JFLEISC wrote:

No argument here. But lets say that the FULL rating is 30A. What is the output
if it is spinning at %10 of that full rated speed? How much current will now be
going over those oxidized breaker contacts that seemed to handle the full speed
output current OK?


The max available gen output current should be (roughly) proportional to
RPM, meaning that at low RPM, it should produce way less than
its full rated current. No way should it trip off line just because
its turning slow.

The old genny regulators have at least two relays; one to limit the
max output voltage, and the other to limit the max output current.
I'm guessing that your current cutout relay is either welded closed,
or someone has dicked with it, and it never opens.
However, the Voltage cutout relay is working correctly at 14V.

How's this for a scenario: at high RPM, the bus (battery) voltage is
near 14V, so the voltage cutout senses the bus voltage (correctly),
causing the generator to cycle on/off, thereby limiting the average
current to less than it takes to trip your Gen breaker.

As you slow the engine, the battery voltage sags below the level which
causes the voltage sense to cutoff, leaving the generator to deliver
whatever current it can at that rpm, which may still be in excess of
what the Gen breaker can carry. If the current cutout relay was working
properly, it would sense the excessive current, and then cycle the
gen output on/off so as to reduce the average current through the
Gen breaker.

MikeM