Generator Cleaning Question

[Paul in Colorado]

What can I use to clean the body of a cylindrical generator - inside and out - without damaging the field coils?

[Tom Wesenberg]

I use compressed air and a syphon sprayer with gas. I prefer to use gas with NO ethanol.

I made some end plates to cap off the field coils while I sandblast the case.

[Paul in Colorado]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

I use compressed air and a syphon sprayer with gas. I prefer to use gas with NO ethanol.

I made some end plates to cap off the field coils while I sandblast the case.

I cannot get gas with no ethanol. Is there anything else which will not damage the field coils? How about brake cleaner or paint thinner?

Paul

[John Stone]

How about naptha?

[jmeckel]

I use mineral spirts and blow out with compressed air.

[Tom Wesenberg]

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Originally Posted by Paul in Colorado

I cannot get gas with no ethanol. Is there anything else which will not damage the field coils? How about brake cleaner or paint thinner?

Paul

I have used gas with 10% ethanol and blow dry it right away, and there has been no damage. It sure hurts the hands more than the good gas though.

[Jim Brierley]

Paint thinner.

[jimvette59]

I used Electro Clean. It's a commercial product I don't remember where I got it but try and Google it. Jim.T.

[Mikeinnj]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

I use compressed air and a syphon sprayer with gas. I prefer to use gas with NO ethanol.

I made some end plates to cap off the field coils while I sandblast the case.

I believe that Tom is saying to clean the outside of the generator only.. Do not clean the coils with solvent.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Mikeinnj

I believe that Tom is saying to clean the outside of the generator only.. Do not clean the coils with solvent.

I've also cleaned the coils with my syphon sprayer and gas. I don't soak them, but a quick cleaning with the compressed air and gas will clean the junk off without hurting the coils. I stay back from the wrappings a bit with the compressed air. Sometimes I use gas and a soft paintbrush.

[partridgekelley]

NAPA sells an electromotive cleaner in a spray can. But the books say not to use anything that will desolve the coating on the field coils. I was wondering how kerosene would work = much easier on your hands too. I don't care to use the more powerful cleaners.

[jimvette59]

Originally Posted by Mikeinnj

I believe that Tom is saying to clean the outside of the generator only.. Do not clean the coils with solvent.

He mentioned the coils also. I use Lectro Clean it is made for electric motors.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Here is a Canadian powerhouse I just finished yesterday. I used gas in my syphon sprayer to clean the armature and field coils. After I repaired the armature, and undercut and polished the commutator, I sprayed clear laquer on the armature. This helps hold the wires and insulator together.

If you look near the center bottom of the armature, you can see a small silver dot. That is where I had to solder a 2" piece of copper wire from one of the coils to the commutator segment. I don't know how that wire was broken off and missing, and it didn't show up as a problem on my growler, because it's an OPEN, not a short. This appears to be a rewind on the armature, and a few pieces of the heavy insulator are missing where the wire leaves the core. I used clear epoxy to lock the wires in place so they don't rub on the sharp edge of the core. It was good to be able to save this armature because no one rewinds them anymore, and they and the brush holders are hard to find good spares.

I also replaced someone's stiff red plastic output wire with a soft very flexible black wire with 160 strands.

Canadian powerhouse generators are easy to spot by the thick outside of the case. Notice the case gets very thick after the rear cover area, where the common powerhouse has a straight side.

[Paul in Colorado]

Thanks for all the information and suggestions. I used paint thinner (mineral spirits) with an old toothbrush to clean the interior and coils. The armature is in good shape with minimal cleaning. I'm sure there is still some debris where the toothbrush was not able to reach, but I am not going to worry about it. The outside of the case is not rusted, so I am just cleaning and repainting it.

Paul