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My brother in law gave me a PowerCraft GG900 watt generator, ( chinese, looks just like HF's TailGator) 2 cycle, got it running good, but the voltage output at the plug isn't at the 120 volts it should be... it reads anywhere from nothing or 20 volts
here's a quote from the Description:
"
It is common for the generator to test as working correctly, but then fail when the higher voltages are applied to it by the alternator. It is advisable to always change your Generator Capacitor if the voltage changes (and the engine is normal speed.) This causes 99% of the problems with the electricity output on brushless generators and can damage your alternator if it completely fails, sending a high voltage through the alternator. This could burn out the windings and result in a very expensive replacement being required.


The Capacitor is essential to your Generator producing electricity. It is required to excite the Alternator windings and reduce voltage surges. Capacitors should last the lifetime of the generator, but can burn out or be damaged if any of the following occur:

• Generator user has tried to draw more power than the Generator can produce.
• A surge has happened on equipment and the capacitor has blown to protect the Alternator."

does anyone know of a way to test this capacitor with a meter? Continuity test maybe?
i also read a comment on the HF website where the capacitor went bad and had the same issue as me....
any help is appreciated.

I wish I could help you on that but......I'm out

If this is just a basic cap and not just part of a circuit you can test ti with a 12v battery and small light bulb. Charge the cap with the battery, then remove the battery and use the cap to power the light bulb. It will burn for a second or two or three if the cap is good. Look at the capacitor for polarity markings. Here's a video for a really small cap, I'd guess yours is quite a bit bigger.

Here's what it looks like.

I have a tester I got off ebay like $10.00 that tests capacitor's. I have used it to check My brushless generator capacitor's As they all have a different capacitance. And they have to be 5% within that spec for generator to produce the correct voltage.

Plug a drill in and start the engine and twist the chuck by hand and see if the drill takes off. It flashes the generator.