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Common Faults and Troubleshooting Methods of Diesel Generator Sets (Final Part)

Nov 24, 2025 | China News | 0 comments

As shown in Table 9: Generator Electrical Faults

Fault Phenomenon Causes Handling Methods
No Power Generation or Abnormal Voltage 1. Fuse blown After confirming the circuit is normal, replace the fuse and then close the switch.
2. Electrical meter damaged Directly measure the generator terminal voltage with a multimeter voltage range.
3. Electrical meter inaccurate Calibrate the meter regularly and replace it if necessary.
4. Poor contact of regulator pins Check the regulator (50Hz, 60Hz) and whether the pins are loose.
5. Surge voltage suppressor short-circuited Inspect the varistor winding to ensure no short-circuit phenomenon.
6. Rotating diode damaged Remove the connection wire from the rotating rectifier to the main machine rotor field, measure the diode with a calibrated multimeter, and replace the tube if damaged.
7. Wiring error Check in detail and correct according to the wiring diagram.
8. Open circuit of exciter field coil Splice the broken wire with solder, wrap it with insulating material.
9. Loose wiring or poor contact Clean the wiring and reconnect it properly.
10. Open circuit of generator armature coil Locate the open-circuit point, re-solder and bind it.
11. Short circuit of generator armature coil Short circuit will cause serious heating, so the coil should be replaced.
12. Open circuit or short circuit of exciter armature coil Locate the fault point and replace the coil.
13. Abnormal speed Check the generator speed with a tachometer or frequency meter.
14. Voltage regulator protection switch operates Adjust after correcting according to the voltage regulator manual.
15. Voltage regulator failure Replace the voltage regulator.
Generator Voltage Fluctuation 1. Incorrect speed Check the tachometer and frequency meter to calculate the generator speed.
2. Unstable speed Verify the stability of the governor.
3. Poor stability of the voltage regulator Refer to the regulator manual and adjust the voltage regulator stability.
4. Wiring fault or loose wiring terminal Check all wiring for looseness or poor connection.
5. Faulty diode, surge voltage suppressor, or generator winding Perform a separate excitation test on the generator (using a 12V battery).
6. Faulty remote voltage regulation potentiometer Refer to the regulator manual and check the working status of the remote potentiometer.
7. Regulator fault Refer to the regulator manual and replace the regulator.
8. Poor bearing or worn bearing support causing asymmetric air gap Replace the used bearing, inspect the bearing support for wear, and replace if necessary.
Motor Overheating 1. Overload Always pay attention to the ammeter to avoid overloading.
2. Short circuit of AC armature coil Replace the short-circuited coil.
3. Blocked ventilation Thoroughly blow out the interior of the motor.
4. Short circuit of exciter armature coil Replace the short-circuited coil.
Common-Faults-and-Troubleshooting-Methods-of-Diesel-Generator-Sets-(Final-Part)

As shown in Table 10: Mechanical Failures of Generators

Fault Category Fault Phenomenon Measures
Bearing One or two bearings overheating (bearing temperature exceeds 80°C). With or without abnormal noise If the bearing turns blue or the grease turns black, replace the bearing
End cover is misaligned (boss not properly installed)
Abnormal Temperature Generator base overheating (40°C higher than ambient temperature) Blocked air passage (air inlet/outlet) or hot air recirculation between prime mover and generator
Remove air passage blockages
Generator operating temperature too high (over 105% rated voltage under load)
Generator overload
Vibration Excessive vibration Misalignment (coupling)
Improper installation with prime mover
Unqualified rotor balance (prime mover-generator)
Obvious vibration and noticeable noise inside the motor Generator single-phase operation (single-phase load, switch error or installation error)
Stator short circuit
Noise Generator is severely hit, followed by noise and vibration System short circuit – possible result of wrong connection
Coupling broken or damaged
Shaft broken or damaged
Rotor deformed or short-circuited
Fan cracked or loose on shaft
Irreparable damage to rotating diodes or AVR
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