Mapa Institute of Technology

School of Electrical, Electronics, and Computer Engineering

Department of Electrical Engineering

THE SERIES GENERATOR

Leader: Cabral, Angelo Albert

Blastique, Harold
Sartin, Raymart

GRADE

Engr. Paulo Tindogan

Instructor

The Series Generator

Harold A. Blastique#1, Angelo Albert B. Cabral#2, Raymart P. Sartin#3
#

School of EECE, Mapua Institue of Technology

Intramuros Manila, Philippines
1

harold_blastique@yahoo.com

angelo_albert07@yahoo.com

raymart.sartin@yahoo.com

Abstract A series generator has a single field that is

connected in series with the armature, the load current is

simultaneously the excitation current. Its voltage will rely
at the current delivered to the load. At loads that are
considerably above normal values, the relationship
become highly saturated, it shows from our graph that the
curve rises rapidly from its initial value during the light
load stages, the tapers off to a maximum, and finally
drops.
Keywords Load Current, Field Windings, Self-Excitation,
Series Generator, Rheostats

I. INTRODUCTION
Rotating electrical machines are widely used for
converting energy from one form to another. The two most
frequently used types of machines are motors and generators.
In our experiment we focus on studying the relationships and
characteristics of a dc series generator. In studying dc
generator, there are three types of dc generator: shunt, series,
and compound. Each type can be characterized by its field
winding or windings. If the excitation originates in a field
winding connected in series with the armature, so that the flux
depends upon the current delivered to the load, the machine is
called series generator.
The exciting current through the field winding of a series
generator is the same current the generator delivers to the
load. If the load has high resistance, and only draws a small
amount of
current, the excitation current is also small.
Therefore, the magnetic field of the series field winding is
weak, making the generated voltage low. And also if the
load draws current, the excitation current increases, the
magnetic field becomes stronger and the generator delivers an
output voltage. Therefore, in a series generator, changes in
load current greatly affect the generator output voltage.
In a series generator, changes in load current greatly affect
the generator output voltage. A series generator has very poor
voltage regulation and is not recommended for use as a power.
II. METHODOLOGY
The materials used in the experiment were FH2 MkIV Test
Bed, FH50 DC Compound Machine, V2 DC Voltmeter, A2
DC Ammeter,FH3 MkIV Instrumentation frame, connecting
wires and R1 Resistive load.

Fig.2.1 Materials used in the experiment

After gathering all the materials, we now place the two

motor at the left and right position of the dynamometer. Then
we are now ready to connect the circuit. Before connecting
the circuit diagram, we first individually check the
connectivity of the wire using the voltmeter. This will help us
to be sure that there will be no open circuit once we connect
the circuit diagram. Having no connectivity of the wire is one
of the common errors that has been done in the past which
was told by our professor. Then, we also checked the
resistivity of the R1 Resistive load using the voltmeter.

Fig.2.2 Checking the Resistivity of the load R1

We now connect the circuit diagram. In this experiment,

there is only one circuit diagram to connect. In this
experiment, we are going to find the output voltages and
currents by varying the load R1 to adjust the current. At first,
we have problems in our connection because there were no

reading in our voltmeter and ammeter. To easily and correctly

made the connections, connect first the bigger outer loop and
then connect the one in parallel. This was advised by our
professor.

Fig.2.5 Plotting of the data (Voltage vs. Current)

Fig.2.3 Set-up of the experiment

To run the generator, we need to turn on the three

switches, the main switch, the green on Button then start the
prime over to rotate the armature rheostat. Start rotating the
generator by moving the rheostat clockwise then adjust it until
the rotation becomes 1500 rev/min. Then, Set the R1 50 ohms
rheostat to zero and then to 50 ohms. Decrease the 2000 ohms
rheostat R1 to give a range of output current values as shown
in the table. Then read and record the values of output current.

Fig.2.4 Reading of the output current and voltage

After gathering all the data for output current and voltage,
we now plot the data to investigate their relationship.

III. RESULTS AND DATA ANALYSIS

Based on Table 1, when the current increases, there is a
sudden increase in the output voltage and continuing with the
process, suddenly the output voltage will decrease.
TABLE I
OUTPUT CURRENT VS. OUTPUT VOLTAGE

Output Current IL
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
550
600
650
700
750
800
850
900
950
1000
1050
1100
1150

Output Voltage VL
3.13 V
3.29 V
3.41 V
4.09 V
5.19 V
5.99 V
6.72 V
7.75 V
9.36 V
10.15 V
10.97 V
11.83 V
12.49 V
13.33 V
14.15 V
14.35 V
14.62 V
14.41 V
14.38 V
13.96 V
10.15 V
9.28 V
8.43 V
7.45 V

The graph of the values in Table 1 is seen on Fig. 2.7. We

observed from the graph that when we increase the output
current, there is a sudden increase on the output voltage and it
will come to the point that even though the output current is
increasing in value, the output voltage decreases.

Fig. 2.6 The graph of output current vs. output voltage

The table also shows that from the range of 0 mA to 800

mA, the output voltage is rapidly increasing. But from 850
mA to 1150 mA, the output voltages have decreased. The load
R1 is the one that is being changed to obtain the desired
output current before having an output voltage. By that for a
direct current series generator, the presence of a load and its
varying resistance will have an effect on the output current
and its corresponding output voltage.
As the current increases further, the resistance in it
increases at a point. Series field winding has boundary, where
it can only be applied by a certain amount of current. This is
the reason why the output voltage, at 850 mA, is started to
decrease. Many resistive elements contribute in lowering and
decreasing the voltage output.

IV. CONCLUSION
Experiment 2 is about Series Generator. The field
windings are in series with the armature and load. The only
objective of this experiment is to investigate the relationship
between the output voltage and the output current of a DC
series generator when driven at a constant speed. When R1 is
not yet changed or simply at no load, the series field current is
zero but there is still a small reading on generated voltage due
to the residual flux. But when R1 is changed or now loaded,
the current flows in the whole circuit and it will have its
corresponding output voltage. We can conclude that the output
voltage is dependent on the current delivered to the load
because increasing the load also means increasing the output
current which results to an increase on the output voltage.
From the graph, at high loads, the voltage starts decrease in
value due to excessive demagnetizing effects of armature
reaction. We can conclude that the output voltage starts to
decrease as load current is increased.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The group would like to thank each and everyone for the
participation in performing the experiment and for good
cooperation. The group would also like to thank the professor,
Engr. Paulo Tindogan, for giving us knowledge on basic
troubleshooting, the use of materials and reading a schematic
diagram. Lastly, our God for giving us the strength and
knowledge to perform every experiment correct and on time.
REFERENCES
[1]
[2]
[3]

DC Generator Basic Theory

http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/worksheets/dcgen.html
Electrical machines direct and alternating current by Charles S. Siskind