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Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » No joy Genny (Onan woes) (Still no juice)
No joy Genny (Onan woes) [message #213553] Sat, 06 July 2013 21:10 Go to next message
Mike Teets is currently offline  Mike Teets   United States
Messages: 299
Registered: January 2004
Location: Dublin, OH
Karma: 0
Senior Member
Today, I pulled the Onan 6kw power drawer so I could get to the back side and clean it up and see what is going on. It came out easily as a previous owner had even attached the remote panel with a trailer plug. Yeah previous owner!!! I remembered a box with an air Onan air filter from the previous owner. Pulled out the box and found a new set of (4) brushes, and a new OEM bridge rectifier with the correct pin out in boxes.

I found that the brush holders were quite dirty and the brushes were not sliding up and down. I removed the units, cleaned them thoroughly and put them back together. I compared my old brushes to the new and they were almost the same size so I put the old ones back in. I installed the NOS bridge rectifier after bench testing it and ensuring it went in the correct direction. My plastic plug has +/-/F1/F2 marked on the back side.

I tried pulling the back bell housing off but it was not budging and I didn't want to risk breaking it. Tried the plastic hammer method in the maintenance manual but it appears to be stuck on the shaft. I was unable to test the armature outside of the unit.

Put everything back together and the unit fires up with a touch of the switch. But... still zero volts output measured at the generator and inside when connected to the coach.

Any suggestions?

Mike, Dublin OH


Mike, GMCing since 2002
77 Palm Beach, 260, 403
Dublin, OH
http://teamteets.com/gmc/
Re: No joy Genny (Onan woes) [message #213555 is a reply to message #213553] Sat, 06 July 2013 21:56 Go to previous messageGo to next message
A Hamilto is currently offline  A Hamilto   United States
Messages: 4508
Registered: April 2011
Karma: 39
Senior Member
Mike Teets wrote on Sat, 06 July 2013 21:10

Today, I pulled the Onan 6kw power drawer so I could get to the back side and clean it up and see what is going on. It came out easily as a previous owner had even attached the remote panel with a trailer plug. Yeah previous owner!!! I remembered a box with an air Onan air filter from the previous owner. Pulled out the box and found a new set of (4) brushes, and a new OEM bridge rectifier with the correct pin out in boxes.

I found that the brush holders were quite dirty and the brushes were not sliding up and down. I removed the units, cleaned them thoroughly and put them back together. I compared my old brushes to the new and they were almost the same size so I put the old ones back in. I installed the NOS bridge rectifier after bench testing it and ensuring it went in the correct direction. My plastic plug has +/-/F1/F2 marked on the back side.

I tried pulling the back bell housing off but it was not budging and I didn't want to risk breaking it. Tried the plastic hammer method in the maintenance manual but it appears to be stuck on the shaft. I was unable to test the armature outside of the unit.

Put everything back together and the unit fires up with a touch of the switch. But... still zero volts output measured at the generator and inside when connected to the coach.

Any suggestions?

Mike, Dublin OH
Here's what my '73 Maintenance Manual says:
GENERATOR TROUBLE DIAGNOSIS
No AC output voltage.
Possible Cause
1. Blown fuse or circuit breaker.
Correction
1. Replace fuse or reset breaker and look for cause.
Possible Cause
2. Disconnected wire or lead on brushes, bridge rectifier, or reactor assembly.
Correction
2. Reconnect wire or wires.
Possible Cause
3. Brushes not making contact with collector rings.
Correction
3. Check brush springs for free movement or brushes which may be excessively worn
Possible Cause
4. Open, grounded or short circuit in field or armature winding
Correction
4. Test with series test lamp and repair or replace as necessary.
Possible Cause
5. Defective bridge rectifier assembly.
Correction
5. Test with ohmmeter and replace if defective.
Possible Cause
6. Bridge rectifier assembly installed wrong in its case
Correction
6. Reinstall making sure marks on case and rectifier match.
Re: No joy Genny (Onan woes) [message #213556 is a reply to message #213555] Sat, 06 July 2013 22:09 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Mike Teets is currently offline  Mike Teets   United States
Messages: 299
Registered: January 2004
Location: Dublin, OH
Karma: 0
Senior Member
Thanks A. I was able to test all of that except the armature. The manual says that it must be tested outside of the unit. I do have continuity through the armature so it is not open/broken connection.

I seem to remember something about them loosing their polarity or something if they set for too long. Something about jumping the field. I just can't find that reference.

Mike


Mike, GMCing since 2002
77 Palm Beach, 260, 403
Dublin, OH
http://teamteets.com/gmc/
Re: No joy Genny (Onan woes) [message #213557 is a reply to message #213556] Sat, 06 July 2013 22:27 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Mike Teets is currently offline  Mike Teets   United States
Messages: 299
Registered: January 2004
Location: Dublin, OH
Karma: 0
Senior Member
Found the magnetism reference by poking around GMCWS, Duane Simmons troubleshooting guide... I will give that a try tomorrow.

• HIGH SUSPECT IS FAILED BRIDGE RECTIFIER (BR):
REPLACE/ADAPT W/HIGHER VOLTAGE RATED BR (NTE 5328 OR EQUIVALENT)
NOT PIN COMPATIBLE & REQUIRES BASE MODIFICATION TO ALLOW INDIVIDUAL WIRE ATTACHEMENT
- SEE GMC MAINTENANCE MANUAL FOR BR TEST METHOD

• ONAN CIRCUIT BREAKER FAILURE:
REPLACE/ADAPT BUTTON TYPE W/MORE RELIABLE UNIT (GE/WESTINGHOUSE
“QUIK LAG” TYPE @ 40 OR 50 AMP.)
- PROBE EACH CB WIRE TERMINAL W/RESPECT TO CHASSIS GROUND TO DETERMINE IF AC IS PRESENT

• LOSS OF RESIDUAL MAGNETISUM:
DISASSEMBLY OR ELECTRICAL FAULT MAY CAUSE LOSS/REVERSAL OF RESIDUAL MAGNETISUM
- POLARIZE MAGNET BY A FLASH/MONENTARY CURRENT FLOW INTO FIELD WINDING:
- REMOVE BR & APPLY FLASH/MONENTARY BATTERY + VOLTAGE TO THE FIELD + WIRE & CHASSIS (-) VOLTAGE TO FIELD NEGATIVE (–) WIRE (MONENTARY ONLY)

• BRUSH FAILURE: SEE GMC MAINTENANCE MANUAL FOR DETAILS

NOTE: THE CONTROL BOARD IS FOR ENGINE OPERATION ONLY & HAS NOTHING
TO DO WITH AC POWER GENERATION



Mike, GMCing since 2002
77 Palm Beach, 260, 403
Dublin, OH
http://teamteets.com/gmc/
Re: No joy Genny (Onan woes) [message #213593 is a reply to message #213553] Sun, 07 July 2013 10:30 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Matt Colie is currently offline  Matt Colie   United States
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
Senior Member
Mike Teets wrote on Sat, 06 July 2013 22:10

Today, I pulled the Onan 6kw power drawer so I could get to the back side and clean it up and see what is going on. It came out easily as a previous owner had even attached the remote panel with a trailer plug. Yeah previous owner!!! I remembered a box with an air Onan air filter from the previous owner. Pulled out the box and found a new set of (4) brushes, and a new OEM bridge rectifier with the correct pin out in boxes.

I found that the brush holders were quite dirty and the brushes were not sliding up and down. I removed the units, cleaned them thoroughly and put them back together. I compared my old brushes to the new and they were almost the same size so I put the old ones back in. I installed the NOS bridge rectifier after bench testing it and ensuring it went in the correct direction. My plastic plug has +/-/F1/F2 marked on the back side.

I tried pulling the back bell housing off but it was not budging and I didn't want to risk breaking it. Tried the plastic hammer method in the maintenance manual but it appears to be stuck on the shaft. I was unable to test the armature outside of the unit.

Put everything back together and the unit fires up with a touch of the switch. But... still zero volts output measured at the generator and inside when connected to the coach.

Any suggestions?

Mike, Dublin OH

Mike,

There is an unfortunate issue with old Onans. The aluminum wire used for the field corrodes open. The +/- leads on the rectifier should go to the field. Confirm this and then check the field resistance. If it is far from 30, then you need to get in touch with both Jim Miller and Bill Michel on this list. Jim is trying to set up to rewind fields and Bill has someone that will but geography is an issue.

If you need to flash the field to bring up enough residual to get the machine to cascade to life, get Jim to walk you though it. He is in Hamilton and it might well be worth your drive over there to get his assistance.

Matt


Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
Re: No joy Genny (Onan woes) [message #213634 is a reply to message #213593] Sun, 07 July 2013 18:39 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Mike Teets is currently offline  Mike Teets   United States
Messages: 299
Registered: January 2004
Location: Dublin, OH
Karma: 0
Senior Member
No more luck today...

Tried to magnetize the field according to Duane Simmons write ups and verified elsewhere on the web. No effect.

Tested again and I still see 0 ohms resistance between F1 and F2 with the bridge removed. Jim Miller says this is a very, very unlikely failure. I do NOT see any continuity between F1 and the chasis or F2 and the chasis with the test on 39 of the major service manual. The leads from F1 and F2 go through separate single pole plug connectors into the field wires. Plenty of slack and both test as good connections. The leads into the field are tightly zip tied to the field loops, as shown in the manual, and do not appear bad or disturbed.

It seems I must have a dead short in the windings. Although I do wonder why I didn't see sparking or hot wires when I did the field magnetizing.

Mike, Dublin OH
77 PB, 403
teamteets.com/GMC


Mike, GMCing since 2002
77 Palm Beach, 260, 403
Dublin, OH
http://teamteets.com/gmc/
Re: [GMCnet] No joy Genny (Onan woes) [message #213677 is a reply to message #213634] Mon, 08 July 2013 08:26 Go to previous message
Jim Miller is currently offline  Jim Miller   United States
Messages: 501
Registered: March 2008
Karma: 10
Senior Member
On Jul 7, 2013, at 7:39 PM, Mike Teets wrote:

> Tested again and I still see 0 ohms resistance between F1 and F2 with the bridge removed.

Mike,

You'll be wasting your effort worrying about the armature or anything else until you figure out why you are not reading the proper resistance (38 ohms) between F1 and F2. This resistance is CRITICAL for the proper functioning of the excitation/voltage regulator mechanism. The field contains just over half a mile of aluminum wire with a resistance of ~10 ohms per thousand feet. If you are reading 0 ohms then the fault cannot be too far into the windings distance-wise.

I am wondering if the labeling on the wires is incorrect; you said your PO had messed around in there? I can believe ~0 ohms looking into the compounding reactor but I cannot believe 0 ohms across the field leads under any circumstances.

--Jim Miller
1977 Eleganza II
1977 Royale
Hamilton, OH

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Jim Miller 1977 Eleganza II 1977 Royale Hamilton, OH
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