In the past, much attention was given to portable generator features such as voltage regulation, speed regulation, or maintenance free brushless generators.  A little known, but now far more important feature has been overlooked and ignored; the quality of the generated sine-wave (sometimes known as wave-form).

Just what is a sine-wave?  Electric current is measured in hertz, the international unit of frequency, and it equals 60 cycles per second.  A single cycle or wave-form, is called a sine-wave and is graphically displayed to show how clean, or distortion free, a sine-wave can be.  Telephone Influence Factor (*TIF), is another important ingredient of the power sine-wave.  Specification MG 1-22.43 allows a maximum 250 TIF for safe operation of generator electric loads.  Most portable generators will produce a sine-wave that is almost double this TIF maximum value.

Why is a clean sine-wave important?  Most voltage sensitive loads such as UPS systems, computers, microprocessors, and all other micro-chip laden equipment, can withstand up to 10% harmonic sine-wave distortion and total 250 TIF without the possibility of in-operative or damaged equipment.

As shown in above (3) graphs, represented from oscilloscope readings, the utility power easily is within 10% range, as well as almost all large 1800 RPM stationary generators.  Only portable, 2-pole, 3600 RPM generators, are in question, concerning sine-wave performance, due to it's limited space for adequate electrical steel laminations and copper wire.  A typical brush type portable generator, will produce between 15% to 25% harmonic sine-wave distortions.  Very few of this design generator is made, as it is of old design and in-efficient to operate.

A typical brushless portable generator with capacitor voltage regulation will produce from 30% to 40% harmful harmonic distortions to it's generated sine-wave.  This is the predominate generator design in use, today.

GILLETTE also uses the capacitor voltage regulator design.  However, by using an exclusive process of skewed laminations and aluminum damping bars, located at strategic points, we are able to  produce clean electric power, to be below 10% harmonic distortions.

GILLETTE easily meets this clean power requirement, allowing the smallest amount of sine-wave distortion and TIF, than any other portable generator.

IN TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY, WHILE OTHER PORTABLE GENERATOR MANUFACTURERS ARE STILL TRYING TO CATCH UP, GILLETTE HOLDS IT'S LEAD BY MOVING AHEAD.

GILLETTE'S EXCLUSIVE ROTOR DESIGN

All rotors are generally built in the same manner; 2 winding poles with lead wire connections to a slip ring (brush type), or diodes (brushless type).  The rotor wires are rotated within the stator core, producing an induced voltage within stator power windings.  Problem is, this type of power production, usually will have between 15%- 25% harmonic distortion of voltage sine wave for a slip ring rotor, and 30%-40% for a diode type rotor.  This is totally un-acceptable, for Gillette.  However, by using an exclusive process of precisely skewed rotor laminations and strategically placed aluminum damping bars, Gillette has been able to reproduce the voltage generated sine wave to produce an average of only 7% harmonic distortions.  To date, this is still a Gillette exclusive feature, from it's introduction year of 1994.

GILLETTE'S EXCLUSIVE "POWER-ASSIST" DESIGN

Gillette has the largest stator lamination in the world (8-3/4" diameter) compared to other 2-pole, 3600 RPM portable gen-sets.  This large stator lamination diameter allows 27% more back-iron (the amount of electrical grade steel that provides magnetic flux circuit path for the copper field coils), and allows for larger wire slots (we use 35% more circular mils of copper wire per slot, than all competitors).  These two combined features, allows the single outstanding benefit of superior electric motor starting ability.  Our claim is that of a 40% surge power, available for the 1-1½ second time period that it takes for a single phase motor, to drop out of it's temporary high current demand starting winding, to the low current continuous running winding.  Let's look at an example.  Model GPN-105E, producing 40 continuous rated amps, will produce 56 amps surge power (40 x 1.4) WHICH GIVES YOU THAT "POWER-ASSIST" BONUS, WHENEVER YOU NEED IT.

GILLETTE'S EXCLUSIVE "HEAVY DUTY" DIODES

The most commonly replaced part on a brushless portable generator is the diode (rectifier) circuit.  These diodes convert AC to DC power for energizing the rotor winding circuit.  A typical diode rating of 1000 Volts at 12 Amps is universally used in portable generators and they work fine when gen-set is properly used.  If the gen-set is overloaded by an oversized electric motor (and all operators eventually do this), there is an excellent chance that the diodes will fail, due to the tremendous voltage "spike" set up by the back EMF (electro-motive-force), during starting or stoping of this motor overload.  We have solved these problems of diode failures by our exclusive winding design, and our over-rating of diodes.  We install 25 Amp diodes at 3200 Volts and therefore it is virtually impossible to destroy the diodes in a Gillette built generator.  For this reason, WE WARRANTY OUR DIODES FOR LIFE.

GILLETTE'S EXCLUSIVE "HEAVY-DUTY" CAPACITORS

Gillette uses the system of CLC voltage regulation (capacitor load compensating), which, upon charging and dis-charging of this capacitor, across the exciter winding, will produce, plus or minus 5% voltage regulation, from name plate rating.  Due to the wear and abuse of this constant charge-discharge function, the capacitor in all brushless generators, have become the second most replaced part.  Most generators have a 250 VAC capacitor rating.  We use a 370 VAC capacitor which allows 33% more capacitor film and dielectric fluid insulator.  This heavier duty capacitor can take the abuses of it's circuitry and for this reason, WE WARRANTY OUR CAPACITORS FOR LIFE.

GILLETTE'S EXCLUSIVE "LOAD BALANCE" DESIGN

Gillette no longer will use a "Full Power" mechanical switch, for switch selection of full wattage power on 120 VOLTS and 240 VOLTS, due to the eventual failures of these switches and the constant confusion on how to correctly operate this switch.  More slot area in the stator winding slots, to increase the amount of copper wire (as shown in "POWER-ASSIST" explanation), has been proven to be the better solution.  Our 120/240 Volt generators are of the 3-wire circuit, which gives full power on 240 volts, but only 1/2 wattage rating on each of the two 120 volt circuits.  If user connects all loads onto just one side of 120 volt output, and nothing or very little load on remaining 120 volt circuit, the generator load will be out of balance across the 2-pole winding and will badly vibrate and chatter.  This is typical on all other 3 wire generators. The Gillette stator winding is wound in parallel so that any load applied to either 120 volt circuit, is equally shared across both windings of the 2 pole design.  This "shared" winding stops all un-balanced load problems, and the increased circular mils of copper wire, safely takes care of  75% of full 120 volt load on both circuits.  As an extra-precaution, Gillette precision balances the rotating rotor.  These rotors, revolving at 3600 RPM (Revolutions Per Minute), must be precisely balanced to within 4 grams for smoother operation and longer service life.  THESE TWO FEATURES COUPLED WITH SMOOTH RUNNING OHV ENGINES, GIVE YOU VIBRATION FREE VALUE BEYOND ALL OTHERS.

GILLETTE'S EXCLUSIVE "INSULATION" DESIGN

All electrical windings will depend on the design of it's insulation system, to determine it's normal service life, before failure happens.  Most windings will have a Class F, 150°C insulation system.  Gillette installs a Class H, 180°C to 200°C insulation system, in each Gillette winding.  All slot insulations are Class H, 180°C and all copper wire is double enamel coated at Class H, 200°C.  The final copper winding is immersed into a 100% resin, 200°C insulating varnish, (no diluting thinners used) and cured for 5 hours at 350°F.  THIS WINDING SYSTEM ASSURES YOU OF A LONGER LASTING WINDING, IN ANY ENVIRONMENT.