Westerbeke Generator output question.

[370Dancer]

Your exciter circuit is not getting excited until you throw a substantial load on it. You are on the right track with the capacitor. Be aware, my windings had changed resistance a bit over 20 years, and required a different uF value to obtain the correct voltage range for the given 1800 RPM. I have lots of troubleshooting manuals from Westerbeke, on the engine and electrical ends. You should also be able to get them from their site.

 

[bone354]

Which model do you have. Mine was doing same thing its a 4.5bcgtc . I changed the cap Part#035985 and it corrected the problem.

 

[GuyFM]

Mine is doing the exact same thing. Start generator, let it warm up, switch to ON on panel and only reads about 30 volts. It it turn on the water heater the load causes it to then read 115v. I'll check the capacitor and let ya'll know.

 

[mleone101]

So after putting the capacitor in I changed the water pump impeller and fired it up it ran good for like 10 minutes and then something let go on the charging side and it sounded real bad and it shut itself down, then I started it back up sounded good but then the horrible noise came back. I have to have it looked at.

 

[Stee6043]

All of the generator threads on this site would make for a killer country song. Many times I have wished for a divorce from my Westerbeke...but when she's running and putting out (power) it's hard to hate her.

I wonder how badass I'd look with "7.0BCG" tattooed on my bicep.

I had one of the capacitors changed on my Beke last year. Post repair it still does the same thing...needs a load start producing power. I gave up on 2019 and attributed it to an incompetent repair person. I'm actively seeking someone smarter to really fix it this spring!

 

[370Dancer]

All of the generator threads on this site would make for a killer country song. Many times I have wished for a divorce from my Westerbeke...but when she's running and putting out (power) it's hard to hate her.

I wonder how badass I'd look with "7.0BCG" tattooed on my bicep.

I had one of the capacitors changed on my Beke last year. Post repair it still does the same thing...needs a load start producing power. I gave up on 2019 and attributed it to an incompetent repair person. I'm actively seeking someone smarter to really fix it this spring!

I'd come help, but I don't go North of Tennessee for anybody. When I initially changed my caps for the very same reason, it didn't seem to help. I read up some more on the exciter circuit and what it does, and decided to increase the capacitance of the can. Viola! My assumption is that the windings of the generator have shifted in resistance over the years (22), and I just needed a different size cap to get the exciter going again. That did require me to move the transformer taps until I got the correct voltage for the exciter. You might try that first. Mine was out of spec, even using the #9 taps on both caps. That was about 7 years ago, and the she's still putting out like a good girl...
Here are the keys to the kingdom for understanding her mood swings.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/qewiybdrgfb2vd6/bc_troubleshooting_manual.pdf?dl=0

 

[Stee6043]

I'd come help, but I don't go North of Tennessee for anybody. When I initially changed my caps for the very same reason, it didn't seem to help. I read up some more on the exciter circuit and what it does, and decided to increase the capacitance of the can. Viola! My assumption is that the windings of the generator have shifted in resistance over the years (22), and I just needed a different size cap to get the exciter going again. That did require me to move the transformer taps until I got the correct voltage for the exciter. You might try that first. Mine was out of spec, even using the #9 taps on both caps. That was about 7 years ago, and the she's still putting out like a good girl...
Here are the keys to the kingdom for understanding her mood swings.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/qewiybdrgfb2vd6/bc_troubleshooting_manual.pdf?dl=0

Nice. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Arnie G.]

Which model do you have. Mine was doing same thing its a 4.5bcgtc . I changed the cap Part#035985 and it corrected the problem.

So after putting the capacitor in I changed the water pump impeller and fired it up it ran good for like 10 minutes and then something let go on the charging side and it sounded real bad and it shut itself down, then I started it back up sounded good but then the horrible noise came back. I have to have it looked at.

How did you get the old capacitor out of the generator ? I have a bad capacitor which makes me have to switch the load on and off around 10 times before voltage eventually comes up.. Put a new one in to test, just hanging off the side of the generator and problem fixed. That said the capacitor seems to have a screw on the end of it, so tried to twist the old one out. Nothing to grab onto to get it out. Is there a special tool or technique to pull the old capacitor ? I have an 18 year old unit, so it’s probably in there pretty good..

 

[370Dancer]

The originals have a clamp around them, that you can loosen. If memory serves, it's a small screw head in the 110 A/C distribution box on the 7.0BCG. Cover off the electrical end of the gen where the caps are, look in with a flashlight and see if you can find the clamp. It's like the clamps used for wire bundles, and hose. then cover off the box with the dual pole breaker, and hunt for the head side of the bolt. I remember it being a 2-56 bolt and nut on the inside. Frankly, after replacing the caps, they fit so snugly I did not try to re-tighten the clamp. Been that way for many years, but I am not making ocean passages on that one.

 

[bone354]

Arnie It is a pain to change like 370 dancer said. There is 4 small screws in each corner of the control box.Once that is off I believe you have to remove the bracket that the control panel was mounted to. Then you can get at the Cap. I have the 340 it was tight to do. The hardest one was behind the heavy A/C cables i had to remove them. I used a mirror to find them.