How to flash an AC generator

[Chuck Jurgens]

I bought a 6000 watt home generator new and ran it twice. Haven't had occasion to use it in the past 4 years. Started it up the other day and the engine ran fine but the generator won't produce power. It was working fine when I last used it.

I was told that it needed to be flashed. Can anyone tell me how to do that?

Thanks,

Chuck

[---MIKE---]

I'm not sure about an AC generator but when I worked for IBM we used to flash a DC generator by briefly shorting the output.

I run my generator once a month for 15 minutes under full load. Once you get yours running you should do this to keep it reliable.

---MIKE---

[Erma1ina]

I've never had to do that but here's a link about a rather easy thing to try:

Field Flashing of Portable Generators

This tip comes from the Briggs & Stratton Customer Education Department. As an alternative to flashing a rotor winding with a battery applied to the brushes, an electric drill may be used. Follow these steps to flash the generator:

Plug the electric drill into the generator receptacle. (Cordless drills do not work) If the drill is reversible, move the direction switch to the forward position. Start the generator While depressing the trigger on the drill, spin the drill chuck in reverse direction. This will excite the field and the generator will now produce electricity. If spinning the chuck one direction does not work, try spinning the chuck in the other direction as you may have the reverse switch positioned backwards.

Use caution not to get your hand or other materials caught in the chuck. As soon as the field is excited, the generator will produce power and the drill will turn on.

The reason this works is because the electric motor in the drill will act as a small generator when spun backwards. The magnets in the drill's motor induce a voltage into the motor windings, which is fed back through the trigger, cord and into the generators receptacle. From there it goes into the power winding of the stator. The voltage going through the power winding creates a magnetic field, which is intensified due to the iron core of the stator laminations. The rotor intersects this magnetic field as it is spun past the power winding, thus inducing a voltage in the rotor winding. Once current flow is present in the rotor winding the rotor has been flashed.

If flashing the field does not make the generator work, you may have additional problems, besides a lack of magnetism in the rotor. Further testing will be needed. Hopefully, this will give a simple way to field flash your generator if needed - Bruce Perrault

[Davej]

Read the Fine Manual or go to the manufacturer's website and find info.

[Tony]

Gee wiz and I thought all I need is pull my pants down

[Paul Franklin]

That would work if you had a bigger tool :-)

(If you're gonna pitch a slow one over the middle of the plate....)

[Tony]

Hmmm I was wondering about that maybe if I get one of those implants you know one on hinge

[Meat Plow]

Flashing requires a small amount of AC current to be very briefly fed into the generator outlet. Probably could use a wall adapter that had 12 volts AC output and rig something up with an extension cord to "bump" the field winding.