When I was younger, I used to rebuild small Hatz diesel engines. These were used to power the Bomag small walk behind compactors, bw60 and bw 35 to be exact. These engines had a small dip tube that was used to oil the rod bearing. These would break off, then the engine would sieze. These were junk as far as the dealer was concerned so I got them for free. The small one was 5 hp, the bigger would produce 7 hp. I would buy a new piston and rod, clean up the crank shaft ( it was usually undamaged) bore the cylinder oversized to clean it up, and have really nice engines to sell. One of them was purchased by a person who lived in Montana, out in the sticks where the power would regularly go out. This gentleman said he would wear out 2 to 3 gas generators each winter. He repowered one of his bigger generators using the rebuilt Hatz engine. Next year I was inundated by requests for these engines by people who he refered to me. The last time I visited with this gentleman he had been using this engine for 6 years with absolutely no problems and a record of perfect reliability. Without the induced viabration from the compactor, the breaking of the oil pickup had been eliminated. Small, well built diesel engines are definitely the way to go. Oh, by the way, the lawnmower at 1 hour 6 minutes reminded me of Eric O at South Main Auto...... I guess he isn't the only one with that problem ! ! ! Thanks James for another informative lesson...... and to think that people pay good money to go to school....and get less knowledge than you give out weekly For Free ! Thank you, very much !
My late father in law's Isuzu diesel truck had been parked for 18 years. Hooked up a couple of batteries and it started before one revolution of the crank, frightened the life out of me!
I am from Barbados and I must say honestly watching your videos are better than watching any primetime tv.i spend hours every week and all weekend watching these videos .and I have learnt quite a lot.Thank you Mr condon keep up the good work
@@billhenry7833 I’ve met a lot of great women, but I’ll take working on a good motor any day of the week. Of course working on some great ladies is kinda nice, too!
My kids found the same generator curbside labeled as a Titan Power 5500W Diesel High Performance. They hauled that diesel home a few blocks on 2 flats. I got it running and gave it to my son when he moved out. Thank you and our fellow subscriber for saving this from the scrap heap.
I'm Entering retirement, your expertise always is impressive. With Fourty two years of machine tool, and hvac, I am glad there are a few of us skilled guys left. Have a great day James. 👍
That's a sweet machine. It's confidence inspiring. Diesel. ❤. Great job fixing it. That was the most complicated repair I've seen. You're a bloody genius, James. I wish you nothing but the best.😊
James I have a Titan diesel almost a twin to what you have there. I used it for the first time when things got bad in Houston a few months ago. We ran it for about 3 days and had no problems with it . Everyone was lined up 10 deep for the gas pumps vs 2 diesel trucks & myself for my gen juice. I will not buy another gas gen. Rollin Coal in H Town.
Yes! This video helped me! 30 years in the maintenance industry, I've seen us go from maintaining and repairing to replacing with garbage. Your pride in your work was a sight for sore eyes. That genset is Badass!
James, I just want to thank you for all you do. I don't repair generators or lawnmowers like you do. But, the knowledge that you share can be applied to other items. I have two Model A Fords (1928 & 1931). I cleaned out the carburetor using simple green and my ultrasonic cleaner. It cleaned out the carburetor extremely well. I would not have thought about using the ultrasonic cleaner if it wasn't for you! Thanks for all you do! Keep it up!
Just having breakfast and watching your excellent vid. I retired after 60 yrs of industrial engineering so it’s alway a pleasure watching someone else work lol. There’s always challenges and problems to resolve, once an engineer always an engineer. Keeps the gray matter ticking over, thanks James.
Amazing restoration. Great explanations too. I think the LED power indicator on the 120v was a good workaround. I think I'd try to connect it to the unprotected terminals of the GFCI though. If someone later down the line used it solely with the larger output plugs, but had inadvertently tripped the GFCI, they may never see that power indicator work as intended.
Glad to see a diesel generator repair in the mix of videos even though this was mostly a generator head rebuild. Impressive how you had the parts and knowledge to adapt all of the electrical components and connections. Great work as usual.
My first car was an 81 VW rabbit diesel, it sat in a barn from 1996 until 2003 when I got it and after putting in a fresh battery, it fired up pretty easy on 7 year old diesel fuel, no problem. Drove it 35 miles home on that old fuel too, no issue.
I am always amazed at your wiring skills. If I saw that jungle of wires it would be all over for me! Now you got me thinking about switching to a diesel generator.
My hat's off to you for correcting all that wiring! Excellent, Jim! 👍 Thank goodness that nut came off the starter! That's a sweet diesel engine. Smoked a bit under full load.
i case people don't know.... DON'T run a diesel gen set WITH OUT a load. here's why the diesel engine will do whats called "slobber" witch means some of the injected fuel will start to "wash" the cylinder wall down taking the oil away from the piston and the cylinder. always try to have some type of med. size load to prevent this from happening. just what ive learned in generator mechanic's class. TO: James nice job. another one saved to live again.
You are spot in. I had one of these but it was running a Yanmar clone. It wasn't happy unless you were running the dog out of it. Great generator and got twice the hours that a gas generator got on a gallon of fuel.
I'm interested in diesel generators now as well. But I'm just an armchair viewer at the moment -- I don't need a generator. I merely offer viewer interest.
Sadly America is allergic to anything the rest of the world uses, even if it would be better for us too... the metric system, mini splits, diesel engines... the list goes on. 😂
I am just pleased that you are not going to test me that i have been taking it all in at the end of the film. I was totally lost after about half an hour. I learned one thing though if i ever have to buy a generator when the satellites go wrong, get a diesel engine generator (preferably with a starting handle) 😀. All the best from England.
Very impressive, I’ve never seen a small diesel powered generator before. If frequent outages are a problem one of these would be a great way to go since fuel issues are at a minimum and it would cost much less to operate than a gas or propane generator. Nice work sir!
Once again an outstanding job. Let me point out one minor detail. When you wired the new 120 volt power light you connected to the load side of the GFCI. The power light will not light up if the GFCI is tripped and there will actually be power. The connection should be on the line side of the outlet where the existing wires were coming into the outlet. This way the light will turn on regardless of the state of the GFCI outlet. I hope this helps and thank you again for making outstanding educational videos.
I'm surprised the company said to just throw away the non working generator. That's an expensive machine to just throw away. A great job, and very nice looking machine. 😊
It's also a heavy one with expensive shipping and when you add to that manhours for someone to fix it, price of replacment parts and fact that it can be be sold again only discounted as refurbished item...it's cheaper for them to just write it off.
This is your most impressive project yet! Your knowledge and experience with generator back ends and wiring of the control panel, is absolutely amazing! Your troubleshooting, logic and explanations are spot-on accurate and impressive! When you removed the old generator and bell housing and looked at the shaft, saying that it looks like a Honda clone, I was thinking there is no way that anything is going to correctly fit up to that! Boy was I wrong! You have a professional level of talent.
It is surprising that the stator was burned up on a brand new generator. I find that rather difficult to understand. Assuming the manufacturer tests the machines before they leave the factory the stator insulation must have failed on the first test run. There sure were a lot of hoops to jump through to get this machine to produce power! Diesel engines are certainly superior for these kinds of applications. Thanks for another excellent video, Jim.
You're probably right. I suspect that this is a known defect to the manufacturer and their instruction to trash it and replace it was borne of repetition.
Perhaps one of the legs was wired backwards. If they then tried to run it in 120V mode the legs would fight each other and burn out. If tests were performed in 240V mode then each leg would have 120V and although there would be no 240V output the fault might not be detected.
Another possibility here is that a large 120V load was connected to a single receptacle with the generator in 240V/120V mode. Only half of the field windings would have been utilized and with such a snotty little engine driving the alternator, it would have been easy to overload the stator.
Your videos tend to over explain except if you watch them enough James keeps throwing out these little valuable tips. I have been watching James for at least two years and when one of his videos pops up it my first choice to watch. I have learned so much about generators, carburetors and the operation of small engines. Thank you James and thanks for sharing. I have watched this before.
James proving once again, that "One man's trash is another man's treasure." Well done re: what you did this time on the electronics end of things. 👍 as always.
Well done James! You broke new ground taking on a diesel genny and as always, your knowledge of the problem side of the rig was all it took to get the unit working correctly. I had done dozens of petrol cars before I took on a diesel and although there are differences, they are still suck, squeeze, bang and blow. I was surprised how close to the generating limit the engine was matched to, as diesel's generally have a bit spare up top as they produce more torque. That field coil looked as though it had been running over the limit on one phase and got cooked out (Likely someone asked all 6Kw off one phase in a 240 volt config instead configured for 120 volts only.... Either way round, you have a pretty strong engine that can work on veg oil or red diesel to keep it cheap on the running costs... Bravo sir, you did your channel proud and we got to see you succeed whilst out of your comfort zone (A rare occurrence).... keep em coming and it's yet another scrap heap challenge, that will keep giving now that you have blessed it with your attention... hope you get a worthy profit from your efforts
Another rather complex fix. Lots of great info packed into this video. You should have a PhD in generator science. Great work, great video, keep 'em coming!
Rusted and corroded like its from the city dump! Who in their right mind would abuse such a great little clone engine. However, I love the fact the guy who owned it stored it in the bottom of a creek covered with moss, horse droppings, old news papers, nuclear waste and 4 years of scrap pallets and it still started!
Awesome to finally see a diesel generator! Have been waiting for this for a couple of years. I have 5 diesel generators using various sizes of these yanmar engines, and they always start and run fantastic.
Hello James, very interesting and informative video. You're real professional not only in repairing the generators but in making high qualities videos. Thanks for the video.
Suggest to draw the current circuit, and then draw the new circuit with the stuff removed. This is hugely educational both for you and the viewer. Thanks.
I'm one of the first to watch each of your videos. I live in Thailand and it's always Thursday evening at 6pm. Very interesting! Definitely keep going! But finally get yourself some 10-20% phosphoric acid. Apply it to the rust, wait/let it dry, wash it off and paint over it straight away...
between you and arch's garage, i've been able to keep my 13yr old 160gcv honda powered troy-bilt running like a dream. you provide an invaluable service with your videos and your presentation/delivery, with step by step direction that is the best in the business. This is one of the best channels on the tube.
I’m watching you spray painting the frame, and Nostalgia hit. Being in my grandfathers shop, you could alway smell the spray paint any time you walked in.
I disagree a bit. It does however say something about thier integrity that they value their reputation over thier profit margin. Smart companies know how much a bad reputation can cost them in future sales.
Shipping a generator which has had fuel in it via common carrier can be very expensive. When I worked remotes for a TV network they used to buy Honda generators in the remote city and donate to charity or just give them away to local crews at the end of the remote. The carriers wouldn't take them unless they had been certified empty of fuel by an authorized service center. The cost and time needed were not worth it.
Amazing, as always. During my first views of your videos, I was confused and impressed that you knew what each component was, or probably was. That you knew the intent of the designers' wiring. And that you knew the correct names & functions of all motor & generator parts. Knowing how & when to adjust valves & potentiometers to correct problems you hear or measure seemed another bit of wizardry. Well, after watching more and more, I STILL think you're a wizard! But I'm willing to accept that you know all this, not through intuition or osmosis or magic, but through training and years of hands-on experience, probably gained through working as a troubleshooter or designer of generators & small engines. However you got this knowledge, I sure appreciate you taking the time to present it so cleanly and legibly. Your speech is without flaw. Your sentences are well crafted and timed to keep my interest while presenting a competent and confident attitude. James, you're a testament to how we all should act in private and in public. With calmness. Without curse words. With a positive and pleasant attitude. The world could use a LOT more people like you, in EVERY job and market and occupation. Thank you, again. And please keep up the excellent work!
My new favorite video in your playlist!! Great info, and I am sure I will revisit this one dozens of times.... I own one almost identical to this, as I live in the Philippines now, retired. I have owned mine for 8 years. It gets fairly regular use. Our power goes out at least once or twice a week on average with outages sometimes only 15 to 30 minutes, but not uncommon for it to be out for 8 hours on occasions. It has been on for a 36 hour run cycle at least 3 times in the 8 years. Things I keep on hand as spares... The fuel shut off solenoid. The starter solenoid. One starter complete. The only NON fixable part I have found is that regulator. The diesel engine makes this part vibrate so bad, it stops charging the battery after about 3 or 4 days. Replaced it 2 times then gave up and put the battery in a box about 6 feet away from the generator set and let it stay charged at trickle charge rate full time. I also keep brushes for spares, on my 3 rd set. The oil changed regularly as it gets used regularly, and so far have not had any hint at an engine issue. Starters for this beast are expensive, so keep an eye out for sales on them and get a spare, not only expensive but at least here, kind of rare and difficult to find. Love mine. When it finally dies, I am going directly out and get a new one. MANY thanks on this one. dozens of take aways for me here!!!!
I was surprised at how dirty the oil was for "No Power Output Since New"... Nice rescue / conversion... You overcame a lot of hurdles... Impressive work and sleuthing out the problems...
Must have had some run time to do it, probably while trying to get it working. Compared to a diesel at its regular oil change interval, that looked fairly clean as you could still see though it when he was draining it.
These chinese Yanmar clones love fully synthetic good quality oil. Also check the valve lash, as most of them have "loose nuts&bolts" everywhere. I have a "Power Mate 8000" and I run mine with Castrol Titanium FST engine oil, and the fuel is HVO. Mine starts every time, either pull start or with the key, no matter temperature ( -17C to +30C ).
when doing the super small wires you can add a bare ferrule and crimp that on to the small wire, it will allow the ring terminal to fit better. i really like how easy and consistent that diesel motor runs, want me to run out and get a diesel gen.
That unit has an awful lot of rust and corrosion for something with virtually zero hours on it,. The previous owner must've stored it outdoors! However, he held on to it knowing that it had some value. Good save James!
It struck me as possibly significant that a lot of that frame rust was right around where the battery was located. Perhaps a bit too much water was added? Or a bit too high of a charge rate?
I wish I had one tenth your knowledge and ability for electrical work. I can do anything mechanical but electrical stuff is something I have a hard time learning. On a separate note, a bit of jb weld would have smoothed out that pitted metal so nicely.
Thank you for posting this really excellent video. When you opened the electrical box and rewired it, I was surprised to see how very clean the wires were. Not one hint of dust, crud, dirt, or insects. Pretty much as clean as the day the unit was built. I would have expected at least some dust. Then again, I'm an innocent who has never refurbished a generator. I enjoyed viewing this very much.
A nice refurbishment on this one, and a diesel! Like you say no carb to go bad, no coil or plug either. Could probably leave that genny for 5 years and it'll just start right up. Also am I the only one that loves how that engine sounds while spooling up to full speed on startup?
I have a 8 kw lights plant and it is a diesel powered generator that is cheap to operate and has a 30 gallon tank. I use it for backup for the house with limited power but it keeps fridges all running and hot water heater
I have always heard that if you are going to tow boats and heavy items with your truck then it should be a diesel because they won't bog down like a gas engine will. And this generator certainly demonstrates that.
@James Condon - Have you ever considered renewing the windings on stators that have a short? I've seen videos on how it's done, and with the right equipment, it doesn't seem a too difficult a task, and would save you junking stators.
Hello James you always make amazing videos explaining the methods of fixing things and how to overcome problems the wiring on this generator was a bit complicated but you solved it in the end its great to see you solving problems you saved another one again all the best from England.
It was like "oh you got a sandblaster finally" and then "no it's dead"😂 would be really cool to see some work on diesel generator engine after this video. Really looking forward to
At 136.20 the extension union for the oil drain seems to be screwed against the frame and then goes to the sump part of the engine. There should be a cutout in the frame so that the union is screwed directly to and against the sump, otherwise the engine vibration (being a diesel) will render it loose. Which is what happened when you found it loose.🐞
5 years ago I bought a 6.5kw gas powered generator, I have questioned this decision ever since, I've never had an issue with my machine but I do pull it out a couple of times a year put some fuel in it run for about an hour, put a load on it drain the tank and carburetor and put it away until I need it or need to check it, thanks for excellent video
Great video, Diesel sure can make a gas engine look weak. Liked the part showing how you bonded the neutral, could a switch be installed to do that? I have a generator that I connect to the house, but also use with cords.
I have a yanmar clone and I love it. We had 110% tax credit on house renovation in Italy and I now have a perfectly insulated house heated by my 42 kw lifepo batteries and when my solar array can’t keep up during winter I run and charge the house off free waste oil I get from a local car shop. I’ve been running all my house at 0 euro for the past 3 years. I have a 500lt tank connected and remote start from my solar control panel. I save like 5000 euro by year
When I saw Diesel I thought that maybe we were going to get some insight into that kind of engine. Darn! :-) That engine does have some pretty impressive performance, for sure.
Hi James. Thanks for this video. I was always under the impression that the diesel generators ran at 1500/1800 rpm and uses a 4-pole rotor. I really enjoyed this video.
a lot of the bigger ones do, but these small single cylinder diesel engines are rated at 3000/3600 rpm, and are a drop in replacement for the 400cc honda engines in a lot of applications.
Hi James, When you changed the oil you forgot to wash the oil filter which is located on the left side on the side with the oil drain plug...that little black plastic thing that is held on with a 10 mm screw. It's basically a strainer with a filter role,...in which you will probably find metal flakes from the connecting rod bearings. This engine I think is a yanmar engine (or clone)...not sure. What I want to know from you is how do you tell if the rpm of a diesel engine like this is correct...how can you measure it? Extraordinary video as usual!
Have you considered buying a little AC-DC power supply module from DigiKey to re-supply the 12 volt output from the AC side? You could at least get a couple amps that way, though if you want more like 10 or 20 amps the supply is going to be pretty large.
I believe the main thing that would prevent most homeowners from purchasing diesel gens is just the inconvenience of having to get diesel fuel. I haven't looked up any but guessing they're cost prohibitive also. Great video as always!
Have been watching numerous youtube videos about rewinding stators and rotors. Given the cost and availability of these parts, maybe someday you will try your hand at it. Given enough time I am sure you could figure it out. Just a thought.
Another fun and excellent episode! I wonder if they had a known manufacturing problem, so they knew complete replacement was the most economical "fix" for Bill. It just seems extreme to 100% replace a machine like that. Or maybe it was a Chinese or other non-US manufacturer with no repair network at all in the US. Either way "throw away the old one" is a tragic solution, though in this case not. Great!
James. From a guy who has hundreds of hours working on these. *Total warning on these engines.* If the original buyer who stored it in a septic tank did not change the oil after a few minutes you can have permanent engine damage that will be rod bearing catastrophic in no time. FLUSH THAT ENGINE ASAP!!!!! These all end up with rod bearing failure in short time due to owners not changing the WASH OUT OIL from them. Not break in oil, WASH OUT OIL! You have to do that on even a Perkins, Subaru, Kaito or Yanmar clones due to the fine metallic in them. All of them. Flush block with diesel fuel 2X, allow to drip for a hour, and then refill with good 15/40 and only use Ford Motorcraft 15/40 Diesel oil ( very serious on that ) same as original for the 7.3 powerstroke engines in that engine. Using a paint brush and a gallon of pure orange juice paint on many coats of orange juice ( laugh later ) on the aluminum parts and then rinse with 3 gallons water with 1 table spoon per gallon of baking soda in it. Then one gallon clear water to clean all the pitting. Worth the effort and another video on it.
@@Andrew-l6x4d Maybe watch the video or at least read the damn post I made before going full idiot on a reply post. It's a CLONE, not a Yanmar. China clone ( COPY ) of a Yanmar. They are not made by Yanmar.
@@jcondon1 I worked on RV Diesels the real Yanmar's and mainly the Generac 5500 model 6860 and 6864 or Winco 5500 with the 435cc in them. It is the engine that clone is based from. Sorta. And I worked on lots of them clones. The Clone you have uses a real Mitsu or Nippon injector and pump, Toyo Bearings but the rest is pure Hunan China. Due to the block being 3 stage ( 3 separate factories get parts in steps and build them ) real cleaning is always blamed on Casting, then blame machining then blame assembly stages as the parts travel around in huge bins. I suggest immediate and repeating oil swapping. You will see if you check the used oil but its full of metal on first change but if ran long enough the particles are pulverized and hard to see. They are good for 4500-5000 hours to TBO if treated right but 200 if not.
When I was younger, I used to rebuild small Hatz diesel engines. These were used to power the Bomag small walk behind compactors, bw60 and bw 35 to be exact. These engines had a small dip tube that was used to oil the rod bearing. These would break off, then the engine would sieze. These were junk as far as the dealer was concerned so I got them for free. The small one was 5 hp, the bigger would produce 7 hp. I would buy a new piston and rod, clean up the crank shaft ( it was usually undamaged) bore the cylinder oversized to clean it up, and have really nice engines to sell.
One of them was purchased by a person who lived in Montana, out in the sticks where the power would regularly go out. This gentleman said he would wear out 2 to 3 gas generators each winter. He repowered one of his bigger generators using the rebuilt Hatz engine. Next year I was inundated by requests for these engines by people who he refered to me. The last time I visited with this gentleman he had been using this engine for 6 years with absolutely no problems and a record of perfect reliability. Without the induced viabration from the compactor, the breaking of the oil pickup had been eliminated.
Small, well built diesel engines are definitely the way to go.
Oh, by the way, the lawnmower at 1 hour 6 minutes reminded me of Eric O at South Main Auto...... I guess he isn't the only one with that problem ! ! !
Thanks James for another informative lesson...... and to think that people pay good money to go to school....and get less knowledge than you give out weekly For Free !
Thank you, very much !
My late father in law's Isuzu diesel truck had been parked for 18 years. Hooked up a couple of batteries and it started before one revolution of the crank, frightened the life out of me!
I am from Barbados and I must say honestly watching your videos are better than watching any primetime tv.i spend hours every week and all weekend watching these videos .and I have learnt quite a lot.Thank you Mr condon keep up the good work
These videos are they only thing that makes being up early on a Thursday worth it
sigh - I'm up late - way too late! But yes, great videos...
To save your back ….can you possibly install a sled to take weight of he motor or stater
Some day you will meet a girl.
Ok Doomer
@@billhenry7833
I’ve met a lot of great women, but I’ll take working on a good motor any day of the week. Of course working on some great ladies is kinda nice, too!
James has the patience of a saint and the mind of an engineer...tenacious, also. Thank you, James.
My kids found the same generator curbside labeled as a Titan Power 5500W Diesel High Performance. They hauled that diesel home a few blocks on 2 flats. I got it running and gave it to my son when he moved out. Thank you and our fellow subscriber for saving this from the scrap heap.
Thanks! James, broke my pelvis 2 weeks ago and have been enjoying your videos as I recover. Really enjoy your style of presentation!
James is like a Zen master. The calmest dude on TH-cam working on the most stubborn issues sometimes.
PERFECTLY SAID! what a great teacher.
Thank you so much!! Please feel better soon!!!
OK Mr. Condon, now THIS one is my new favorite. It seems like I think that every other week. I wish my generator was a diesel. Excellent job!
I'm Entering retirement, your expertise always is impressive. With Fourty two years of machine tool, and hvac, I am glad there are a few of us skilled guys left.
Have a great day James. 👍
Thank you!
Best entertainment I’ve found so far. Really fun watching a quality pro at work with these restorations.
Oh wow, a diesel generator. This should be fun.
They are fun, I have an almost identical one.
That's a sweet machine. It's confidence inspiring. Diesel. ❤. Great job fixing it. That was the most complicated repair I've seen. You're a bloody genius, James. I wish you nothing but the best.😊
Thanks 👍
I Always look forward to our weekly education by James
James I have a Titan diesel almost a twin to what you have there. I used it for the first time when things got bad in Houston a few months ago. We ran it for about 3 days and had no problems with it . Everyone was lined up 10 deep for the gas pumps vs 2 diesel trucks & myself for my gen juice. I will not buy another gas gen. Rollin Coal in H Town.
Yes! This video helped me! 30 years in the maintenance industry, I've seen us go from maintaining and repairing to replacing with garbage. Your pride in your work was a sight for sore eyes. That genset is Badass!
James, I just want to thank you for all you do. I don't repair generators or lawnmowers like you do. But, the knowledge that you share can be applied to other items. I have two Model A Fords (1928 & 1931). I cleaned out the carburetor using simple green and my ultrasonic cleaner. It cleaned out the carburetor extremely well. I would not have thought about using the ultrasonic cleaner if it wasn't for you! Thanks for all you do! Keep it up!
Just having breakfast and watching your excellent vid.
I retired after 60 yrs of industrial engineering so it’s alway a pleasure watching someone else work lol.
There’s always challenges and problems to resolve, once an engineer always an engineer.
Keeps the gray matter ticking over, thanks James.
Thank you!
Good mix of tasks, increased complexity, electrical ground safety and of course a functioning appliance. Another good one James.
Amazing restoration. Great explanations too. I think the LED power indicator on the 120v was a good workaround. I think I'd try to connect it to the unprotected terminals of the GFCI though. If someone later down the line used it solely with the larger output plugs, but had inadvertently tripped the GFCI, they may never see that power indicator work as intended.
Glad to see a diesel generator repair in the mix of videos even though this was mostly a generator head rebuild. Impressive how you had the parts and knowledge to adapt all of the electrical components and connections. Great work as usual.
My first car was an 81 VW rabbit diesel, it sat in a barn from 1996 until 2003 when I got it and after putting in a fresh battery, it fired up pretty easy on 7 year old diesel fuel, no problem. Drove it 35 miles home on that old fuel too, no issue.
Valuable piece of equipment saved yet again.
Well done james 👍
Thanks 👍
@@jcondon1
Would you happen to have a repair video regarding a Honda 1000 portable generator? James, you are amazing, thanks!
I am always amazed at your wiring skills. If I saw that jungle of wires it would be all over for me! Now you got me thinking about switching to a diesel generator.
Go for it!
My hat's off to you for correcting all that wiring! Excellent, Jim! 👍
Thank goodness that nut came off the starter! That's a sweet diesel engine. Smoked a bit under full load.
Thanks 👍
i case people don't know.... DON'T run a diesel gen set WITH OUT a load. here's why the diesel engine will do whats called "slobber" witch means some of the injected fuel will start to "wash" the cylinder wall down taking the oil away from the piston and the cylinder. always try to have some type of med. size load to prevent this from happening. just what ive learned in generator mechanic's class. TO: James nice job. another one saved to live again.
You are spot in. I had one of these but it was running a Yanmar clone. It wasn't happy unless you were running the dog out of it. Great generator and got twice the hours that a gas generator got on a gallon of fuel.
Wet stacking is the term
Thank you!
Rance here, this was an excellent wiring tutorial ! For me it was tops & I consider you the BEST!
Would love to see more diesel generators on the channel!
They are hard to come buy, but have a lead on another similar Yanmar clone.
I'm interested in diesel generators now as well. But I'm just an armchair viewer at the moment -- I don't need a generator. I merely offer viewer interest.
Sadly America is allergic to anything the rest of the world uses, even if it would be better for us too... the metric system, mini splits, diesel engines... the list goes on. 😂
Your ability/knowledge to do something like this is amazing! Great stuff James!!
As a diesel truck owner I literally LOL'd when you said "roll some coal" 😁
🤣
That thing needs some mud tires now! (Though the axle didn't exactly inspire confidence, lol).
I am just pleased that you are not going to test me that i have been taking it all in at the end of the film. I was totally lost after about half an hour. I learned one thing though if i ever have to buy a generator when the satellites go wrong, get a diesel engine generator (preferably with a starting handle) 😀. All the best from England.
Very impressive, I’ve never seen a small diesel powered generator before. If frequent outages are a problem one of these would be a great way to go since fuel issues are at a minimum and it would cost much less to operate than a gas or propane generator. Nice work sir!
I would definitely look for an actual yanmar not one of these clones if you plan on depending on it.
Once again an outstanding job. Let me point out one minor detail. When you wired the new 120 volt power light you connected to the load side of the GFCI. The power light will not light up if the GFCI is tripped and there will actually be power. The connection should be on the line side of the outlet where the existing wires were coming into the outlet. This way the light will turn on regardless of the state of the GFCI outlet. I hope this helps and thank you again for making outstanding educational videos.
I'm surprised the company said to just throw away the non working generator. That's an expensive machine to just throw away.
A great job, and very nice looking machine. 😊
It's also a heavy one with expensive shipping and when you add to that manhours for someone to fix it, price of replacment parts and fact that it can be be sold again only discounted as refurbished item...it's cheaper for them to just write it off.
@@gorjy9610
Sir, thank you, that does make sense.
Thank you!
This is your most impressive project yet! Your knowledge and experience with generator back ends and wiring of the control panel, is absolutely amazing! Your troubleshooting, logic and explanations are spot-on accurate and impressive! When you removed the old generator and bell housing and looked at the shaft, saying that it looks like a Honda clone, I was thinking there is no way that anything is going to correctly fit up to that! Boy was I wrong! You have a professional level of talent.
I was not sure about the shaft. It definitely looked a little different. Got lucky on this one.
It is surprising that the stator was burned up on a brand new generator. I find that rather difficult to understand. Assuming the manufacturer tests the machines before they leave the factory the stator insulation must have failed on the first test run. There sure were a lot of hoops to jump through to get this machine to produce power! Diesel engines are certainly superior for these kinds of applications. Thanks for another excellent video, Jim.
You're probably right. I suspect that this is a known defect to the manufacturer and their instruction to trash it and replace it was borne of repetition.
Perhaps one of the legs was wired backwards. If they then tried to run it in 120V mode the legs would fight each other and burn out. If tests were performed in 240V mode then each leg would have 120V and although there would be no 240V output the fault might not be detected.
Thank you!
China China China
Another possibility here is that a large 120V load was connected to a single receptacle with the generator in 240V/120V mode. Only half of the field windings would have been utilized and with such a snotty little engine driving the alternator, it would have been easy to overload the stator.
Your videos tend to over explain except if you watch them enough James keeps throwing out these little valuable tips. I have been watching James for at least two years and when one of his videos pops up it my first choice to watch. I have learned so much about generators, carburetors and the operation of small engines. Thank you James and thanks for sharing. I have watched this before.
diesel is definitely the fuel of choice for standby generators, which get used rarely or stored for long periods
@@emylrmm as long as you treat with biocide and tightly seal the fuel tank. Diesels love to attract water, and loves to grow bacteria lol
James proving once again, that "One man's trash is another man's treasure."
Well done re: what you did this time on the electronics end of things. 👍 as always.
So, not only a mechanical but also an electrical engineer. One of the best on you tube in my estimation.
Thank you!
@@jcondon1 what is your background experience?
I think it is IT?
Well done James! You broke new ground taking on a diesel genny and as always, your knowledge of the problem side of the rig was all it took to get the unit working correctly. I had done dozens of petrol cars before I took on a diesel and although there are differences, they are still suck, squeeze, bang and blow. I was surprised how close to the generating limit the engine was matched to, as diesel's generally have a bit spare up top as they produce more torque. That field coil looked as though it had been running over the limit on one phase and got cooked out (Likely someone asked all 6Kw off one phase in a 240 volt config instead configured for 120 volts only.... Either way round, you have a pretty strong engine that can work on veg oil or red diesel to keep it cheap on the running costs...
Bravo sir, you did your channel proud and we got to see you succeed whilst out of your comfort zone (A rare occurrence).... keep em coming and it's yet another scrap heap challenge, that will keep giving now that you have blessed it with your attention... hope you get a worthy profit from your efforts
Thank you!
I am glad you did this video!!! I love diesel generators much more than gasoline.
Another rather complex fix. Lots of great info packed into this video. You should have a PhD in generator science. Great work, great video, keep 'em coming!
Glad it was helpful!
Rusted and corroded like its from the city dump! Who in their right mind would abuse such a great little clone engine. However, I love the fact the guy who owned it stored it in the bottom of a creek covered with moss, horse droppings, old news papers, nuclear waste and 4 years of scrap pallets and it still started!
🤣
Awesome to finally see a diesel generator!
Have been waiting for this for a couple of years.
I have 5 diesel generators using various sizes of these yanmar engines, and they always start and run fantastic.
Very cool!
When you passionate about your job this is what happens you get it done
Hello James, very interesting and informative video. You're real professional not only in repairing the generators but in making high qualities videos. Thanks for the video.
Thanks
What a beautiful restoration. You've done a wonderful job, James. Thanks for sharing.
Another award winning resuscitation! Major surgery did make it well worth it!
Suggest to draw the current circuit, and then draw the new circuit with the stuff removed. This is hugely educational both for you and the viewer. Thanks.
I'm one of the first to watch each of your videos. I live in Thailand and it's always Thursday evening at 6pm. Very interesting! Definitely keep going! But finally get yourself some 10-20% phosphoric acid. Apply it to the rust, wait/let it dry, wash it off and paint over it straight away...
Thanks for the tip!
between you and arch's garage, i've been able to keep my 13yr old 160gcv honda powered troy-bilt running like a dream. you provide an invaluable service with your videos and your presentation/delivery, with step by step direction that is the best in the business. This is one of the best channels on the tube.
That is awesome!
Just when I thought there would be nothing new to see in your videos...
this one was well worth watching.
Thank you!
I’m watching you spray painting the frame, and Nostalgia hit. Being in my grandfathers shop, you could alway smell the spray paint any time you walked in.
If the company sends a replacement, and tells you to just throw the faulty machine away, you can estimate how big their margin is.
I disagree a bit. It does however say something about thier integrity that they value their reputation over thier profit margin. Smart companies know how much a bad reputation can cost them in future sales.
Shipping a generator which has had fuel in it via common carrier can be very expensive. When I worked remotes for a TV network they used to buy Honda generators in the remote city and donate to charity or just give them away to local crews at the end of the remote. The carriers wouldn't take them unless they had been certified empty of fuel by an authorized service center. The cost and time needed were not worth it.
Why would they want a 13 year old machine 🤔 back anyway. That sounds like a heck of a warranty program.
@@ManMountainMetals I understand it was covered by warranty, so it was new then. He just kept the defective one, too, instead of throwing it away.
I had a problem generator
generator number 3 replacement they had there fill and cut me off
I didn’t even try #3 I just sold it new in box
Amazing, as always. During my first views of your videos, I was confused and impressed that you knew what each component was, or probably was. That you knew the intent of the designers' wiring. And that you knew the correct names & functions of all motor & generator parts. Knowing how & when to adjust valves & potentiometers to correct problems you hear or measure seemed another bit of wizardry. Well, after watching more and more, I STILL think you're a wizard! But I'm willing to accept that you know all this, not through intuition or osmosis or magic, but through training and years of hands-on experience, probably gained through working as a troubleshooter or designer of generators & small engines. However you got this knowledge, I sure appreciate you taking the time to present it so cleanly and legibly. Your speech is without flaw. Your sentences are well crafted and timed to keep my interest while presenting a competent and confident attitude. James, you're a testament to how we all should act in private and in public. With calmness. Without curse words. With a positive and pleasant attitude. The world could use a LOT more people like you, in EVERY job and market and occupation. Thank you, again. And please keep up the excellent work!
Thank you!
Great job, I didn’t know they made small diesel generators, I hope someday you rebuild one of those engines, I’d like to see how they work.
My new favorite video in your playlist!! Great info, and I am sure I will revisit this one dozens of times.... I own one almost identical to this, as I live in the Philippines now, retired. I have owned mine for 8 years. It gets fairly regular use. Our power goes out at least once or twice a week on average with outages sometimes only 15 to 30 minutes, but not uncommon for it to be out for 8 hours on occasions. It has been on for a 36 hour run cycle at least 3 times in the 8 years.
Things I keep on hand as spares... The fuel shut off solenoid. The starter solenoid. One starter complete. The only NON fixable part I have found is that regulator. The diesel engine makes this part vibrate so bad, it stops charging the battery after about 3 or 4 days. Replaced it 2 times then gave up and put the battery in a box about 6 feet away from the generator set and let it stay charged at trickle charge rate full time. I also keep brushes for spares, on my 3 rd set. The oil changed regularly as it gets used regularly, and so far have not had any hint at an engine issue. Starters for this beast are expensive, so keep an eye out for sales on them and get a spare, not only expensive but at least here, kind of rare and difficult to find. Love mine. When it finally dies, I am going directly out and get a new one.
MANY thanks on this one. dozens of take aways for me here!!!!
Love the sound of that diesel! Nice work. That will make someone a nice generator.
I hope so!
A lot of hands-on and mental work went into this one, hope is was worth it, nice going James
The education and practice alone definitely makes up for any shortfalls!
Doc, you go above and beyond a will it run video
I was surprised at how dirty the oil was for "No Power Output Since New"...
Nice rescue / conversion... You overcame a lot of hurdles... Impressive work and sleuthing out the problems...
Must have had some run time to do it, probably while trying to get it working. Compared to a diesel at its regular oil change interval, that looked fairly clean as you could still see though it when he was draining it.
Thank you!
These chinese Yanmar clones love fully synthetic good quality oil. Also check the valve lash, as most of them have "loose nuts&bolts" everywhere. I have a "Power Mate 8000" and I run mine with Castrol Titanium FST engine oil, and the fuel is HVO. Mine starts every time, either pull start or with the key, no matter temperature ( -17C to +30C ).
when doing the super small wires you can add a bare ferrule and crimp that on to the small wire, it will allow the ring terminal to fit better. i really like how easy and consistent that diesel motor runs, want me to run out and get a diesel gen.
That unit has an awful lot of rust and corrosion for something with virtually zero hours on it,. The previous owner must've stored it outdoors!
However, he held on to it knowing that it had some value. Good save James!
Thank you!
It struck me as possibly significant that a lot of that frame rust was right around where the battery was located. Perhaps a bit too much water was added? Or a bit too high of a charge rate?
@@Roy_Tellason I wonder if the battery possibly froze, leaking acid down the side.
I wish I had one tenth your knowledge and ability for electrical work. I can do anything mechanical but electrical stuff is something I have a hard time learning.
On a separate note, a bit of jb weld would have smoothed out that pitted metal so nicely.
Thank you!
After the sandblasting, fill in pitting with a thin coat of jb-weld, sand it smooth, then paint. Really provides great results
What will really impress you is the runtime you get from that tank... It's almost like they don't use fuel at all.
This shows quite a bit of ingenuity! As a former electronic engineer...I salute you. Excellent job!
But you should label it Durostar+1
Thank you!
Honestly didn't think they made consumer grade diesel generators. Another Master Class from James Condon. Impressive indeed.
Next time stop at the third word... We got it from there.
Great video James. Your ability to teach is really impressive. Have a great weekend.
21:36 I'm pretty sure that storage facility is only open at night 😂
That was hilarious 😂
ha ha ha.... yeah, I have never seen it in the daylight!!
I would guess nighttime is the only time he has to get to his stash. Thanks Jim for giving your free time up so your followers can have enjoyment!
It's the only way he can catch the furry critters... with that amount of poop on the shelves you have to wonder what they are eating!
I'm fairly certain I've seen it at least once in broad daylight probably in a video like 2 years ago 😂
Thank you for posting this really excellent video. When you opened the electrical box and rewired it, I was surprised to see how very clean the wires were. Not one hint of dust, crud, dirt, or insects. Pretty much as clean as the day the unit was built. I would have expected at least some dust. Then again, I'm an innocent who has never refurbished a generator. I enjoyed viewing this very much.
A nice refurbishment on this one, and a diesel! Like you say no carb to go bad, no coil or plug either. Could probably leave that genny for 5 years and it'll just start right up. Also am I the only one that loves how that engine sounds while spooling up to full speed on startup?
Wow! Lovely! Yes buy a diesel!
My thanks to your wife for releasing you to share so much time with us. And to Bill!
I need to start screen shotting these comments and sending to her 🤣🤣
I have a 8 kw lights plant and it is a diesel powered generator that is cheap to operate and has a 30 gallon tank. I use it for backup for the house with limited power but it keeps fridges all running and hot water heater
I have always heard that if you are going to tow boats and heavy items with your truck then it should be a diesel because they won't bog down like a gas engine will. And this generator certainly demonstrates that.
@James Condon - Have you ever considered renewing the windings on stators that have a short? I've seen videos on how it's done, and with the right equipment, it doesn't seem a too difficult a task, and would save you junking stators.
I have considered it, but do not have the time. Also the videos I have seen do not really go into the details.
Hello James you always make amazing videos explaining the methods of fixing things and how to overcome problems the wiring on this generator was a bit complicated but you solved it in the end its great to see you solving problems you saved another one again all the best from England.
DuroStar diesel just went on my list
It was like "oh you got a sandblaster finally" and then "no it's dead"😂 would be really cool to see some work on diesel generator engine after this video. Really looking forward to
love the videos. have u ever tried the flameless heat guns. there awesome for getting bolts out with out burning other stuff
Thanks for the tip
Excellent electrical skill work. I thought for a moment I was watching "Watch Wes Work" LOL. Keep up the good work. One of my favorites now.
Thanks 👍
I see a video, I like it, then I watch it and wish I could like it a second time!
Thank you!
Enjoyed that, found it very interesting. The wiring on generators scares me but a lot less now after watching several of your videos. Runs very well👏
At 136.20 the extension union for the oil drain seems to be screwed against the frame and then goes to the sump part of the engine. There should be a cutout in the frame so that the union is screwed directly to and against the sump, otherwise the engine vibration (being a diesel) will render it loose. Which is what happened when you found it loose.🐞
Thanks James for killing your lovely garden grass with the primer and the Matt black paint.
🤣it’s prettier this way
@@jcondon1 😂🤣😅
@@jcondon1😂😂😂👍
5 years ago I bought a 6.5kw gas powered generator, I have questioned this decision ever since, I've never had an issue with my machine but I do pull it out a couple of times a year put some fuel in it run for about an hour, put a load on it drain the tank and carburetor and put it away until I need it or need to check it, thanks for excellent video
Thank you!
Great video, Diesel sure can make a gas engine look weak. Liked the part showing how you bonded the neutral, could a switch be installed to do that? I have a generator that I connect to the house, but also use with cords.
I have a yanmar clone and I love it. We had 110% tax credit on house renovation in Italy and I now have a perfectly insulated house heated by my 42 kw lifepo batteries and when my solar array can’t keep up during winter I run and charge the house off free waste oil I get from a local car shop. I’ve been running all my house at 0 euro for the past 3 years. I have a 500lt tank connected and remote start from my solar control panel. I save like 5000 euro by year
Well done, James!
Thank you so much!!
When I saw Diesel I thought that maybe we were going to get some insight into that kind of engine. Darn! :-) That engine does have some pretty impressive performance, for sure.
Great job. You reminded me why I love diesels
Thanks for watching!
Hi James. Thanks for this video. I was always under the impression that the diesel generators ran at 1500/1800 rpm and uses a 4-pole rotor. I really enjoyed this video.
a lot of the bigger ones do, but these small single cylinder diesel engines are rated at 3000/3600 rpm, and are a drop in replacement for the 400cc honda engines in a lot of applications.
Hi James,
When you changed the oil you forgot to wash the oil filter which is located on the left side on the side with the oil drain plug...that little black plastic thing that is held on with a 10 mm screw. It's basically a strainer with a filter role,...in which you will probably find metal flakes from the connecting rod bearings. This engine I think is a yanmar engine (or clone)...not sure.
What I want to know from you is how do you tell if the rpm of a diesel engine like this is correct...how can you measure it? Extraordinary video as usual!
James many years watching your show. Love yah buddy.
Have you considered buying a little AC-DC power supply module from DigiKey to re-supply the 12 volt output from the AC side? You could at least get a couple amps that way, though if you want more like 10 or 20 amps the supply is going to be pretty large.
I have in the past, but at the end of the day it is a manual charger. A smart charger that you plug into the AC side would work better.
I believe the main thing that would prevent most homeowners from purchasing diesel gens is just the inconvenience of having to get diesel fuel. I haven't looked up any but guessing they're cost prohibitive also. Great video as always!
Quite possibly! And thank you!
Have been watching numerous youtube videos about rewinding stators and rotors. Given the cost and availability of these parts, maybe someday you will try your hand at it. Given enough time I am sure you could figure it out. Just a thought.
Another fun and excellent episode! I wonder if they had a known manufacturing problem, so they knew complete replacement was the most economical "fix" for Bill. It just seems extreme to 100% replace a machine like that. Or maybe it was a Chinese or other non-US manufacturer with no repair network at all in the US. Either way "throw away the old one" is a tragic solution, though in this case not. Great!
James. From a guy who has hundreds of hours working on these. *Total warning on these engines.* If the original buyer who stored it in a septic tank did not change the oil after a few minutes you can have permanent engine damage that will be rod bearing catastrophic in no time. FLUSH THAT ENGINE ASAP!!!!! These all end up with rod bearing failure in short time due to owners not changing the WASH OUT OIL from them. Not break in oil, WASH OUT OIL! You have to do that on even a Perkins, Subaru, Kaito or Yanmar clones due to the fine metallic in them. All of them. Flush block with diesel fuel 2X, allow to drip for a hour, and then refill with good 15/40 and only use Ford Motorcraft 15/40 Diesel oil ( very serious on that ) same as original for the 7.3 powerstroke engines in that engine. Using a paint brush and a gallon of pure orange juice paint on many coats of orange juice ( laugh later ) on the aluminum parts and then rinse with 3 gallons water with 1 table spoon per gallon of baking soda in it. Then one gallon clear water to clean all the pitting. Worth the effort and another video on it.
Absolute rubbish. Yanmar states first oil change after 50 hours and 200 thereafter.
@@Andrew-l6x4d Maybe watch the video or at least read the damn post I made before going full idiot on a reply post. It's a CLONE, not a Yanmar. China clone ( COPY ) of a Yanmar. They are not made by Yanmar.
Thanks for the info
@@jcondon1 I worked on RV Diesels the real Yanmar's and mainly the Generac 5500 model 6860 and 6864 or Winco 5500 with the 435cc in them. It is the engine that clone is based from. Sorta. And I worked on lots of them clones. The Clone you have uses a real Mitsu or Nippon injector and pump, Toyo Bearings but the rest is pure Hunan China. Due to the block being 3 stage ( 3 separate factories get parts in steps and build them ) real cleaning is always blamed on Casting, then blame machining then blame assembly stages as the parts travel around in huge bins. I suggest immediate and repeating oil swapping. You will see if you check the used oil but its full of metal on first change but if ran long enough the particles are pulverized and hard to see.
They are good for 4500-5000 hours to TBO if treated right but 200 if not.