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Generator Troubleshooting

This document provides safety guidelines and instructions for properly operating, maintaining, and testing electrical generators. Key points include: - Ensure safe installation and qualified maintenance to prevent electrical shock, which can cause injury or death. - Do not operate generators with protective covers removed and disable starting circuits before maintenance. - Only test live generators if another person can shut it down, and only expose live connections in a safe work area after alerting others.

Uploaded by

Michael Cabrera Rabino
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
558 views

Generator Troubleshooting

This document provides safety guidelines and instructions for properly operating, maintaining, and testing electrical generators. Key points include: - Ensure safe installation and qualified maintenance to prevent electrical shock, which can cause injury or death. - Do not operate generators with protective covers removed and disable starting circuits before maintenance. - Only test live generators if another person can shut it down, and only expose live connections in a safe work area after alerting others.

Uploaded by

Michael Cabrera Rabino
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 22

SAFE AND EFFICIENT OPERATION CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED IF THE

EQUIPMENT IS CORRECTLY INSTALLED, OPERATED AND MAINTAINED.


ELECTRICAL SHOCK CAN CAUSE SEVERE
PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH.
Ensure installation meets all applicable safety and local electrical codes. Have all installations
performed by qualified Installation technicians.

Do not operate the generator with protective covers, access covers or terminal box covers
removed.

Disable engine starting circuits before carrying out maintenance.

Disable closing circuits and/or place warning notices on any circuit breakers normally used for
connection to the mains or other generators, to avoid accidental closure.
It is essential that all test instruments are
regularly checked for safety, and any connection
leads, probes, or clips, are checked to ensure
that they are suitable for the voltage levels being
tested.

Never attempt to test a "LIVE" generator unless
there is another competent person present who
can switch off the power supply or shut down the
engine in an emergency.

Never expose "LIVE" connections unless you
have created a safe working area around you.

Make sure you have made all other persons in the
immediate area fully aware of what you are doing.
Item 1 Multimeter

The Multimeter is a comprehensive test instrument for measuring
voltage, current and resistance. It should be capable of
measuring the following ranges:-
Voltage A C 0-250-500-1000 Volts
Voltage D C 0-25-100-250 Volts
Amperes D C 0-10 Amps
D C Resistance 0-10k (ohms) or 0-2k (ohms)
0-100k (ohms) or 0-20k (ohms)
0-1M (ohms) or 0-200k (ohms)
MEDIUM AND HIGH VOLTAGE
GENERATORS
3.3 kVolt to 13.6 kVolt
Do not attempt to carry out tests on high
voltage Generators without using
specialised
instruments and probes.
Suitable protection equipment and safety
procedures for grounding, (earthing),
must be
carried out before working on the
Generator.
Item 2 Tachometer or Frequency meter

This instrument is for measuring the shaft speed of the alternator
and should be capable of measuring speeds between 0 and 5000
revolutions per minute, (RPM).

An alternative to the tachometer is the frequency meter (see
Section 2 on Frequency and Speed, for details). However the
Generator must be operating at its normal output voltage for this
instrument to be accurate.
MEDIUM AND HIGH VOLTAGE
GENERATORS
3.3 kVolt to 13.6 kVolt
Do not attempt to carry out tests on high
voltage Generators without using
specialised
instruments and probes.
Suitable protection equipment and safety
procedures for grounding, (earthing),
must be
carried out before working on the
Generator.
Item 3 Megger (Insulation test meter)

This instrument generates a voltage of 500V or 1000V, and is
used to measure the resistance value of the insulation to earth
(ground). It may be an electronic push button type, or a hand
cranked generator type.
MEDIUM AND HIGH VOLTAGE
GENERATORS
3.3 kVolt to 13.6 kVolt
Do not attempt to carry out tests on high
voltage Generators without using
specialised
instruments and probes.
Suitable protection equipment and safety
procedures for grounding, (earthing),
must be
carried out before working on the
Generator.
Voltage and Current (Amperes)

An AC Generator is designed to produce a voltage level suitable for the load to
which it is connected. The Generator control circuits are designed to automatically
maintain this voltage level as the load is increased or decreased.

Sudden large changes in loading will produce temporary changes in the voltage.
The Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) is designed to recover to a stable condition
as quickly as possible. The current drawn from the AC Generator is determined by
the amount of load connected to it.

Voltage and Current (Amperes)

Current creates a temperature rise in the windings, hence the requirement for
drawing air through the AC Generator by means of the cooling fan. If the full load
rated current is exceeded on any phase of the main stator windings, it will result in
overheating in this winding. Similarly, any restriction in the flow of air through the
machine will result in a rapid increase in the temperature of the windings.

Frequency (Hz) and Speed (RPM)

An AC Generator is a constant speed device, and should not be operated at
speeds above 4% of the rated speed, or more than 1% below the rated speed.
Load changes will create temporary changes in the speed, but the engine must be
capable of returning to the steady state condition within a few seconds.
The shaft speed requirements for the AC Generator are determined by:-

(a) The frequency, (Hz), requirements of the load
(b) The number of poles,( main rotors), in the generator
Frequency (Hz) and Speed (RPM)

() =
( )
60 ()

This can be shown more clearly in a chart: -
Frequency(Hz) Speed(R.P.M.) No. of Poles
(rotor coils)
50 1500 4
60 1800 4
50 1000 6
60 1200 6
50 3000 2
60 3600 2
From this chart, a simple formula is
produced to calculate the speed from the
frequency, or vice versa.

4 pole machine 1 cycle (Hz) = 30 R.P.M.

6 pole machine 1 cycle (Hz) = 20 R.P.M.

2 pole machine 1 cycle (Hz) = 60 R.P.M.

Kilowatts (kW) kilo Volt Amperes (kVA) and Power Factors (pf.)

For an AC Generator to supply power for a load of 1kW, the prime mover
(engine) driving the alternator must produce approximately 1.5
horsepower.
Kilowatts (kW) kilo Volt Amperes (kVA) and Power Factors (pf.)

Kilowatts are calculated by the formula: -
kVA (kilo Volt Amperes), are calculated by the
formula:-
=

1000

Both equations are multiplied by 3 (1.732) for a 3 phase machine.
Power Factor

The Power Factor (pf), is a measure of wasted current, which is a product
of inductive loads such as motors, transformers, (magnetic circuits), and
some forms of lighting.

The formula for calculating the Power Factor is:-
pf=


Unity Power Factor (pf 1)

Purely resistive load, i.e. heating, tungsten filament lighting, has a power
factor of one, (pf1), and contains very little Wattless (inductive) load, which
is power factor zero, (pf 0).
An AC Generator will deliver continuously the rated full load current at any
power factor between pf1 (unity) and 0.8. However, the prime mover,
(engine), is greatly affected by the power factor. At pf1, the kVA and kW are
equal; therefore the engine is supplying 20% more kW load at pf1, than at
pf 0.8. It is important, therefore, that this is taken into consideration, when
approaching 75% to 100% load current of the Generator, with a power
factor
higher than 0.8.
Lagging Power Factors

A Generator is designed to deliver the full load current at any power factor
between unity and 0.8 lagging. Certain loads have a power factor lower
than 0,8 lag, e.g. welding transformers; autotransformer, motor starting,
gas discharge lighting. A reduction in the full load (kVA), rating is required
for a continuous lagging pf lower than 0.8.
Leading Power Factors

Capacitive load e.g. some fluorescent lighting, and power factor correction
capacitor banks, produce leading power factor current. The latter is
required by the Electricity authorities to improve the customers lagging
power factor. The capacitor bank size is measured in kVAr (reactive).

A purely Capacitive load can cause the Generator control system, (AVR),
to loose control, creating voltage instability, and possible high voltage from
the Generator. This is due to the fact that, unlike most loads, which are pf1,
(unity) or lagging pf, a leading pf load current will cause the Generator
excitation voltage to decrease, as the load current increases.
Leading Power Factors

Eventually the control system will be unable to control the Generator
excitation level, and voltage instability will occur. The degree of instability is
determined by the kVAr size of the capacitors, relative to the kVA size of
the alternator.
Capacitive load can present a problem for mains failure (standby)
Generators. When the mains electricity supply fails, all motor, (inductive),
load is disconnected by the individual contactors.

Subsequently, when the Generator is connected to the system, the load
will mainly consist of lighting, and possibly power factor correction
capacitors. In this situation the AC Generator will see a very low, (leading),
power factor, and may become unstable, and/or generate high voltage.
Leading Power Factors

In order to prevent this situation, it is advisable to ensure that the
power factor correction capacitors are switched OFF when the
generator takes the initial load.
Further advice in this respect may be obtained from Cummins
Generator Technologies if required.
Resistances - measuring component values

When fault finding it is necessary to measure the resistance values of
components and windings, and compare them with known normal values,
in order to identify a faulty winding. The normal resistances of the windings
are given in the winding resistance charts, in the generator installation and
maintenance handbooks, service and maintenance section. Resistance
values above 10 ohms can be measured accurately with a multimeter.
Between 0.5 and 5 ohms a multimeter has a limited accuracy, and other
test methods may be adopted.
Resistances between 0.5 And 5 Ohms

The resistance value of a winding such as a brushless main rotor will be
between 0.5 and 3 ohms. A multimeter may not give an accurate enough
reading at these levels. If a Wheatstone Bridge Resistance Meter is not
available, an accurate measurement can be obtained by means of a
battery supply, using a Multimeter in series on the 10 Amps D.C. range.
Most Multimeters have this current range, or alternatively, a battery
charging Ammeter could be used instead).
Resistances between 0.5 And 5 Ohms

Using 6 volt battery cells the resistance of the winding can be
calculated i.e.

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