egavasm relates:

-The voltage on my Onan 8 kw generator just dropped to 20 volts. Anyone have
any idea of the probable problem?-

Bilge-You might have a partial ground happening. Check voltage to ground on
each conductor, they should be equal,(this is assuming you do not have a
neutral line, as in residential/landside wiring.

This is called "chasing grounds" on the steel. If you have unequal voltages to
ground, start opening breakers, and checking that low leg to ground, until
(hopefully) you read equal voltages to ground. When you do, the fault is in the
last circuit(s) that you opened.

It's a lot easier, if practical, to start "upstream" and work "downstream" the
grid...feeder to distribution breakers, to individual component.

I had a ship once that ALWAYS showed a "breakfast ground" on the 220vac
circuit for the "house"...it was the toaster in the officer's mess. (yet
ANOTHER reason NOT to reach inside the slot with a knife or fork to try
salvaging yer bagel). Since I didn't have a spare toaster to hand, I just lived
with it.

WIth a "dead grid" you can also do this by measuring resistance to ground.

If you have external light fixtures, I'd look closely at those, condensation
does crappy things to 'em.

G'luck...be safe...guesswork in this trade is what kills people.




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"Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will
look upon the Act depriving a whole nation of arms, as the blackest."
-- Mahatma Gandhi