow my VM... so... advice?

The readings on the cap is 24 microfarads plus minus 5% 400 VAC 50/60 Hz

Wayne


One way to test it is to charge it up to 100 VDC (carefully), and then
discharge it through a 100K resistor. The time constant should be 24 x 0.1
= 2.4 seconds to reach 37 VDC. An even more thorough test would require
charging it to 600 VDC and making sure it is not breaking down or leaking.
Such testing can be dangerous or even lethal, but will be more conclusive
than a simple ohmmeter check.

Paul


Thanks!

We removed the fuse and tested and is ok. Circuit breaker also.

During the last pull he got a trickle of juice, but then quit producing
anything.

Don't know if he has a circuit diagram. he's out looking for help now.

"Wayne Lundberg" <Waynelund@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:bsnyh.553341$Fi1.130926@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...

We removed the fuse and tested and is ok. Circuit breaker also.

During the last pull he got a trickle of juice, but then quit producing
anything.

Don't know if he has a circuit diagram. he's out looking for help now.

OK. I just wouldn't suspect a capacitor right off unless it's a known
problem. Can't he just return it for his money back?

He tried to return it in exchange of a working unit. He was told he had to

"Wayne Lundberg" <Waynelund@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:bsnyh.553341$Fi1.130926@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...

We removed the fuse and tested and is ok. Circuit breaker also.

During the last pull he got a trickle of juice, but then quit producing
anything.

Don't know if he has a circuit diagram. he's out looking for help now.

OK. I just wouldn't suspect a capacitor right off unless it's a known
problem. Can't he just return it for his money back?