Homelite HL-EH-LR Rebuild Kit Tech Bulletin Rev A

TECHNICAL
BULLETIN

Fort Rock Technologies
HOMELITE GENERATOR END REBUILD KIT - INSTALLATION & TROUBLE-SHOOTING

WARNING!

Thank you for purchasing a Fort Rock Technologies Generator End Rebuild Kit! The
components used in this kit have been re-designed to address many of the common problems
that have caused field failures on the original OEM parts. In addition to other modifications, this
replacement kit features the following key improvements:
New Capacitor with Leads: Extra-long life capacitor with a higher Ripple
Current rating, higher voltage rating and a wider operating temperature range.
Lead Wires feature heat-shrink strain reliefs, strain-relieved fast-on terminals and
riveted/soldered connections to the capacitor.
New Brushes: Using high-end copper impregnated carbon brush material, a
copper shunt to carry higher currents, flat rate springs for more constant spring
pressure, and lower resistances, these brushes are designed to maximize life
and reduce running temperatures.
New Bridge Rectifier: Higher ratings of 35A and 800V vs. 12A at 400V for the
OEM part. Improved, secure mounting arrangement addresses the broken
plastic post problem. Terminals are clearly marked for easy installation.
New Capacitor Clip Mounting Screw: More secure capacitor mounting
arrangement replaces the plastic-post mounted Capacitor Clips that are
notorious for breaking free and wiping out the generator end.

STEP 1: BRUSHHEAD REMOVAL
Very carefully remove the four long
Stator Bolts that secure the Brush Head
to the Stator. Be careful not to lose the
Hex-lock Nuts that are on the end of the
Stator Bolts. Pull the brush head off
very carefully - if you pull it off hard or
fast, you can damage the brushes! Just
ease it off a bit at a time by rocking it
back and forth while gently pulling. The
brushes are spring-loaded and will pop
out of the Brush Holder as it clears the
Slip Ring. Now, TAKE PICTURES OF
THE WIRING AND WIRE ROUTING!!!

Installation of this kit or any other maintenance on the AC electrical system
of the generator must be performed by a qualified technician. Dangerous
voltages, rotating parts, and hot surfaces are present in the generator.
Failure to observe proper safety procedures, inexperience with high voltage
AC electrical systems and/or a misunderstanding of the procedures
described in this Technical Bulletin can lead to serious injury or death and/or
serious damage to the generator and its components. IF IN DOUBT, ASK!
Fig. 1: Removing the Brush Head

TECHNICAL
BULLETIN
HOMELITE Rebuild Kit
p. 2 EndRebuild.DOC Rev. A 9/11/13
STEP 2: CAPACITOR CLIP INSPECTION/UPGRADE
Remove the Capacitor from the Capacitor Clip it basically snaps into the clip.
Inspect the mounting arrangement on the Capacitor Clip. Some units used a screw
and nut to secure the clip which dont require upgrading. However, early units
used a toothed washer on a plastic post to secure the clip the plastic posts have a
tendency to break off, which typically results in the complete destruction of the
generator end! If you have the plastic post arrangement, perform the following
modification to prevent a future wipe-out:
Break off the plastic post with a pair of pliers to remove the clip. Carefully mark the
center of the boss where the plastic post broke off with a center punch. Drill this out
with a 9/64 drill bit take care to hit the center of the boss as close as possible.
When it is drilled out, the boss, which is used to locate the hole in the clip, should
still be intact! Use the included #6-32 screw, #6 Ny-lock Nut and Tooth-lock Washer
to re-secure the Capacitor Clip back in place. Install the Tooth-lock Washer, teeth
down, under the Lock Nut. As you tighten it down hard, the teeth will bear down on
the clip to keep it from rattling loose.

STEP 3: RECTIFIER REPLACEMENT
Locate the existing rectifier. Unplug the wires from it and move them out of the way.
It is also helpful to unplug the wires from the circuit breakers at this point too - take
careful note of where they all connect, you must not get them mixed up! Now would
be a good time to take some digital pictures!!!
Using a screwdriver, remove the existing rectifier by prying under it until the
mounting post breaks off. You can get under the rectifier by inserting the
screwdriver through the ventilation slot in the brush head (see Fig 3). There's no
good way to remove it and leave the post intact not to worry, you wont need it!


Fig. 2: Locate the Rectifier Fig. 3: Pry until it Breaks Off!

TECHNICAL
BULLETIN
Using a pair of needle-nose pliers, remove
the post that is next to where the rectifier
post was located, by bending it over until it
snaps off. Place the pliers low on the post
so that the whole post bends over and
snaps off right where it joins the brush
head. Don't twist it, just bend it over. If
need be, clean up the spot where it
snapped off so that it is fairly flat. This post
has to be removed to make room for the
new rectifier. See Fig. 4
Next, position the new Rectifier between
the two circuit breaker mounting bosses, as
shown in Fig 5. Make sure the positive
terminal, (marked with a red dot), is
oriented into the exact position shown in Fig
5 this is important. The rectifier will just
barely fit in this position, and it will be a tight
fit.
Using a 3/16" drill bit, match-drill a new
mounting hole for the rectifier - use the
rectifier as a drill guide (see Fig 6). Mount
the Rectifier permanently to the Brush Head
using the #10-32x3/4" Machine Screw and
the #10-32 Ny-lock Nut. You will need a
flat-blade screwdriver and a 3/8" nut driver
or socket to tighten the hardware (Fig 7).

Fig.4: Break off this post with pliers
Fig. 5: New Rectifier fitted to the Brush Head

Fig. 6: Match-drill a 3/16" Mounting Hole Fig. 7: New Rectifier Mounted to Brush Head

TECHNICAL
BULLETIN

Reconnect the yellow wires. Also,
connect the red and black wires from
the new Capacitor with Leads assy. The
rectifier wires match the colors of the dots
that mark the terminals. The red wire
goes to the "red dotted" terminal and the
black wire goes to the "un-dotted"
terminal. The yellow wires are not
polarized - they go to the "yellow-dotted"
terminals. You can also re-install the
Circuit Breaker wires that were
disconnected to get access to the rectifier.
Use the included cable ties to re-secure
the breaker wires out of the way of the slip
ring. You took pictures of the wire routing,
right?

STEP 4: CAPACITOR INSTALLATION
Note the existing connections that are made by the Capacitor & Leads. It is very
important not to get any of the connections mixed up. Taking a few good pictures with
a digital camera is a great way to keep track of connections.
Two black leads go to one of the Brush Holder terminals, two red leads go to the
other terminal. Note which terminal is which - you are going to remove these
terminals and you must not get them mixed up!
One black lead goes to one of the Rectifier terminals, one red lead goes to another
terminal on the Rectifier. There are two yellow leads that also connect to the
Rectifier. Note which terminal is which - you are going to remove the red & black
terminals and you must not get them mixed up! Red connects to "+" on the
rectifier and black connects to "-" on the rectifier.
Note how all of the lead wires are bundled together and how they are routed - this
is where the camera really comes in handy! It is important that you eventually get
everything secured in the same way since there are rotating parts inside of the
Brush Head that will snag a loose wire or poorly routed bundle, ruining the
generator!
The Brush Holder is secured to the Brush Head by two screws. Loosen the screws
and slide the Brush Holder free. It is not necessary to remove the screws - just loosen
them. It may be necessary to cut a cable tie or two at this point. Sometimes, it is very
hard to get at one of the screws because the lead is in the way - bend it out of the way
or cut through the terminal - you are replacing all of this anyway!


Fig. 8: Rectifier Connections

TECHNICAL
BULLETIN
Remove the terminals from the Brush Holder.
This is tricky. There are two snaps or tabs
located on opposite sides of each terminal.
Push these tabs into the terminal with a small
screwdriver or a bent paper clip. You will have
to rotate the terminal around carefully to get at
the other tab. Sometimes they come loose very
easily. Other times they don't want to release
and you have to "play with them" a bit. The idea
is not to damage the plastic Brush Holder when
removing the terminals! Inspect the Brush
Holder, if it is damaged, we carry replacements
in stock
As tempting as it may be to snap the leads into the Brush Holder, don't do it yet! First,
re-install the loose Brush Holder into the Brush Head. Make sure that it is positioned all
the way up under the screws and that both screws are tight.
Now you can snap the terminals on the new
Capacitor & Leads into the Brush Holder.
Check your notes - snap them into the same
side as they were before, and don't get them
mixed up. Most units are wired as shown in
Figure 10.
Snap the new Capacitor into the Capacitor
Clip. The Clip should fall right in between the
red & black locator bands on the Capacitor.
Make sure that the leads are oriented "down"
and "outward" as shown in Figure 10.
Route the red & black leads over to the
Rectifier and plug them in (if you havent
already, that is). Remember, don't get them
mixed up black goes to "-" and red goes to
"+" on the new rectifier. You took notes, pictures and marked things, right?
Replace any cable ties that you cut when removing the old Capacitor. Make sure
everything is routed out of the way of the slip ring! Double check your connections at
this point. Compare your wire routing to the pictures you took. If it looks like a lead
can get into the slip ring, re-route it and /or use some of the included cable ties to
secure it out of the way.


Fig. 9: Push in Tabs to Remove the
Terminals from the Brush Holder

Fig. 10: New Capacitor & Leads
installed.

TECHNICAL
BULLETIN

STEP 5: BRUSH INSTALLATION
First, inspect the Slip Ring. There should
be a dark track on each ring where the
Brush has seated itself. Look carefully at
the track. If it is very un-even, or shows
signs of arcing around the edges of the
track, that usually indicates a problem. The
tracks should not extend over the edge of
the ring - the brush needs to ride
completely and fully on the copper ring.
Run your finger over the ring - it should be
smooth. If a deep groove has been worn
into the ring, then the Slip Ring should be
refinished (turned). This can be done by
almost any motor or alternator shop for a
few dollars. When replacing brushes, some technicians like to clean the tracks from the
ring in order to assure that the new brushes "seat" themselves and make good contact.
Arguably, this is not necessary when a good dark track already exists; however, if you do
need to clean the slip ring, DO NOT use sandpaper or emery cloth! The sandpaper grit
imbeds itself in the soft copper ring on a microscopic scale and grinds the brushes away
very rapidly. This is a common mistake made even by experienced technicians. Use a
Brush Stick if you have one. If you don't have one, use some Scotch-brite "green
scrunge pad" - not the "red" kind common in machine shops - you must use the "green"
kind commonly found in your kitchen drawer. The "green" home-use variety does not
contain abrasives that will imbed themselves in the slip ring.
To install the new brushes, take a common
paperclip and straighten it out - or use the tool
shipped with the replacement brushes.
Carefully load the new brushes, one at a time,
spring first, into the brush holder. Notice the
curved face on each brush - this curvature
must match the curvature of the Slip Ring face.
Take care when inserting the Brushes that the
springs go all of the way down into the bottom
of the hole and make contact with the terminal.
It is possible for them to hang up and not make
contact - just take youre your time and "feel"
them down into the holder. If you have a
multi-meter, use it to check for continuity
between each brush and its terminal typically you should see a resistance less than
1 Ohm (actual brush resistance is far less than that). Now, push the brushes down into
the holder, holding them in below the face of the holder with your finger. Insert the


Fig. 11: Typical "Good" Slip Ring Tracks

Fig. 12: Brushes Loaded w/ Paperclip

TECHNICAL
BULLETIN

straightened paperclip or retainer tool through the small hole in the Brush Head and into the
holes in the sides of the Brush Holder - this will retain the brushes. Now you can re-install
the Brush Head onto the Stator. Tighten the Stator Bolts "good-n-tight" - but do not over-
tighten them! Take care to get the Lock Nuts seated in the little pockets on the End Bell.
Once secured, you can carefully pull the paperclip out, releasing the brushes onto the Slip
Ring. Wow, what a clever trick! Who thinks this stuff up?

STEP 6: RE-INSTALL THE BRUSH HEAD
Rotate the Brush Head back onto the Stator, taking care to keep the wire bundle from
getting in toward the center, where it could contact the Rotor. Also take care not to get any
wires pinched between the Brush Head and the Stator. Re-install the Stator Bolts, and
tighten them "good-n-tight" - but do not over-tighten them (remember, you are tightening
down on plastic)! Take care to get the Lock Nuts seated in the little pockets on the End
Bell.
Okay, now you can pull the paperclip out to release the brushes. That's the fun part, I
think.
TESTING
This is the moment of truth. Double-check your work. No loose parts, no pinched wires,
everything good-n-tight??? Look through the Brush Head vent holes - are all of the wires
out of the way of the Rotor & Slip Ring?
Remove the Spark Plug from the engine. Carefully and slowly pull the engine over with the
pull start rope. Don't use your electric start if your model is so equipped! The idea here is
to make absolutely certain that no wires are going to get snagged and that everything is
rotating freely.
Re-install the Spark Plug and start the unit. You should get about 130 - 140 V no-load on
most models. Some of the HL-series units might be a few volts higher than that with cold
windings at no load.
No load RPM should be about 3750 RPM that corresponds to a frequency of 62.5Hz.
Although that may seem high, as you load the unit down, the frequency will approach 60Hz,
but will not go below 60Hz. This is important, because it is much better to be a little high in
frequency than a fraction of a Hz below 60Hz! If the no-load frequency is set to 60Hz, (a
common mistake made by even experienced generator technicians), the mechanical
governor droop will result in the frequency being well below 60Hz for most loads and
thats bad. Really bad things happen with motors below 60Hz, and it must be avoided.
TROUBLESHOOTING
Egad, it's not working! Don't panic. It's probably something simple.
Check the Circuit Breakers. If any are tripped, or have failed open internally, there will be
no voltage to receptacles to measure. This is actually a common problem.


TECHNICAL
BULLETIN
Measure the voltage at one of the 120V
receptacles - even if it is not working, there
should be at least 5 to 6 VAC present. If there
is not, the Field probably needs to be flashed.
This is a common problem that occurs when
capacitors or rectifiers fail. A failure of either
component can cause the "residual
magnetism" in the Rotor (ie the Field) to be
lost. Accidentally reversing any of the
connections while installing the new capacitor
will also kill the Rotor's magnetic field. Without
this magnetism to kick-start the generating
process, voltage will never build up in the
generator windings. Flashing the Field to
restore the residual magnetism in the Rotor is
not difficult to do - if you have the right tool.
Use a JAM Labs E-Z Generator Flasher
(available from Fort Rock Technologies) to
flash the generator field.
If flashing the Field does not help, you will have to go back in and check your connections.
The most likely place for a problem is in the Brush Holder - inside the holes where the
Brushes go, there is a "ledge" near the bottom where the spring can hang up. Double
check this along with all of the connections you've made. You will also need to double
check the Rectifier connections.
Contact Fort Rock Technologies or contact an
authorized Fort Rock Technologies distributor
for help!

"Homelite" is a registered trademark of TTI, Inc
"Scotchbrite" is a registered trademark of 3M, Inc
These names are supplied for informational purposes only,
No affiliations with these companies are implied.

Distributed by:

Contact: Chris Watson
(704) 614-2193
amwatson@comporium.net

Fig. 13: Flashing the Field with a
JAM Labs E-Z Generator Flasher

Homelite HL-EH-LR Rebuild Kit Tech Bulletin Rev A

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Homelite HL-EH-LR Rebuild Kit Tech Bulletin Rev A

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

TECHNICAL

You might also like