How to energize a Westerbeke?

[bobk]

A good friend has a 12.5 KW 1986 Westerbeke that runs well, but recently stopped generating 120 volts. A test showed 4 volt out put and a mechanic said it needs to be energized by flashing it with 12 volts. So far so good, but the unit is in a factory sound shield which is jammed into a lazarette and the end of the unit that needs to be flashed is next to the fixed part of the sound shield and there is no access to the terminals. The mechanic proposes cutting off the end of the shield. Can anyone offer a different solution? Can it be energized with out taking the back off the electrical part?

Bobk

 

[whoover]

I need to do this also with my Onan gen set. I have researched this flashing and think you should be able to attach a cord with a male end on one end and the other end attached to a 12 volt battery. Then you can just plug the cord into any available outlet just for an instant. This should make its way to the gen set and re flash the exciter. I have not done it and most information says to use 110 volts but I would only use 12 volts just to be safe, i think you just need to get electrons moving. Let me know if it works, my generator sat idle for about three years and lost its ability to generate.

Walt Hoover

 

[Glory]

I need to do this also with my Onan gen set. I have researched this flashing and think you should be able to attach a cord with a male end on one end and the other end attached to a 12 volt battery. Then you can just plug the cord into any available outlet just for an instant. This should make its way to the gen set and re flash the exciter. I have not done it and most information says to use 110 volts but I would only use 12 volts just to be safe, i think you just need to get electrons moving. Let me know if it works, my generator sat idle for about three years and lost its ability to generate.

Walt Hoover

I don't think that is going to work. And a bad idea, the common conductor in a 120 volt is connected to the battery negative. They means that if the receptacle is wired reversed you will have a dead short.

The best thing you can do is get the service manual and a multi meter and follow the trouble shooting steps. It's not that hard a task, excluding the geography. And I'd cut a hole in a hart beat with plans for the access to be used again in the future, hopefully not, but just in case.

JM

 

[rwetherington]

buy a Kohler from me

 

[krush]

How are you sure it isn't a voltage regulator that has failed?

 

[bobk]

It turns out there is a procedure for flashing listed in the on-line Westerbeke manual. However, when the mech dug into the unit, he found charred wires on the windings (not sure if the armature or field). My friend ended up getting a rebuilt unit in Ft Lauderdale and left the old one as a core. It's all OK now.

Just a PS, the same Westerbeke manual says to inspect the brushes after 1000 hours and then at much more frequent intervals. Mine is just over 1200 hours, so I'll need to find a young skinny guy to do it. Does it make sense to just swap them out? Much of the labor charge is probably already spent in opening it up.

Bobk