Generator Rewinds
Book a Site Survey
What Is Generator Rewinding?
Generator Rewinding is the process by which you are enabling an older motor to recover its productivity as seen when you first owned your generator. Most, if not all generators will feature winding coils, which can result in these coils wearing down with age. Hence the completion of generator rewinding is to implement new winding coils that will reinforce your generator as found prior.
The wear of these coils will naturally deteriorate over time as like all machinery – these are susceptible to wear and tears. As such, it is particularly important to gauge the conditions of your generator, especially if you don’t wish to lose power.
When you discover that your copper windings are damaged, it is paramount that you replace them to regain your once optimum performance. To locate these copper windings, they can be discovered in the rotating portions of your generator as well as the stationary.
These copper weldings will also be supported by thin layers of steel that are stacked together for additional protection. As our experts undergo the generator rewinds process, often is the case that the steel present will also be replaced.
How Can Generator Rewinds Help You?
If you regularly use a generator to provide power to specific areas of a building site for example, or it serves as a vital part of your day – then maintaining the condition of your generator is an absolute necessity. This is especially prominent if you have no other alternative for power.
In short, undertaking generator rewinding is more so an extension of the generator servicing process as a whole. The reason for this is that the main purpose of generator servicing is to increase the efficiency of your generator whilst also extending its longevity which will ultimately save you money on potentially seeking a replacement generator.
How Do You Know You Need A Generator Rewinding
How you can indicate when you need a generator rewinds service is if the cables within the stator begin to malfunction. To assess just how much your cables are deteriorating, you can locate the stator as it is a ring coiled with copper wires. The main function of a stator inside of a generator is to convert the rotating magnetic field to electrical energy (current).
Depending on the condition of these cables, this can often result in the generator failing to turn on altogether. Resulting in the untrained eye believing that a replacement is needed – this is simply not the case. Conducting the generator rewinding process, especially for the stator will be a consistent occurrence throughout your generator’s lifespan.
In addition to the condition of your cables, other circumstances will help you to detect when generator rewinding will be needed. These can include poor winding resistance, insulated resistance and even faulty parts not operating properly.
The Common Causes Of Generator Rewinds
As a general rule of thumb, our experts at Pleavin Power suggest that you keep a keen eye on the three most common causes which will require your generator to undergo a generator rewinds service. The first is a drop in winding resistance, regardless of how minute it is. Focusing your attention on this first will allow you to calculate if the shorted coils are the main source of the issue.
More often than not, you can see an engraving on the nameplate or printing within the documentation regarding the optimum level of winding resistance. Should you discover a consistent drop from the optimum level, a generator rewind is likely needed.
The next indication is concerning a drop in insulation resistance. This is often the attributing factor which results in winding faults. Proper insulation guarantees that heat garnered within the system remains under control, should the insulation resistance be fairly low – issues can arise which can result in your generator being at high risk of overheating and damaging.
The last and most obvious cause is deteriorating generator parts. Regardless of how long you have had your generator, over time, you will need to address issues within your generator. For instance, depending on the frequency of use, you can find issues such as burns, rust buildup and broken down parts altogether. Hence why a generator rewinding service falls within the bracket of generator services – as it is still under that umbrella.
Our experts at Pleavin Power will undergo rigorous testing before the rewinding process. Some of the tests that will be conducted are a before and after assessment regarding burnout. During this burnout test, if there’s an increase of 20% or more, this will be a cause for concern.
We will also test resistance measurements to verify any changes regarding copper losses. We will also test the rotor losses. Should we indicate that the rotor has indeed been damaged, this is something that we will flag as a priority.
Whether you have highlighted any of these signs with your generator(s) or there’s been a significant amount of time from your last analysis regarding the conditions – only you can ultimately decide whether you need to rewind your motor. It is also your decision whether you wish to keep your costs low and to prioritise efficiency – both of these a generator rewinding service can provide you.
How Can Pleavin Power Help You?
The generator rewinding service that we offer is just one of many actions that will ensure the longevity of your generator. Allowing you to save money by restoring the condition of your generator whilst increasing the longevity of it also. Should you have any questions or concerns regarding your generator and have concluded it may be about generator rewinds, feel free to get in touch with us today. Alternatively, we also have generators for sale and for hire.
