Honda EX3300S No Power

Hi;

I have a Honda EX3300S Electric Generator that the Engine is running perfectly at idle mode, but no power is generated, neither the 12Vdc nor the 120/220VAC. I suspect that it is the Automatic Voltage Regulator, this is a half moon electronic part located at the end of the stator next to the raw voltage stator connections. It is about $200, but I need to make sure. This Generator is about 19 years OLD but it is like new. I had some problems with some small mice getting in and making some nests and damages to the fiber panels. No cable damages are shown...

Does anyone have the Service or Repair Manual for this Generator? Or Have any idea of what is going on? I check voltages at the service outlets, but none is coming out. Even the green light is off. However, the Engine starting by its electric starter and still running, I guess under the battery power to keep the engine firing. I need to measure voltage at the each generating terminal and remove the battery after the engine is running. If Engines stops I know that it is not even generating from the coil, but I doubt it since it is independent from the generator it self. This engine is a basic engine with some enhancements to ensure automatic trottle depending on the power consumption. I am not sure what to expect from the raw voltages coming from the generator stator. Any Idea?

I appreciate any help in finding the repair, service and/or troubleshooting manuals!

Normally if a voltage regulator is bad you will get either excessive or under voltage. You need to measure the voltage on the input to the regulator or before the rectifier bridge.

Most generators require power to run a bunch of electric magnets inside to generate power. I'm assuming your bat is 12V. There should be 12V power coming over from the bat to the generator to fire the field magnets. If no power is on the field magnets no power will come out.

The regulator adjusts current in the generator field winding.
If you can figure out the gen. wiring you could bypass the regulator with a piece of wire to check for full output from the gen..
There can't be that many wires entering and leaving the generator. Can you post a photo?

Also, try http://www.eserviceinfo.com/

Well I could try to use the 12 Vdc from the bat to fire the Field. I think in this Generator the 12VDC from the bat is only used to start the engine. After the engine starts its uses the 12 vdc generated to fire the field and to command the AVR and the other control mechanisims, and then generate the AC. Let me try that fisrt becasue I am agree of what you guys had exposed.

12VDC is coming from the Generator to a bridge but from a different field so I suspect is is the one used to fire the field once the engine starts. It is an independant circuit. Battery is not charged by the Gen.

I finally found my owner's manual which has the following wiring diagram. AS you can see I should start my troubleshooting from the DC Field to the 12VCD terminal....Rhe green light is not on since I do not have my 12 VDC to fire tye AC Field...

Sorry guys I could not make the file to be attached!

I let you know what I found!

Thanks guys!

Post edited by: Guaitiao, at: 2008/10/02 07:10

Post edited by: Guaitiao, at: 2008/10/02 07:35

Post edited by: Guaitiao, at: 2008/10/02 07:41

Post edited by: Guaitiao, at: 2008/10/02 07:44

Guaitiao wrote:

I finally found my owner's manual which has the following wiring diagram.

Your chances of fixing this have just substantially increased.

Just to let you know that I found that the residual magnetic field has been discharged after the generator was about a year of been off and no maintenance at all. YNUI YLI If you do not used you loose it!

I had the idea to regenerate the residual magnetism using the same principle to magnetize a screw river, making a quick direct current pass trough a cable coiled around the screw driver. After analyzing this the only thing I needed is a 12VDC High Current battery (Car), two jumpers, make sure I do not burn the brushes in the rotor and finally eliminate the possibility to get shocked by the same generator. So if I touch the brush terminal very quickly, ensuring polarity +/-, it must be polarized and charged. In order to do this I could disconnect the spark plug to avoid the engine to start automatically. Sounds wear but it could work.

However, after some search and reading I found a good trick, you can use a motor to generate the current you need to polarize the rotor coil and to generate the lost residual magnetism. So I used a 3/8" drill plugged into the generator outlet, and with the running engine, tried to spin the drill clockwise manually in forward, so it can use the same circuit to get to the rotor coil, creating some feedback current. So after several trails, I decided to increase the size of my motor, to a 1/2" drill. And did the same. After several trails, it worked. The Generator Coil was reactivated, generating the power and the drill started to run by it self. You just need a small amount of current, just enough to generate small amount of residual magnetism.

I talked to a friend to let him know since He had the same Gen problem. So he took the generator to a dealer and they charge him about $200, since “they changed the AVR”....I am sure he had the same problem… a discharged coil...since he described to me the same symptoms. SO this time I saved about $150 to $250....

That's one on me. I thought you had to hammer on or otherwise demagnetize magnets for this to happen.

It is either the AVR or the rotor needs to be recharged.

Hi dogonfr, welcome to the forum

Jeffie wrote:

Hi dogonfr, welcome to the forum :)

Thank you Jeffie.

Now if I can just read the post all the way through :: noticed after the OP had used a drill to recharge the rotor, havent heard that one till now. At the dealership I worked at we would disconnect the brush pack hook up a 12V battery in replacement then run the generator for about 10- 15 seconds shut off reconnect the brush pack an walla it works again. {Feel-good-000200BB}

Thank you so much for that info. I hope Guitiao will read this (If not, I'm sure many others struggling with the same can be helped with it )

Hi guys;

Thank you all!

Dogonfr has Confirmed my initial theory. However, there are many risks, to the equipment and safety risks to the user, if the user do it by them self without the required knowledge.

The use of a drill fits more the general user, anyone can do it, and it works very well. No disassembly or basic electrical/electronic circuit knowledge is required! The only thing they need is a 1/2" drill and insist in turning the drill in the right direction. Be patient and insistent.

Talk to you later!

Guaitiao wrote:

Hi guys;

Thank you all!

Dogonfr has Confirmed my initial theory. However, there are many risks, to the equipment and safety risks to the user, if the user do it by them self without the required knowledge.

The use of a drill fits more the general user, anyone can do it, and it works very well. No disassembly or basic electrical/electronic circuit knowledge is required! The only thing they need is a 1/2" drill and insist in turning the drill in the right direction. Be patient and insistent.

Talk to you later!

There is no risk to the gen or operator when re-charging the rotor with a 12V battery and is extremely simple. There are two screws for the brush pack and two options on a battery.

In your owners manual it should talk about needing to run the generator occasionally so the magnets do not discharge... the magnets are only able to hold a charge for a certian period of time... if you don't "work out" the magnets then they lose their charge and are usless..

Well Guys!

I had the same problem now! but the Drill is not working to fix the problem.....The Problem Started when I was using the Gen to Power a Welding machine...Suddenly the Gen Stop to generate power...Has the same symptoms that before but re-charging the coils apparently is not an option...I suspect now the AVR is the one bad....Since it was generating power...or running with load when the power lost happened...

The Gen Motor runs perfectly...So...How can I ensure is the AVR without buying an expensive one...I will try to use my friends AVR...To replace mine and see if it works!

NO voltage at all in any of the connectors....I looked at the coil and notices a green colored wired as if the coil has burned in some portions?