Charging system problem

I have a Kohler 10kw generator that runs fine but the battery charging circuit is not working. The model number on the generator is 10K63. The generator was built is 1953. Does anyone have a wiring diagram that shows how these charging systems worked? I thing there is a charge winding in the generator. Thanks:

largent63

You didn't mention if it is AC or DC, or the voltage. I have a 1952 manual for units up to 5KW, which has diagrams for all the different voltages, AC and DC. Most Kohlers I've seen in that age range have very similar electrics. AC units charged their batteries by reducing and rectifying the AC current. Let me know the voltage and I'll Email you a copy of the corresponding diagram, it should be very similar to yours.

Thanks for the response Gus! My generator is a 10KW, 115/230 volt and the battery voltage is 24VDC. I did not see anything to step down or rectify the A.C. except for the exitation circuitry. Any diagrams would be very helpful.

Thanks again:

largent63

I had a similar problem and eventually just connected a 110v battery charger up. When the gen set ran it's output ran the battery chgr which chgd the battery. If you don't have a 24v battery charger but do have 2 12v batteries you could connect up 2 chargers if you had them laying around, one on each batt. ......sort of hoaky but it would do the trick.

Just had another idea. If there doesn't appear to be charging circuits built into the generator end of the outfit, perhaps it had an engine driven generator mounted on the engine, if there is an unused mounting pad near the belt pulley perhaps the generator has been removed. If that's the case you could use a alternator off a late model compact car. Most are internally regulated and physically they are small. You may be able to figure out if there is a charger circuit built into the main generator buy checking wires going into/out of the generator. If you can get to the place where the wires actually enter the generator that's where you start, If the generator is a 110/240v output then you will probably have 3 (sometimes 4) identical in size wires, these eventually connect to the main load of the gen. There should be 2 wires of the same size that feed the field on the gen set and these are the output of the regulator unit. If there is internal battery charging windings then you would have either one or 2 wires that would go to a regulator (small box 2"x 3"x 4to5") mounted probably in the control box. One more thing to check is look where the wires go that connect to the battery terminals. There should be a smaller wire on the starter that goes to the starting switch then back to the starter. There should be a wire that leads to the coil (eventually, might go through a resistor first)Any extra smaller wires on the (+) starter terminal might go the the charging ckt. ......for what it's worth. There's a buzzilion ways of getting circuits connected and theres a fair chance none of what I mentioned may exist on your generator but sometimes you can "reverse engineer" the wiring and figure out what the wires are for. Good luck.

Thanks for the input! Since I posted the original message I have found a relay that appears to act as a voltage regulator. One of the contacts on this DPDT relay was bent badly enough that the relay could not operate properly. I bent the contact back in place but cannot test it because I have the cooling system torn apart. It had a heat exchanger that used city water instead of a radiator. I am presently changing that.

Thanks Again:

largent63