24 Volt Control Voltage. I have it here but not over there!

[MajorGasAttak]

I have 24 volts at the emergency disconnect on the control panel but no voltage on the 24 volt panel mounted battery gauge. Full voltage is available @ the K relays but when S1 is set to pre-heat or start it sounds like undervoltage relay chatter. It was and has been working great for many years. Last run under load a few months ago. Battery tender always connected. Fuel pumps run and are getting full voltage. Any thoughts before I cut open 100’s of ty-wraps and start poking around with my Fluke? I’m an electrician but NOT an electronics guy! Thanks

 

[Evvy Fesler]

I have 24 volts at the emergency disconnect on the control panel but no voltage on the 24 volt panel mounted battery gauge. Full voltage is available @ the K relays but when S1 is set to pre-heat or start it sounds like undervoltage relay chatter. It was and has been working great for many years. Last run under load a few months ago. Battery tender always connected. Fuel pumps run and are getting full voltage. Any thoughts before I cut open 100’s of ty-wraps and start poking around with my Fluke? I’m an electrician but NOT an electronics guy! Thanks

I’m just getting my feet wet with one generator ever, so please take this with a grain of salt! Sometimes when voltages float around or seem flaky it’s because grounding is bad. This can especially be true of panels that are hinged. The hinge isn’t a good electrical connection so they will use a “jumper” wire to connect the panel to a solid ground point. On my MEP-804A, there is a ground stud pressed into the panel and another one pressed into the control box. It’s near the voltage regulator board. Check first to make sure the nuts are tight and then use an ohm meter to see if you get 0 ohms stud to stud. Check the gauge ground the same way. Go from the gauge ground nut to the stud.

There is a test procedure for gauges in my TM. You probably have them as well.

Good luck,

Evvy-

 

[kloppk]

MajorGasAttak - For starters, what model of generator are you working on?
Do you have a copy of the relevant TM with the schematics in it?

 

[Guyfang]

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Evvy Fesler]

LOL - yes what?..!

 

[Guyfang]

MajorGasAttak - For starters, what model of generator are you working on?
Do you have a copy of the relevant TM with the schematics in it?

Forgot my Crystal Ball this morning. And as I have been called, "The TM nag", glad Kurt beat me to it.

 

[Evvy Fesler]

MajorGasAttak - For starters, what model of generator are you working on?
Do you have a copy of the relevant TM with the schematics in it?

Forgot my Crystal Ball this morning. And as I have been called, "The TM nag", glad Kurt beat me to it.

LOL - you can give Kurt a second YES!!!!!! He’s been working on me. I finally relented, printed them and took them to Staples to be bound
($6.00). Incorrigible that I am it was a good investment.

@MajorGasAttack, don’t let these men intimidate you. Their bark is worse than their bite!

 

[Guyfang]

When the lights go out, a book is worth its weight in gold.

 

[Mullaney]

LOL - you can give Kurt a second YES!!!!!! He’s been working on me. I finally relented, printed them and took them to Staples to be bound
($6.00). Incorrigible that I am it was a good investment.

@MajorGasAttack, don’t let these men intimidate you. Their bark is worse than their bite!

.
Technical Manuals - When you work on something, writing notes in the margin of the TM will REALLY give it some value! It's extra nice when you note torque values and what size wrench you need. Makes you look smarter too when you carry out three wrenches to fix something rather than a whole toolbox...

 

[Evvy Fesler]

Whaaat? You have three sizes of Crescent wrenches?

 

[Mullaney]

Whaaat? You have three sizes of Crescent wrenches?

.
I dunno. Dad used to call them Monkey Wrenches.
Tended to "monkey up" the end of the bolts...

 

[Guyfang]

Whaaat? You have three sizes of Crescent wrenches?

In the trade, they are called, "Fits All". Pronounced, Fitsall.

I would not allow my turbine mech's to keep one in the tool box.

 

[Mullaney]

In the trade, they are called, "Fits All". Pronounced, Fitsall.

I would not allow my turbine mech's to keep one in the tool box.

.
There are other names for them too - and they do chew up bolts

 

[Guyfang]

One of two reasons I tossed them out.

 

[Evvy Fesler]

I must say, @Mullaney, that really was a gold tip. I'm going to do just that from now on.

 

[Guyfang]

I will do him one better. I carry a Gerber tool on my belt. I use it every day. Not ABOUT, every day. EVERY day. When I started at the last electro firm, all these young German guys laughed at me, and carried around tool kits worth 1000's of euro. By the time I had hit the 6 month mark, they all had Gerber tools on their belts. I would make a run into the Graf post and go into the PX to get 4-5 of them at a time. There are two things I always have on me, when I work. The Gerber, and a Kershaw 1570 knife. I found the knife in a field of snow in Graf, in 2005 after a unit had a formation. The first time I opened it and held it in my hand, I took out my normal blade, I had in my pocket since 1972, and tossed it in the glove box.

 

[Ray70]

You know I had to go and Google "Gerber Tool" to see what you were talking about , I had no idea what it was.
As soon as I saw a picture I knew....
Here in the US ( at least New England where I am ) we call it a "Leatherman" , but not one single person I know has ever called it a "Multi Tool"
People her also call every single brand of auto body filler "Bondo"

 

[Evvy Fesler]

One of two reasons I tossed them out.

I’ll bite. What was the other reason?

 

[G744]

In all mil-spec gensets the individual wires are numbered on the ends and in between.

It is easier to find them that way without cutting everything apart.

A TM is invaluable in telling what wire does what regardless.

D

 

[Evvy Fesler]

You know I had to go and Google "Gerber Tool" to see what you were talking about , I had no idea what it was.
As soon as I saw a picture I knew....
Here in the US ( at least New England where I am ) we call it a "Leatherman" , but not one single person I know has ever called it a "Multi Tool"
People her also call every single brand of auto body filler "Bondo"

Ha! I had to Google it too and sure enough I have a Leatherman that Daddy gave me. He also gave me Gramp’s Buck (knife). I think he wanted a son and I was as close as he was gonna get.