# Mystery wires in a portable generator



## enough to be dangerous (Apr 10, 2021)

Received a beat up generator from a friend leaving town. Pull cord was broken and battery dead. So I started with the battery to see if it would turn over. Used the spare batt I owned and instantly got buzzing from the solenoid and smoke from behind the control panel.

Quickly realized that someone worked on this that had no idea what they were doing. They must have taken cables off to replace the batt and did not know how to get it back together. Rewired and hooked up new batt and turned over great.

HOWEVER, investigated the smoke and found two wires that were joined together by a thin black tab. (see pics) that was cooked. Not sure if there was a resistor in there or what. All I know is that there was not a terminal end as if it should have been connected to something. Thermocouple? I just connected the wires together and it runs and puts out good Volts and AMPS. Auto throttle does not work. The second you turn it on it kills the throttle. Will look at the low idle stop as this might be the prob but for now need to know what these wires are before I try to sell this.

Any idea what they go to?


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## enough to be dangerous (Apr 10, 2021)

Update:
After further testing I have found the following. With the wires disconnected it still starts and runs. Voltage at the battery goes up to 12.2 when they are connected to each other. Does not seem to be charging when disconnected. One side of the wire comes out of the ignition switch into a connector. On the other end of the connector two white wires come out. The one that is not broken goes to the hot side of the started solenoid. The other one comes out and would be connected to the mystery device then into the unidentified black box in the pics. All I know is that box is NOT the battery charging rectifier. Now I m thinking that it was some type of diode or inline fuse.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

hard to say on the black box.
trace down the wires going to the box.
it maybe the voltage regulator for the dc charging.
i see the full wave bridge next to it.


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## enough to be dangerous (Apr 10, 2021)

iowagold said:


> hard to say on the black box.
> trace down the wires going to the box.
> it maybe the voltage regulator for the dc charging.
> i see the full wave bridge next to it.


I would not say that they went to a box. It was too small. More like a tab or some sort. I have traced the wires and the diagram I found is not compete.


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## ToolLover (Jan 13, 2020)

The item that you have pointed to looks like it could be a relay.
The design looks similar to one.
Unplug it and look at the area where the wiring plug connects. There may be some identifying letters there or on the underside of the box.


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## enough to be dangerous (Apr 10, 2021)

ToolLover said:


> The item that you have pointed to looks like it could be a relay.
> The design looks similar to one.
> Unplug it and look at the area where the wiring plug connects. There may be some identifying letters there or on the underside of the box.


Thank you, not really trying to identify the box other then to eliminate another possibility. trying to figure out what was bridging the two white wires that got fried.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

*click here for the owners manual*
*see page 23 for the wiring diagram
blurry pdf at best... see if they guy still has the original manual! it may have a better pix of the wiring!
there is a diode and a couple of other parts in a part by the hour meter in the diagram.
track the colors and see if that is the part!

eastern tool was the mfg but now they are gone out of biz
this was sold by northern tool
try northern too tech line!
they should be able to walk you down through the parts.*


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