Generator can not start, help

Status
Not open for further replies.
A

Angelalucy

Banned
Location
Janpan
I bought a diesel generator from China for many years. 50kva 4 stroke, Cummins engine, Stamford ac generator, recently, the generator fails to start, something wrong? any professionals tech me how to do, urgent help??
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Angelalucy said:
I bought a diesel generator from China for many years. 50kva 4 stroke, Cummins engine, Stamford ac generator, recently, the generator fails to start, something wrong? any professionals tech me how to do, urgent help??
Click to expand...

Aren't you in China?
 
Pretty vague description of what is happening to be able to tell you why it doesn't start. Could be out of fuel, could be dead cranking battery, could be a control is not set properly...you need to at least narrow the possiblilties down for us by giving more details of what has happened to this point.
 
Angelalucy said:
I bought a diesel generator from China for many years. 50kva 4 stroke, Cummins engine, Stamford ac generator, recently, the generator fails to start, something wrong? any professionals tech me how to do, urgent help??
Click to expand...
Does the engine crank?
 
Sahib said:
Start with a new battery.
Click to expand...
That might be the problem. And it might not.

I think we need more detail before we start offering out unfounded opinions.
Like does the engine crank over?
Does it have fuel?
Is it brushed or brushless?
If there are brushes are they worn?
Are they free to move in their holders?
etc.

As framed, the question is much too vague for any informed ideas to be offered.
Maybe the OP can be more specific. Or perhaps a one post wonder. I don't mean that unkindly but happens fairly often here and elsewhere.
 
Besoeker said:
That might be the problem. And it might not.

I think we need more detail before we start offering out unfounded opinions.
Like does the engine crank over?
Does it have fuel?
Is it brushed or brushless?
If there are brushes are they worn?
Are they free to move in their holders?
etc.

As framed, the question is much too vague for any informed ideas to be offered.
Maybe the OP can be more specific. Or perhaps a one post wonder. I don't mean that unkindly but happens fairly often here and elsewhere.
Click to expand...
I did not want to overwhelm OP with questions. Based on my gut feeling, I offered him one solution and await his feedback.
 
One thing, OP might not have done is periodic testing of his generator: any incipient fault in the generator could have been detected and set right so that the generator is almost always ready to start and take up load.
 
Sahib said:
One thing, OP might not have done is periodic testing of his generator: any incipient fault in the generator could have been detected and set right so that the generator is almost always ready to start and take up load.
Click to expand...
Let's stop flogging this dead horse, shall we?
 
For as much detail as OP gave us, he might not even know if someone didn't come steal his generator and that is why there is no standby power:blink:
 
Angelalucy said:
I bought a diesel generator from China for many years. 50kva 4 stroke, Cummins engine, Stamford ac generator, recently, the generator fails to start, something wrong? any professionals tech me how to do, urgent help??
Click to expand...

I am not a professional mechanic but I've had diesel car and diesel generator along with propane and gasoline models.
Diesel engines are a whole different breed. I'm sure that for five years that you had your generator, you probably have some familiarity in terms of its eccentricities.

Some suggestions are valid. . . but you need to proceed with some sort of priorities in order to come up with some meaningful course of action.
The suggestion that maybe the brushes are worn does not make the cut. A diesel engine can start without the generator making electricity.

I would start on the fuel system.
Though diesels don't have spark plugs, you need a good healthy battery to energize the glow plugs before you can crank the engine.

Diesel viscosity changes with temperature—one reason truck drivers don't shut their engines even in an overnight rest in truck stops. I spend a lot of overnight stops with these guys on my trips across the continental US in my RV.
I don't know how handy you are in dealing with diesel engines. Check the fuel system first, the pump (usually mechanical) filter and an air-bound fuel lines.

Also, diesel can breed bacteria in the fuel tank that can build up inside and restrict flow.
If this is too intimidating for you-- call a diesel mechanic.
 
infinity said:
IP address says otherwise.

First time poster with a sketchy question and link in his post, sounds like he won't be back.
Click to expand...
Location says Janpan which I took to Japan with a typo.
And yes, I agree, probably not coming back.
From the name, I think he could be a she.
 
drcampbell said:
Is it common for trucks to have fuel heaters, or is the temperature of the fuel pretty much the same whether the engine's running or not?
Click to expand...

A friend of mine owns a diesel truck repair facility and I go down there to visit and learn. I have seen no such thing as a fuel heater on any of the semi trucks. Also, don't expect to see glow plugs on many of them, the Cummins N14 doesn't have them. Here is one starting cold, notice no 'wait to start' light.


I don't recall seeing any on the Detroits or the Navistars, either.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top