3 Phase to 1 Phase boo boo...

[GiftedFaithful]

I followed(mostly) [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmF4Awr3uc4[/media] on how to convert mep004a from 3 phase to 1 phase.

Not being very knowledgeable in these things, it appears that in the rewire process the generator head wire from 8 got moved to 11 instead of the panel (smaller) wire.

So after it was all buttoned down and my electrician friend said fire it up, we go 60% load on the panel right away. I shut it off as no load was connected. A small to moderate amount of smoke came out of the generator head. We tore it back down and found that the large generator head wire was moved, not the panel wire, fixed that, and buttoned it back up.

Of course now when we start her up, she runs like a kitten, but I have zero output across the board. Can someone advise me what my next step is, and if it is major like rebuild/replace the generator head what sort of place can do that, and/or where I might find a part to make that happen?

 

[rickf]

Looks like your electrician friend is going to have quite a bill!

Rick

 

[GiftedFaithful]

I am guessing a new generator head unit? I called Delt and found one for $2k...
Worse part is the "friend" was doing it free with the "I will help but this aint my area of work, so we will do our best, but it's on you..."

Any advice would be greatly prized!

 

[drgreg]

It may be as simple as a fried diode or something, but you need to find someone that can troubleshoot it.

 

[gimpyrobb]

I guess in stead of "I followed mostly", should have been "I followed exactly". Maybe you wouldn't have needed this thread.

 

[Stretch44875]

He probably figured that out all by himself Gimp.

 

[drgreg]

That was a good video. The guy offers assistance at the end, probably how you got here, I would try to contact him.

 

[sewerzuk]

sorry to hear about your luck!

I knew SOMEBODY would do this. Just didn't think it would be this soon!
Not to pour salt on the wound, but I even said something to the effect of "double check your wiring at this point because it is possible to hardwire in a short with no breaker protection!" and "damage will occur to your generator head or control circuitry!" 7:42 in the video

Hopefully others trying this mod will take those extra few minutes to do that double check!

Now that the is over, I am actually surprised that you have zero output on all phases...

By moving the lead from T8 to T11, you wired two ends of the same winding together, creating a dead short on that one winding. It wouldn't suprise me if that one winding was burned up (the insulation and coating on that winding was the source of the smoke you noticed), but you have zero output across all phases...
This points more toward a problem with the exciter/VR. HOPEFULLY the smoke you saw was just hot insulation and/or conformal coating that didn't get damaged :fingers crossed:
I have yet to see an -004/-005 exciter/VR burn up. Before we go into troubleshooting this, I would TRIPLE check all of the connections that you made on the reconnection board. After that, fire the generator up and with it running, hold the start switch in start and see if you get any voltage across any of the windings (move the meter selection switch through all of its positions while you are holding the start switch in start). This should tell us something.

 

[sewerzuk]

I guess in stead of "I followed mostly", should have been "I followed exactly". Maybe you wouldn't have needed this thread.

He probably figured that out all by himself Gimp.

 

[GiftedFaithful]

Restarted, pulled generator head, reseated plugs, loosened all connections, cleaned, reattached, restarted *holding start for a 10sec* and now she is running nice, smooth, and about to go test voltages under load with meter, the built in meters run all green, 56hertz, voltages spot on!

 

[doghead]

Nice instructional video!

 

[steelandcanvas]

and now she is running nice, smooth, and about to go test voltages under load with meter, the built in meters run all green, 56hertz, voltages spot on!

"I love it when a plan comes together!"

 

[rickf]

56 Hertz? You might want to bump the speed up a little before you load it.

Rick

 

[GiftedFaithful]

Throttle it up to get the hertz to respond? Ok I tried the adjustment and it only adjusted down not up. I will give that throttle nob a shot at it! Thanks!

 

[sewerzuk]

56 Hertz? You might want to bump the speed up a little before you load it.

Rick

x2
You should be running about 61hz unloaded, with the engine warm
Frequency adjustment is accomplished with engine speed.

Once you have the set heavily loaded, pay close attention to your % current, % power, and voltmeters as you switch through all of the positions. They should be exactly the same for each position. If they're not, you may have damaged the T8-T11 winding...

edit: let me revise that statement...the voltages should be 120v for L1-L0, L3-L0 and 240v for L1-L3. Current should match exactly for L1, L2, and L3

 

[gimpyrobb]

SWEET, glad its not toast.

 

[sewerzuk]

Throttle it up to get the hertz to respond? Ok I tried the adjustment and it only adjusted down not up. I will give that throttle nob a shot at it! Thanks!

Unless you have a precise set, that frequency adjust knob does nothing...

 

[Bob H]

Rekon I have to learn more about these gen sets.
Why convert? Can't you just tap into 2 legs of the 3 phase?

 

[steelandcanvas]

Rekon I have to learn more about these gen sets.
Why convert? Can't you just tap into 2 legs of the 3 phase?

Even by doing that, you'd still have 400Hz., the OP is trying to get 60Hz.

 

[Bob H]

Even by doing that, you'd still have 400Hz., the OP is trying to get 60Hz.

Ok, That lil' tidbit about converting from 400 hz to 60 hz was not listed in this thread.

I also didn't realize the 400hz genny's were 3 phase.