Aux power unit suprise

Ok it has a Tecumseh 10 hp engine and not being a fan of theirs (for their reasons) I didn't think much of it. Had this neat (ha) little accessory that shuts down the engine if the oil level gets too low. Great idea if you use oil which new engines usually don't.

Had it sitting unused for a couple of years. Got it out to use and after installing new fuel fired it off.

Ran for awhile and then started coughing and would die. Kept getting worse. I figured the magneto (solid state ignition unit)got soggy sitting up and was going to go and get another, but wanted to take this one with me to insure that I get the correct part.

Got the housing off and saw the wire to the magneto that killed it when you wanted to shut it down which was connected to the on/off switch wherein in the on position, the low oil switch was connected....which was grounded by design. So if the low oil switch malfunctions in the short direction, you loose ignition. Hmmmmm m

Pulled it off and with a piece of rope lit it off. Let it run for about 30 minutes...purred like a kitten..... .so much for gadgets.

Tomorrow the unit is going back together without any ground wire and when I want to kill it I'll just turn off the fuel.....and to heck with low oil warning.

Might help someone save some money sometime when the problem seems to be a bad magneto and isn't.

Mark

They are a PITA to replace (gotta split the cases). Can't say that I'd recommend defeating it for a machine that's likely to run unattended for long periods tho.

And before anyone jumps me, I know about carbon monoxide poisioning and how to prevent it.

Mark

Mark

If I were going to use mine for an extended period or for anything important, I probably would replace it. Besides, if it starts using oil, I will know it and I check ;the level prior to each use.

Thanks,

Mark

Finally one neighbor called and I talked with him and described what it was doing, he mentioned he had owned a motor home with a generator with a low oil pressure switch..... . at which point I interrupted him and said "yes it does, and no, I hadn't thought to check it" By the time he had got down the street to my shop, I had it disconnected and running fine..... I replaced the swith the next week.

The 30 seconds was a time delay built in to allow the unit to get up and running before the switch was put into the kill circuit.

Charles

Haven't figured out what they have done. The core has gone from a "C" to an "E" which gives them a priming winding and a main winding. May just be a plain old magneto....magnet passing by a coil of wire..... Don't know if a transistor or similar electronic device is embedded in the epoxy or not. Don't know how accurate the firing has to be timed and whether or not it can be controlled by just magnetics. Sorta doubt it with the variables in cores, gaps and all, that's why I think there is a transistor...but where'd they put it? The package isn't that big and you have to have room for the bobbins and windings. Just dunno! Maybe if I kill one one of these days, I'll take it apart and have a look see.

Mark