The front bearing stopped bearing and separated into two pieces with some tiny steel balls floating around. This caused the rotor to contact the stator (the two bits that actually generate the electricity) rapidly and repeatedly which is definitely not supposed to happen. The result was overheated permanent magnets on the rotor (demagnetised) and damaged stator.
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| The rotor showing damaged magnets and lots of iron filings :-( |
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| Fuzzy image of the inside of the stator. The Steel laminated core has been badly damaged by the rotor contacting it. |
Fortunately, Jack (the previous owner, bless him) carried a lot of spares for the generator (we actually carry three sets of spare blades..) and the people at Hotwire Enterprise have been really helpful so we will rebuild with a new stator/rotor/bearings and epoxied casing.
She will live again, better and stronger!
We have the means... we have the technology... and thank goodness it doesn't cost six million dollars!
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