Lister Engine Forum

Lister Engines => Lister Based Generators => Topic started by: Beewrangler on February 01, 2006, 06:35:31 PM

Title: Gen Heads
Post by: Beewrangler on February 01, 2006, 06:35:31 PM
 What are the brands of gen heads most are using? Pros, cons, Things or brands you might do differntly.  Thanks
Title: Re: Gen Heads
Post by: Tom on February 01, 2006, 07:25:50 PM
I've got an ST5. I'm not to impressed with the workmanship in the slip rings. They are not installed exactly straight, square or concentric to the shaft. We'll see how the bushes hold up. Also the rectifier burned out the first time I applied a load. It's now been upgraded to a solid state unit.
Title: Re: Gen Heads
Post by: Doug on February 02, 2006, 02:30:46 AM
I did a little home work and found out India also has its own standard generator head....

http://www.kissangroup.com/kissan_iron_works/product/spare_parts.htm

A closer look will show this is a stationary field machine.
It looks like most of the gensets sold in India use this head type. And from what I'm told they do a good job building them. Down side they cost triple sitting at the dock than the Chinese units because they are a more labour intensive machine to build.
But, and its a big one....
They could easily add a commutator to this and create the holy grail of generator heads for you Lister fans the Start-O-Matic.

Doug
Title: Re: Gen Heads
Post by: Doug on February 14, 2006, 06:24:13 AM
Hmm....

Me thinks the Indian genheads are here.

http://www.rockymountainpowersource.com/AC-Alternators.html

Doug
Title: Re: Gen Heads
Post by: Mr Lister on February 14, 2006, 06:56:09 PM
Doug,

I think that picture is just another Chinese ST.  An Alibaba search will find scores of companies offering them:

http://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?IndexArea=offer_en&SearchText=ST+generator



Ken
Title: Re: Gen Heads
Post by: GerryH on February 15, 2006, 12:35:59 AM
Tom,
If you are going through your 6/1 engine and checking and correcting all the little flaws inherant in the manufactureing, consider spending 1 hour taking the ST-5 apart. Replacing the bearings with sealed units will cost you about $67 dollars, and while you are at it get some machinist to put it in the lathe for the under 5 minute task of truing the rings. After this you will have a quiet, dependable unit which doesn't squeal from the brushes. Replacing the wierd rectifier with a Radio Shack full wave bridge rectifier is a no brainer as well and will cost $4.55 as you found out. I am sure with fresh quality bearings the parasitic load on the engine is less, as well. The sizes you need are bearing #6309 on shaft side, #6307 on the slip ring side.
Title: Re: Gen Heads
Post by: Tom on February 15, 2006, 04:30:58 AM
I thought about doing that, but it is out in the woods at the job site now. I've been checking the bearings for signs of warmth and none yet however things could be quieter. Since you gave me the numbers I think I'll plan ahead and get new set of bearings and plan on changing them soon.
Title: Re: Gen Heads
Post by: DirtbikePilot on February 15, 2006, 10:53:41 PM
Eric at rocky mountain powersourse has some of the indian generator heads. They do have stationary fields and are supposedly more efficient than the chinese ones. He has an st-5 that he uses to power his house, and it has over 5000 hours on it and has never been touched yet. It's still on the origional brushes. The rings on my st-12 are straight as far as I can tell. The only problem was a bunch of metal sand/casting flash in the bearings. I cleaned and repacked with good grease and so far they are fine. It only has a few hours on it though.
Title: Re: Gen Heads
Post by: cranelift on February 16, 2006, 11:28:34 PM
 Hi Men
  I just pulled the bearings on my 8kw. I fired it up once and was appalled at the sound that came from it. A good cleaning and repack with synthetic grease and emery paper the slip rings, no more noise. I was disapointed to find I had the plastic fan as I thought the one I was getting was all cast iron. Is it nomal to balance the set by bolting weights to the plastic fan? ???  Anyone else seen that technique?
Title: Re: Gen Heads
Post by: Dave on February 17, 2006, 02:18:44 AM
I have a plastic fan with some flat rectangular metal pieces bolted to it. I just replaced the open bearings with sealed ones. The rings look a little rough. Hard to tell if it is out of round though. I am tempted to take the 100lb? (15kw) rotor to a machinist to tighten up. Can anybody reccommend one if the Ft Myers Florida area?
Title: Re: Gen Heads
Post by: Doug on February 17, 2006, 03:40:27 AM
Nope its what it thought it was, Indian....
I asked.

Doug