Lister Engines > Lister Based Generators

Recommissioning a Lister ST2 with Brush Generator

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TGC61:
Hello all - glad to have found this forum. I have an ST2 with SOM attached to the wiring of my house that has not been used for a couple of decades. The engine I know works very well but there are likely issues with the generator and wiring and so I was hoping there was somebody who had experience of this and can advise what to look out for. I have a very capable guy locally who is helping with this but I imagine it may be a process!

It was installed new in 1974 and has had very little use.

ajaffa1:
G`day TGC61, welcome to the forum. The ST2 SOM is a very nice robust unit, I restored one about 8 years ago. I have posted a great deal of information about the brush generator and it`s control panel, in the past. If you search the old threads you should find everything you need to know.
Very happy to give advice, please post photos of what have got and what you are worried about.

Bob

TGC61:
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

TGC61:
Hi Bob - I've added a few more images of the front end for your comment

ajaffa1:
Hi TGC61, yep, that looks exactly the same as mine did when I started. Every thing looks to be intact, just dirty. There are two slip rings with four brushes, these are part of the generating system. There is a commutator ring with another set of brushes, this is a built in starter motor/dynamo.
These are a compounding generator, the output voltage can be adjusted using the two variable resistors/rheostats(one shown in your last photo). The other resistor is behind the other plastic cover along with an old selenium bridge rectifier, which will need to be replaced with a modern silicon rectifier. Selenium is very toxic, it gives off a smell a bit like garlic, please be careful.
The two small aluminium condensers at the very top are radio frequency suppressors, they are probably defunct and should be replaced or simply discarded. They are not really necessary unless you live in a built up area where radio interference might upset the neighbors.
I striped mine down completely because the grease in the two bearings had oxidized into a solid, while I had the armature out I put it in a lathe and gave the commutator and slip rings a very fine skim. I also gave all the cloth insulation tape on the copper windings a fresh coat of polyurethane varnish.
Before doing anything else get yourself a cheap multimeter and check the continuity of all the copper windings. There is no point in spending time and money if the generator is burned out. They can be rewound but it would be expensive.
I`m keeping my fingers crossed for you, let us know how you get on.

Bob

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