Craftsman 4Kw 120/240 Model 580.327052

[Dave Scott]

I recently purchased a Craftsman Generator. It was running fine when I purchased it however I very stupidly killed it within a vey short period of time.

After reading through many of the posts here I am hopeful with some guidance and luck I will be able to resurect it from the dead.

The means with which I killed it was either shutting it down or starting it up under load or dampness. I had it bolted down on a cargo carrier on the back of a bus covered with Christmas light decorations in a parade on a rainy night.

I located a Sears website with a parts list and an exploded drawing. It offers a manual however I don't know if that is a repair manual or the user manual which I already have in my possession.

In reading I gather that this is in actual fact a Generac generator. Does this help in the likelyhood of me being able to repair it successfully?

If someone can provide some initial direction? Check to see if there is 'any' A/C output voltage? Would it be signifigant if there is any D/C output?

"Flashing" has been mentioned although I haven't yet found a description of what flashing is, does or the procedure.

While I'm thinking about it, although the engine starts pretty much on the first pull is there an after market electric start kit?

If I go to Generac.com do the model numbers correspond?

Thanks

Dave

[Fred M.]

Dave-

The first thing to check is the circuit breakers.

When you say you killed it, what does that mean? If the engine still starts on the first pull, nothing you mentioned should have hurt the generator. If it is still in warrantee, take it back to Sears!

If the engine won't start, it may be moisture on the spark plug wires shorting the high voltage. Either waiting for it to dry out or spraying the spark plug wires with WD-40 may be all that is needed to get the engine running again.

The manual listed at the Sears web site is most likely the same as came with the generator. The "580" in your model number refers to Generac as the source. According to a generator book published by Clymer, the 327052 is Generac model 9085-2, although that number may not be of any value to you. You probably won't find it at the Generac Portables web site, http://www.generac-portables.com/.

Looking at the Sears diagram, you might use an Ohmmeter to check the two rectifiers. Item 8 appears to be the one that provides DC field current to the brushes. Item 40 appears to be the one that provides DC to the 12 volt battery charging outlet.

"Flashing the field" is only needed when a generator has sat unused for several years, and lost its magnetism. If yours worked recently, it is unlikely to need flashing.

Fred

[Dave Scott]

What happened was it was working fine. I was driving around and the lights went out, it was raining. I thought it ran out of gas, went to gas station, pulled it was still running but no lights, I shut it off with the load still connected from the lights. I added gas, I started it with the light load stillon, nothing, still no lights. I turned it off again, pushed the breaker reset, did not detect any detent as if the breakers with tripped. Restarted it, plugged in the lights nothing, drove around and after a little while lights came back on again. Drove around some more lights went out again; went home, turned it off again. Next day as I RTFM I see it says don't start or shut down with load connected. I figure this is what I did to kill it or because it was raining moisture got somewhere. When I start trying to trouble shoot it I'll check to see if there is any output at all from receptacles. Engine starts without issue its an electrical problem. I don't actually know what you can do to a generator starting it under load.

[Tim0477]

drove around and after a little while lights came back on again. Drove around some more lights went out again

Sounds as if you have a connection that worked loose somewhere internally. Try the easy stuff first, make sure all the electrical connections are tight, no broken wires, and that sort of thing. Have a Sears generator that I aquired for cheap. Owner said it worked for a while then stopped producing electricity. Took the cover off the outlet box on the side of the generator and found a loose wire feeding the receptacles. Has been fine ever since.

Tim

[Jim Rankin]

"""I don't actually know what you can do to a generator starting it under load."""
Dave,
When you start up or shut down under load, some voltage regulators will attempt to keep the generator voltage up as the set coasts down. this can oveload the regulator and field components such as diodes on the armature.

Many regulators now a days have a roll-off feature where once the set slows down more than a few hz, the regulator cuts the excitation proportional to the speed reduction. This protects the regulator etc. and also allows the set to quickly recover from a sudden, temporary overload, though with a more dramatic dip in voltage output.

[armandh]

look for a thermal breaker in the field circuit or you may have a bad cap [also thermally sensitive]