Powertech Generator Failure

Our PowerTech 10KW generator stopped producing any output, it ran fine and smooth, just no voltage was being produced. The generator only had about 500hrs on it at the time. On our coach the generator is powered by a Kubota engine and the entire thing is mounted inside of a quite box to keep the noise to a minimum.

There were several test and measurements made in trying to determine the culprit. One was the resistance across 2 of the pins of a connector that go to the voltage regulator. They also applied dc voltage directly to the exciter while the genset was running (engine mechanically seem perfectly fine) but got no output.

The tests all seem to indicate something other than the easily accessible electronics were at fault. Unfortunately the only way to dig in deeper is to remove the genset (with a forklift) so you can remove the quiet box and get at other components.

After digging in deeper what they found was that apparently the exciter rotor was loose. Something that should not ever happen and can’t be explained. It took out pretty much everything else in the generator end.

The 10 kW generator end is no longer available, a 12 kW (at higher cost) has to be installed in its place along with a new voltage regulator in order to ensure warranty. Fortunately the Kubota engine for the 10 and 12 kW units are the same, so it should be no additional stress on the engine. Small comfort there.

This took a little over 10 hours total for diagnose and repair (our genset is in a quiet box, so that added a little to the labor). All new extended life red coolant, and a new voltage regulator. Plus shop supplies (towels, rags, bandaids, ibuprofen….) $2150.

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