Utterpower ST Generator Mod

Please see our PMG pages, we don’t sell these pieces at this time, but it’s easy for you to make your own.

This plate has common hole centers of approximately 2 inches by six inches

Advantages of this kit

1. Increase reliability
2. Help to weather proof
3. Replace the lesser quality air cooled rectifier that supplies current to the field.
4. Eliminate the dog house that was principally designed to house an outdated rectifier.

Designed for those who want the Vintage look, (and/or) want to prepare their Gen head for running long hours, and to make use of the easy to find Western world regulator.

Note: this kit eliminates the doghouse, and there will be no place left on the generator to for the voltmeter. Most of us use the “Kill A Watt” and this is no longer desired or used. It is best to mount meters, etc, off the GEN head, and if you wish to keep it, place it on a panel off the generator head. And documentation provided is sent via email attachment, so please include your address.

When I suggested that people should flush the Chinese grease out of the bearings and replace it with good synthetic grease, there were folks who wrote me and said that this generator must really be an inferior piece of workmanship if you have to replace the grease. If this thought goes through your head , then you will really be alarmed by this kit, we actually throw away the sheet metal dog house. This is a job for people with some electrical skills, or people who will consult friends that have the skills!

Read the Utterpower ST manual that comes with this kit before you make the changes, it’s easier than falling down the stairs, but if you don’t think you can master crimping on the four provided lugs, don’t order it. You’ll also need to drill a hole in the end bell, the brush cover, or the top of the plate as shown here, and fit an approved electrical fitting to pass the power leads thru, (not provided) This will involve crimping the Gen power leads to the finely stranded wires to your first panel, and this kit does NOT include the crimps or insulation to make these power connections, sound like too much to do on your own? Don’t order the kit!

Modern Western designed diode bridges (rectifiers) are superior and they sink their heat to the material they are mounted too, this is a far better idea, and it means the part can be mounted in a tighter place, the package is far smaller, and it is easy to find replacements. There is plenty of room for the leads coming out of the stator to be crimped onto the leads leaving the head in the area directly below the cover. If you think you will have trouble making connections for the main leads, (crimping and insulating) don’t buy this kit!

The kit comes with a heavy precision cut steel plate that replaces the dog house, (measure yours first) the supplied highest quality rectifier is mounted to it via a 1/4 20 thread bolt. Modern Western push on connectors are supplied for the leads that attach to the bridge, instructions are included via email. You’ll also get a copy of the Utterpower ST manual IF you can receive email attachments, this is in PDF format. No crimps or lugs are supplied for the main power leads, but these are readily available from hardware stores. get rid of those copper lugs and pig tail crimp and insulate the power leads, and neutral leaving the head going to your breaker panel.

You end up with a nice clean looking package and you can toss the dog house in the trash where it belongs. Since most of us who make power use the KILL A WATT, the volt meter is no longer required, and the leads to the light bulb and switch are tossed out too. The folks that run these heads long hours have learned that this stuff is close to worthless, and removing it also removes potential points of failure. I have had readers report smoking the leads going to the somewhat stupid lamp in the doghouse, the leads to these lamps are carrying 240 volts, and they are no better than bell wire in some brands of ST heads.

This is all part of the KISS principle, remove the stuff that’s not necessary, and never mount stuff like a voltmeter on the head itself if you can help it. I find it all too easy to plug in the KILL A WATT off the set, and since it is often $28, we can afford to use one at the generator and one at the load end so we can monitor what’s going on there. If you are not familiar with the Kill A WATT, use it in a WEB SEARCH.

Above : Utterpower ST KIT Installed (EXAMPLE)

Custom stainless steel cover not included

Above bottom side, stock gasket from doghouse reused, shown is steel plate fitted with fitting for metal conduit.

thanks

Ask George B