Hi Pedrosa, this bush is splash lubricated by the oil thrower on the bottom of the con-rod. The oil flows in through a hole in the top of the bush and housing. The oil evacuates from the bush via the slot in the bottom. It can now evacuate at both ends of the bush. one end is in the crankcase the other end is behind the cover shown in the photograph. Hence the need for a drain hole.

Bob

Hi Alex, further to my previous post please ensure that all loads are isolated from the generator when attempting to flash the auxiliary field. You don`t want to feed 12 volt DC into your house.

Bob

Hi Alex. you need to flash the field not the rheostat. You need to connect your battery to the two wires connected to the rheostat after disconnecting one wire from the rheostat. This will cause electricity to flow through the selenium rectifier into the field windings and magnetize the iron core it is made of.

If that doesn`t work we will have to try and flash the main windings. Something I am hesitant to do because getting the polarity wrong could cause serious damage or injury.

Bob

Looks like someone is in for a very greasy Christmas. 

Bob

Hey Alex. Did you flash the auxiliary windings or the rheostat?  When you started it you say there is a dim light that comes on on the heating system, is this Generator a start-o-matic system that will self start when there is a load present? SOM systems use a 12 or 24 volt sensing circuit to trigger start up, this could explain the light on the heating controller. SOM generators have a control panel that looks something like the photo.

If it is not a SOM and you are getting a dim light on your heating controller then the generator is still producing electricity from residual magnetism, in which case I suspect the selenium rectifier is on the blink and not energizing the field windings.

Bob

Hi Alex, there is a very good reason I mentioned modifications, the thing in my original photo, that looks like an old fashioned school radiator, is an old selenium bridge rectifier. They have a life expectancy of around fifty years, yours is due to fail. It will smell of garlic when it does start to fail, please don`t breath this in as it can cause cancer.

It s a very easy fix to replace the selenium rectifier with a more modern silicon rectifier and heat sink, all the parts are available on fleabay for about ten quid. No, I am not trying to sell you something and no, I can`t come and do the work for you. I live in Northern New South Wales , Australia. I live in the middle of nowhere and rely on a old 1970`s Lister/Brush generator for back-up power. If you rely on your generator for primary power you should replace the selenium rectifier before it fails.

Where in Berkshire do you live? I was unlucky enough to go to school in Pangbourne, Berkshire.

I completely understand your concerns regarding starting handles. Many full grown men have been injured by these, children do not belong anywhere near them. If you are hand starting your generator please regularly grease the shaft and ratchet pin so you don`t get hurt.

Bob

Hey Mike, no criticism of advice offered and you are right about removing all loads before shutting down any generator. Alex doesn`t tell us how he came to be in this situation, but I suspect he ran it out of diesel and it  wouldn`t produce electricity once he restarted it.

Like your idea of a light bulb, very simple and idiot proof, will magnetize the iron core without doing any damage to sensitive items. The residual magnetism required is very minimal as the field voltage will ramp up as it starts to generate, even if it starts from next to nothing.

Lets hope he understands the principals we are trying to explain to him and asks for help if he is confused.
Hope he gets it going without any further problems.

Bob

Bob