Puppeteer

Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - jonnymcc

Pages: [1] 2
1
Generators / Re: Lister SL2 Startomatic Battery Charging
« on: March 19, 2019, 08:07:50 AM »
Hmm, thanks for the response Bob.

I believe I am using a 60w bulb; its one thats been around here since the 70s!! I'll see if i can find another but as you say, they are hard to come by. I have a massive 150w bulb about here too, but it produces far too much heat for any of my fittings!

Any thoughts on that resistor that has been bypassed?

Cheers,

Jonny

2
Generators / Re: Lister SL2 Startomatic Battery Charging
« on: March 18, 2019, 09:05:24 AM »
Hi all,

So this problem is solved, and the result is rediculous...

My set doesn't charge the batteries if you set the control box to "push button start". This setting bypasses the main contractor. On automatic, it charges grand. I'm not sure why you wouldn't want to charge batteries when using push button start, but i suspect it's more to do with hand cranking.

My only problem now is the main contractor chatters a bit... But i see someone has bypassed the resistor that i believe it's supposed to prevent that.... Resistor tests ok, I'll maybe try reconnecting it....

Thanks for all your help so far!!

Jonny

3
Generators / Re: Lister SL2 Startomatic Battery Charging
« on: February 10, 2019, 04:12:27 PM »
Ok, here are my latest findings:

I am using the set in "push button start" mode. Is battery charging supposed to work in this mode? I note that my main contractor LC does nothing; yet still i have 240v working fine? Does the auto/manual switch bypass LC when set to manual by any chance?

Strangely, when using the set in manual with push button start, the decompressor solenoid does work.... I did not expect this and in fact the manual says you must manually operate the decompressor in this case?

Ok another note, got the selenium diode D1 replaced with a modern equivalent. Seems to relate to the detection circuit.

All help appreciated,

Jonny

4
Generators / Re: Lister SL2 Startomatic Battery Charging
« on: December 31, 2018, 03:52:52 PM »
I did wonder about that, as it says relay on it, and it looks like a relay, but is plugged into the rectifier space......

I'll check where the wires go and let you know. But that white wire comes from the output from the ammeter and is the charge feed to the batteries....

Cheers,

Jonny

5
Generators / Re: Lister SL2 Startomatic Battery Charging
« on: December 30, 2018, 01:45:29 PM »
Sorry to hear of your recent troubles!! Sounds hectic! We had an issue recently where one of our banks systems went down and loved out bank machines, cards and internet banking. People were not amused.

On the charging front, I hear what you are saying regarding the trickle chargers, a much better charge too, but i hate to admit defeat.

However, i have traced continuity in the circuit right from the charger resistor the whole way to the battery positive terminal, by manually operating the main contractor with the batteries disinfected. If i manually operate the contractor with the batteries connected, engine stopped, the ammeter drops fully up the minus. I'm not sure whether this is to be expected or indicates a short.

I did find one wire conected which isn't on the diagram, from the White wire to the LCC rectifier. Photo attached. Might try disconnecting that and seeing if it makes a difference. Could the charging windings have failed in the alternator??

See attached, cheers, Jonny

6
Generators / Re: Lister SL2 Startomatic Battery Charging
« on: December 29, 2018, 11:45:11 AM »
My wiring diagram

7
Generators / Re: Lister SL2 Startomatic Battery Charging
« on: December 29, 2018, 11:20:20 AM »
Ok, back to the drawing board!

I took some measurements and made a rough circuit diagram of my charge resistor today. Thing is, i eventually worked out that the damaged part of the resistor isn't in use anyway! It's bridged by a black wire.... I found 12 ohm marked on it but only around 6 ohm is used. Anyway I'm getting continuity across the resistor and up to the control box. Some of the wires on the charge circuit in the control box have been very warm at some point in the past...

Also i can't understand how the resistor burned out where it did, unless someone has already in the past repaired it by swapping it round..... Anything likely to over heat that circuit?

What's my next point to check the charging circuit?

Cheers,

Jonny

8
Generators / Re: Lister SL2 Startomatic Battery Charging
« on: December 27, 2018, 08:33:18 AM »
No Problem Bob, thanks very much for the info!

Unfortunately, my FCS has been stripped out after the burning and there is nothing in there apart from the upper switch contacts. I'm pretty sure from the wiring that someone has fed it 240v, I need to tidy the wiring up as they have just taped it up inside there. This is not something I feel a great need for; I don't use the automatic function, though I may like to repair it sometime in the future, I would assume that the best way forward is going to be if I can fit some sort of modern replacement inside the original housing.....

Anyway, back to the charging, thanks for those measurements. I was trying to get a resistance on the remainder of mine and got approx. 5 ohms, so I reckon that 7 ohm should be about spot on. I actually bought a new replacement resistor for a slightly more modern start o matic which I spotted on ebay recently thinking the values should be similar; now I can check it out and see :) The dimensions are different but layout is the same....

Any idea what causes the resistor to fail? A short somewhere? I had a feeling maybe it was to do with someone running it without a battery connected and the +ve contacting the -ve or the frame?

Any idea what the second resistor in mine does? Looks identical to the charge resistor, but the wires too/from it go into the generator housing; could it be acting as a shunt resistor?

Thanks for your help; hope you had a great Christmas, and have a happy new year.

Cheers,

Jonny

9
I saw those Bruce, look like exactly what would be required, didn't find an exact match for resistsnce and power, though i need to confirm requirements first....

10
Generators / Re: Lister SL2 Startomatic Battery Charging
« on: December 20, 2018, 06:34:33 AM »
That would be great, thanks Bob. It doesn't "look" like the switch world on both resistors, looks like it just switches to the other tap point on the lower one. Though I'll see if i can trace the wiring this evening.

On another note, found out why the fuel solenoid doesn't work, the pot is empty and smells like it was once on fire.....


11
Thanks Bob, the decompression works correctly, so i must not be tracing the wires correctly at the junction box on the side of the engine.... I'll meter them and see if i can make any more sense of it.

On the charging problem, I've found the problem, the resistor is damaged. Any ideas on repair/replacement? Could i re wind it with resistor wire?

Cheers

12
Generators / Re: Lister SL2 Startomatic Battery Charging
« on: December 18, 2018, 09:19:31 PM »
So, i managed to miss the damage to the charging resistor. Any idea for a replacement??

13
Sure will, I'll try and get a few tonight.

It seems a common problem, many people plug in a battery charger; but I don't like to let it beat me!

Cheers,

Jonny

14
Generators / Re: Lister SL2 Startomatic Battery Charging
« on: December 18, 2018, 12:31:25 PM »
Thanks, I'll get a look at the diagram this evening. Hmm, I know that the switch is connected to the lower resistor in my box. I had forgotten I've already remade all the connections in there so all ok. Was wrecking my head last night trying to work out the wiring. Difficult to test when you don't understand what is going on. I think there is a rheostat in that top box connected by fuse to the positive battery supply, which is also bolted to the box casing; I cant see how its insulated from the casing, but it is!

My main worry was that it looks like my set has 240v outputs connected to the fuel rack solenoid - would have thought these would be 24v.....

Cheers,

Jonny

15
Hi,

I read with interest about the selenium rectifiers. I have a SL SOM 4.5kva. The control box (on the wall) smells a bit like Garlic and the unit is 1960's - so I assume its about had its day! Is the SOM job similar to the one described in this thread? Also is the rectifier in the SOM in the wall box or the one on top of the head?

Cheers,

Jonny

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

Pages: [1] 2