# info needed about a generator



## shazzpurple (Feb 13, 2014)

hi weve picked up an old genny and were not sure what one it is .we know it needs a coil [ thats what weve been told ] any way heres some pics so if you can help we would really appreciate it.i know its a BROOK THOMPSON and it has a 100 on the side and i think its a 5hp ..thanks in advance 


 

hope these pics work as i have no idea of these things .


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## mikejay (Feb 13, 2014)

Don't know anything about the Genny but before getting the coil take the cover off and remove the fly wheel you may get it off with a hit with a piece of wood if you are lucky if not you will need a puller. Do not damage the flywheel behind the flywheel is a set of points behind a little cover give them a clean with a bit of wet and dry and check the gap.when removing the flywheel do not loose the woodruff key .put it back together and you maybe lucky and have a spark. I got one of these engines out my dads old shed been sat there over 30yrs and that's all it needed and petrol to get it running.


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## sparrks (Feb 13, 2014)

As for the rating of it, we would need a close-up of that tatty silver sticker visible in the last 2 pictures.


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## GRWXJR (Feb 13, 2014)

Brooke Thompson is the firm that built the set. Based in Tredegar in S Wales they were a mfr who made a lot of kit for the small tool hire companies and so forth.   They disappears maybe a dozen years ago when they got taken over by the giant Pramac Group who still have the Tredegar base and do genius from there. 

Engine is the old side valve Briggs engine. So over 20 years old I'd guess and certainly not a current model. But the motors share lots of common parts with mowers n stuff so if you find a Briggs dealer you'll prob get a coil did it ok.

It's a 5Hp so about 2000 watts max if it's healthy. 

The alternator looks like an old Leroy Somer. Simple brushless capacitor controlled thing. Usually reliable enough.  These alternators are dependent on engine revs for frequency and voltage output though so correct governor speed setting is important if you don't want to risk blowing stuff up with it. 

It'll probably make way too much din to be permitted on any  on site though - that was built for building sites not leisure use. 

Hope this helps.

G.


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## GRWXJR (Feb 13, 2014)

Oh yes. Before you pull it to bits.... Check the oil level.  Some of these motors have a low oil shutdown switch that earths the coil and cuts the spark. Or the switch has stuck/ failed. 

Look for a wire out of the engine casing connecting to the on / off switch wiring. If there is oil in it but no spark still, try disconnecting the wire out of the engine from the rest of the on/off circuit and then check for spark again. 

The on/off switch does the same thing as any oil switch (if fitted). So an iffy on/off switch could be stopping the spark too. So I'd check that next before looking at the points or coil cos it's easy to get at compared to pulling flywheels. 

If none of that works.... Then try the coil. 

G.


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## witzend (Feb 14, 2014)

GRWXJR said:


> It'll probably make way too much din to be permitted on any  on site though - that was built for building sites not leisure use.G.



My thoughts as well I'd make sure I had a use for it before I spent any money on it I recently bought a coil for a chainsaw it was £35


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## sasquatch (Feb 14, 2014)

Yes it will be VERY NOISY!


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## Deleted member 5816 (Feb 14, 2014)

*Generator*

Oil Alert will not be fitted to such an old machine

Alf





GRWXJR said:


> Oh yes. Before you pull it to bits.... Check the oil level.  Some of these motors have a low oil shutdown switch that earths the coil and cuts the spark. Or the switch has stuck/ failed.
> 
> Look for a wire out of the engine casing connecting to the on / off switch wiring. If there is oil in it but no spark still, try disconnecting the wire out of the engine from the rest of the on/off circuit and then check for spark again.
> 
> ...


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## trevskoda (Feb 14, 2014)

toro lawn mowers use that engine as i have two of them ,dont use force like haering to remove f wheel as it will bend crank shaft and de magnatize flywheel always use a good puller for that engine ,i think a lawnmower shop would pull it for you.


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## witzend (Feb 14, 2014)

Points do you think its old enough to have points? Also check compression with the plug out hold a finger over plug hole and give it a pull if it blows your finger off all should be Ok if not the Valves are known to stick open on these old engines if left for a long time


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## GRWXJR (Feb 14, 2014)

I reckon it could be old enough to have points. It looks like its a side valve not an OHV but not 100% sure. 

Alf also says it won't have an oil alert in his post. He may be right but Id check anyway. I've seen machines this sort of age that have them so I'd still check. Can't hurt!


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## maingate (Feb 14, 2014)

Bin it.

If it went wrong it could do serious harm to motorhome electrics. The neighbours will thank you for the peace and quiet that will follow.


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## GRWXJR (Feb 15, 2014)

maingate said:


> Bin it.
> 
> If it went wrong it could do serious harm to motorhome electrics. The neighbours will thank you for the peace and quiet that will follow.



You could say that about any power supply. If it's set up ok it's unlikely a motorhome has anything sensitive enough to be concerned about off this generator. 

He's quite right about the racket though. It would be very antisocial to run this generator anywhere near anyone else.  I'd want to be 50 metres away from anyone with that running - the racket would probably buy you too much inside the van too and you'd not want to use it except in dire emergency. 

Dead handy for small power tools and lighting for those remote DIY jobs though if it works ok.


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## maingate (Feb 15, 2014)

GRWXJR said:


> You could say that about any power supply. If it's set up ok it's unlikely a motorhome has anything sensitive enough to be concerned about off this generator.
> 
> He's quite right about the racket though. It would be very antisocial to run this generator anywhere near anyone else.  I'd want to be 50 metres away from anyone with that running - the racket would probably buy you too much inside the van too and you'd not want to use it except in dire emergency.
> 
> Dead handy for small power tools and lighting for those remote DIY jobs though if it works ok.



My van has an Electroblock control unit which is susceptible to spikes, surges and even low voltage. They are costly to repair or replace, so I would never use a genny unless it was a very good one.


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## GRWXJR (Feb 15, 2014)

Maingate. The acceptable legal voltage fluctuation off uk mains is 10%. On occasion it's a lot more than that of course. 

Stay within it's operating parameters and even a small genny actually has less voltage variation than that ( though non inverter types have a greater frequency variation as it's engine speed dependent over utility supplies). So your motor home equipment has as much chance being damaged by the utility. If it's as susceptible as all that it I'd guess it needs some in circuit voltage protection!

I would steer clear of some of the very cheap n nasty stuff though cos their regulation may not be a patch on what the old thing the OP has acquired and cause what maingate is concerned about. 

I don't suppose the vast majority of Members feel they need a genny at all anyway.


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## maingate (Feb 15, 2014)

I can buy an OB1 from Schaudt (the makers of the Electroblock) which protects them from spikes etc. They cost around £80. For every other application except motorhomes, the OB1 is included with the EBL. Greedy motorhome manufacturers get the EBL's cheaper by excluding the OB1 and owners have to pay inflated prices for them. If I wanted to fit anything, it would be a surge protector made by Sollatek which is as good but cheaper.

My van is only ever plugged into the mains at home and so I do not need additional protection.


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## GRWXJR (Feb 15, 2014)

Like I said though - if the unit is sensitive then you need the Sollarek thing anyway for the mains. 

The mains can spike much higher and generally fluctuate more than any half decent genny used properly. 

If where you live has good stable voltage and you're close enough to a sub station you'll be unlikely to suffer poor utility voltage.  Although spikes when power is restored after cuts can still spike very high

Out on end of line rural sites esp. where there are big dairy farms etc. the voltage can drop by over 20 volts from low demand norms. 

I'd say if the kit needs protection then it needs protection. Just cos you're on mains doesn't mean the kit is safe on hook up.


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## shazzpurple (Feb 18, 2014)

thanks for all your replys think im gonna pass it on to somw one that knows how to fix it lol  ....then ill give it to my son to use in his festi business ..


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## Tow Itch (Feb 20, 2014)

If it needs a coil don't be too tied up with an exact replacement. You would need to know if the original has an internal ballast resistor or not. I'd say it should not as they are used with electric starters. Notionally coils from electronic ignition are different but I know a manufacturer who used the same coils.
What you do want to know is that you have wired up your spare coil the right way round. It will work in either form of polarity but in one the electrons jump from the centre electrode to the tang that is earthed and if wired the other way it goes from the earth tang to the centre electrode. As said both work but the centre electrode gets much hotter.Electrons find it much easier to jump from a hot body than a colder one. The engine will run better with the spark the correct way round
 Because earth polarity changed in the sixties and for some other reasons the marking on the coil may confuse but there is a simple way to test.






If the flare is from the pencil to the cable the coil is the wrong way round. 
If by chance there is an electronic ignition pack instead of points *DON'T* do this test it's an easy way to bugger many (not all) electronic ignitions by turning over with the HT end isolated.


Illustration taken from Sunbeam Alpine- Points Burning Out


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