North Star generator not charging battery - but wait!

[Arkie]

It is Item # 66892.

So far it has work good but I only had it since July. To be honest I just don't get too many battery problems. I only replaced about 10 batteries since I got it. The last battery I replaced it said was good although the customer said was bad. Well it rated 190 CCA and test at 210 CCA. I install that battery in the mower with a Kawasaki 25 hp and it is starting it fine so I'm fairly confident the last test on it was good and unit working as expected.

This week I got in a 300CCA battery that I charged via my solar charger. It still reading 12.51v but with internal resistance of 18.93 meg ohms and a capacity of 139 CCA. Basically a bad battery. So a 100 amp tester probably would have passed it. I think I going to try a few days on the charger to see if it is just badly sulfied plates. I save my tractor battery this way as I was fully discharge for several years.

As you know HFT things is a hit or bad miss. I did read of some out of the box problems but I see that in all things at one or other. I had those bad misses too like the set of taps and dies that were nothing but junk that why I get and keep every receipt from them.

Yep about the tap and dies. I bought a tap and die not long ago for a gunsmith project and was really lucky that the die crumbled when chasing threads. I throwed the matching tap in trash can along with the broken die. Was lucky that I was not using the tap when things crumbled.
AND keep a heads up that the HF items box has not been previously opened. I think sometimes they just stick a returned defective item back on the shelf. They do offer a extended warranty return policy. I also would not trush the little HF DMM that is about $5 for testing anything larger than a 1.5 volt AAA battery. Checking 220volts with that DMM thing would be like holding a small bomb in your face.(it might be made in Afganstan by isis)

Northern tools is little bit better stuff but they also have some junk. (just rolling the dice sometimes)
and I know for a fact that Northern tools reviews are lies because I left a very bad feedback sometime back about one of their $80 items and when I checked couple weeks later they had changed it to a good review by me.
When reading reviews I always look for whiners and complainer type reviews, because some people will complain about being hung with a new rope and if I do not see any complaints I immediately get a heads up and go elsewhere.
Sometimes I may be too suspicious/paranoid.

[KE4AVB]

I haven't ordered from Northern in a while since that time I got a box of ball pein hammers for the a hydraulic puller. I do have three of the large mm wrenches and they are very well made by appearance but I haven't put any real strain of them yet.

I also had some bad luck with a set of drill bits from Lowes. I couldn't even drill through a piece of sheet metal on mower deck with them. I now have a set from Fastenal that proved themselves very well. A couple is getting dull but it is expected after 20 or so 1" deep holes in steel.

Sometimes I may be too suspicious/paranoid.

No you're not...That why when I try an aftermarket part I only order one or two for project until I know they are good or not. And boy are some lousy Like the those three point stars or the six point stars that are undercut.

[Fulltilt]

I gotta ask.
Why would anybody buy a tap & die set from Harbor freight ???
What were you people thinking. And to use it on a gunsmithing project!
Is this really your first rodeo. Sheesh !!
My first Tap & die set was an Ace. ( over 40 years ago ) And most of them are still good. Followed by a set from Hansen, and various taps from Sears, and other no-name, but very high quality industrial taps as needed. I use two flute "gun" taps whenever possible, especially in aluminum.
Go ahead, beat me up, I don't care. I use QUALITY tools...that last.

I do use HF for do dads and consumables. And I currently use a set of 1/4" 6pt sockets from Northern, that are actually pretty good, but...

[KE4AVB]

Personally I had to learn those lifetime guarantees are not worth the paper they are wrote on. I also pass the along about my experiences with HFT and others so others don't make the same mistakes. What I learned about lifetime warranties is that they are usually only good until you break the tool. Its called a lifetime of the product warranty.

I went on and brought two sets of Vermont American taps and dies @ $100 ea which of course now I can't even get anyone to honor the warranty either like my Craftsman tools. At least they were well made. I have been replacing the taps and dies as I need new ones with FMTs from Fastenal. The problem they don't the Vermont storage boxes which is why the sets in the first place.

I had a set of two jaw pullers from HFT that was fairly good until tried I pulling a hub that I didn't know was fused welded with my AirCat. Can't even press the hub off with 12 tons. Just had get a refund on them as all new ones were badly made. I mean they weren't even straight. So I don't have a set currently as still looking for set that I can afford on my current budget.

Also been buying tools and other things from McMaster. Currently I looking at a knurler but have if want to go the hand or lathe version. Kinda leaning to lathe version as I am also looking into one those too.

Talking about something that have lasted is a Stanley sockets I have from '96 I just wore out the 3/8" dr 3/8" 12 point socket. Replacing with a 6 point. What having a hard time finding is those 8 point and/or 4 point sockets. I got few but needing some the larger ones. Sears add them listed but the salesman didn't what one was but of course Sears is on their last set of legs too.

[Arkie]

You are correct: Not wise buying taps and dies from HFT or even flea bay..
I only needed to do one and most likely never have to use either ever again.
The special size/thread tap and die came as a pair and I must confess it was not from HF, from flea bay and I only needed to chase some buggered threads on a already threaded bolt (screw) about #12 or 3/16 size and the set was not really priced as china cheap but the package was labeled made in china, so a heads up immediately. The die crumbled in the die holder during first few threads and was not even turning hard.

Brownells has real good Gunsmith tap and dies very reasonable quality products.

Back to the gen. If you do not find a for sure definite charging problem sometimes people just hang a small 120v on board trickle charger or auto taper rate charger onto a emergency gen (gets its power from the gen output and this also allows using 120v utility power to keep the gen bat charged when on standby. You could try this as a test procedure to see if the battery stays up with a different charging system, maybe.
I realize it's a rental unit so this may not be a option.

[sblg43]

Since this a rental unit and it's gonna pay for itself, the owner just wants it fixed. Cost is not a factor.

So I replaced the alternator (under the flywheel) and the regulator/rectifier.

It all works now, but I am not convinced that it needed to be fixed in the first place. Whatever.... the owner is happy!