Hi Stef

The last time the tank on mine was filled was in about 2003. The engine started on that fuel on the second turn. Lat time about twelve years ago. The tank was about half full and seems to be in good condition. It was obviously pre all the bio diesel additives etc etc. My only problem has been that there was a lot of sludge in the base, not sure what that was but it included a degree of corroded metal I think. Scraping the base of the tank revealed or created three or four pin holes which I've now filled with a full tank specific filler so hoping that will be that!

Tom

Thanks Bob - all done and thanks for the explanation about the workings. I hadn't realised that this type of generator did not have a permanent magnet. It's all very interesting.

I couldn't get anything out of it to check the charge but that was cured by putting it under load. Have attached the rectifier to the alloy body rather than the plastic grill.

Filled the tank properly and now with new copper lines so looking good - but.....there is now a tiny leak from the cleaned out fuel tank! So I've taken it off and will hopefully fix tgg he at with some tank sealant/repair products.

The batteries are on the trickle charger which seems to be working as it should.

Tom

Hi Bob - not sure of the capacity and it would be interesting to know how long it would run on a full tank. I'm replacing the sight tube as the old one was so dark as to be of no use. Re running the heavily corroded fuel Lins with copper tomorrow.

After a long interval, the armature was rewound by Robson & Francis Rewinds in London at a cost of £864 inc. VAT and Carriage.
It looks a very professional job, and following reassembly, all performs as it should. Hand start, push button start and Auto all work correctly, as does shutdown. Engine is running well under load, and voltage control is acceptable..
Still no information on how to attach pictures - I will do so if someone explains the procedure.
LDM

Interested to see your post about having the alternator rewound by Robson and Francis. I have an ST2 that was installed new here in 1974 and had very moderate use but it was in an external carport and so the alternator has been exposed to a great many temperature and moisture fluctuation over a fifty year period! I'm guessing at some point it will need a refurb to extend its life. I'm told the brush alternators were not the best and it's amazing really its still producing power.

Thanks Bob - I will get a pair this week and check the charging that unit's producing. Regarding smartening it up a bit. The paint is very patchy but I'm not planning to strip it right down when it doesn't need it mechanically. What is the best way to tackle paintwork on this would you say from your experience? Obviously very tricky to reach certain areas

Tom

So we seem to have power! Having checked everything that could be checked and throughly cleaning the brushes we started the engine and it was producing 225 volts and 17 amps. When we connected it via a lead to a heat gun and it successfully powered that so next was to throw the switch to the house and see how it got on with that. Again all good but some of the lights in the house were flickering and when we turned on the compressor that we were using to clean the alternator it produced a certain amount of sparking from the brushes. So we gave the slip rings a light skim with wet and dry and that seemed to cure it. The voltage was still slightly fluctuating between 225 and 228. there was a lot of grease around the end of the alternator where it meets the housing and that seemed to have leaked onto the slip rings so we cleaned them thoroughly with a dry cleaning type fluid and now the voltage seems to have settled down and all house electrics working without flickering.

Regarding the startomatic element. When you try to start the engine with the manual start button everything clicks and whirs and the engine starts but then the little pin to the left of the engine rotates back again and the engine stops. However, if you leave it in the auto position and then throw the switch from Mains power to 'MAG' as written on the switch? It starts and runs perfectly. To take this further if you throw the main power switch that disconnects everything from the mains ie to simulate a power cut, nothing happens at a ll. Does this mean that this set up was never fully startomatic? I can see the logic of this as it might start the machine when you were away and just drain the tank.

Anyway. We have now removed the fuel lines and making new copper ones and thoroughly cleaning the fuel tank. Changing the oil and replacing filters and looking for some new feet for the top box as the rubber one are all but gone. And of course replacing the selenium rectifier.

Overall though a very successful day!

Thanks Bob - that is very helpful! Could you possibly point me in the direction of the replacement rectifier? I have the engineer friend coming today to do some more investigation and hopefully I will have good news. I'm amazed that all those parts can get so grubby and still work but here's hoping!

I will send you some images of the various electrical sections for comments. The box on top of the alternator was basically full of dust and spider web but looks clean now. The rubber feet seem to have most degraded and the box itself needs a rust treat and new paint. The startomatic control box is very fresh indeed internally.

Thanks again

Tom

Thanks Bob

I've attached an image and will take a look at your earlier posts. When started about ten years ago I have a memory of sparking from the front end but we didn't have this last week. I've not put any load on it.

Thanks again

Tom