These colour wires are used in European and UK wiring. The blue wire is used to the identify the neutral conductor and the brown wire is used to identify the "hot" conductor.

In Canada and the US. The white wire is used to the identify the neutral conductor and the any colour but green is used to identify the "hot" conductor.

1) Changing Engine Speed to Vary Output Frequency
Present-day generators consist of an engine directly connected to an alternator to produce electricity. One of the most common ways of changing the output frequency of a generator is to change the rotation speed of the engine.

The two factors are related as per the following formula -
Generator Frequency (f) = Number of revolutions per minute of the engine (N) * Number of magnetic poles (P) / 120
Conversely, P = 120*f/N

As per the above formulae, a 2-pole generator producing an output frequency of 60 Hz has an engine speed of 3,600 rpm. To change the output frequency to 60 Hz for the same generator configuration, the engine speed needs to be reduced to 3,000 rpm. Similarly, for a 4-pole generator, an engine speed of 1,800 rpm produces output of 60 Hz. Reducing the engine speed to 1,500 rpm yields an output of 50 Hz.

In the case of small or residential generators, you can alter the engine rpm settings by making a few changes on the control panel of your unit. Follow the steps given below to alter your generator frequency from 60 Hz to 50 Hz:

(a) Run your generator engine and tune the frequency meter on your control panel to read 50 Hz.
(b) Check the AC voltmeter or potentiometer as the case may be and read the voltage output of the generator. The output voltage decreases as you reduce the frequency and may be lower than the desired value.
(c) Adjust the AC voltmeter or potentiometer on your control panel till you obtain the desired output voltage at 50 Hz.
(d) By making similar modifications on the control panel, you can increase the frequency from 50 Hz to 60 Hz.
(e) If the control panel does not display the frequency, you will need to first connect a device that will measure the frequency while the generator is in operation and then change the engine rpm.

Generator controller units undertake real-time monitoring and control of your unit. Built-in protective functions automatically shut down your generator in the case of excess engine rpm or very low output frequency. For addtional information on the functionality of a generator please read the following article, How Generators Work.

Normally the neutral wire of every circuit is connected to the neutral bus bar in the main breaker panel. Because the neutral bus bar is always connected to ground you should never be able to measure any voltage between the neutral wire and ground.

So, if you are measuring 45 to 60 VAC between the neutral and the ground it could be that the neutral wire has become disconnected at the breaker panel or somewhere in between the panel and the point where you are measuring that voltage.

Assuming the load equipment - an appliance, a motor or whatever - is still connected to the hot and neutral wires, then, if there is no connection to the neutral going back to the power station, in effect you are measuring the line voltage from the hot feed as reduced by the resistance and/or reactive impedance (total reactance) of the load. That could be making 45 to 60 VAC, as read by your meter, appear on the neutral wire coming back from the load.

A simple way to prove if that is the case is to unplug or disconnect all loads - appliances, light fixtures, motors, etc. - from the circuit in question. If you cannot then measure any voltage between the neutral wire and ground the next thing to check is the resistance between the neutral and ground.

First of all switch off the circuit by switching off the breaker at the main panel - or remove the circuit's fuse if it has a fuse and no breaker - and then use the resistance range on a multimeter to measure the resistance between the neutral wire and ground. If it is a very low resistance then an open neutral is not the cause of your problem. If it measures as a very high resistance or an open circuit then your problem is an open neutral.

The reason for the open neutral must be found and that fault must then be corrected urgently.

In the Discussion page to this question please let us know what you found when you did the tests suggested above, and whether or not this advice helped you to locate and fix this problem.

To be able to help you better it is important to know exactly here this circuit is located geographically in the world and to have confirmation whether - as inferred from your question - it is a 50Hz system with one 230V live and one neutral or whether it is actually a 60 Hz system having two 120V hots (+120V and -120V) balanced around neutral.

Then, if necessary we shall have to consider what other reasons could cause the fault you have described but to be able to do so it would help to know exactly what you found when you did the tests described above.

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As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.

Before you do any work yourself,

on electrical circuits, equipment or appliances,

always use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.

IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB

SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY

REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.

Sure. You can also set fire to the pants you're wearing at the time while you're at it. They're about equally good ideas.

A lamp that's rated for 60 watts has been determined to be safe when used with a bulb of that wattage. Higher wattage bulbs, especially halogen bulbs, are likely quite a bit hotter than the lamp was designed to withstand ... and that's ignoring the fact that the wiring was designed for currents appropriate for a 60-watt load, and quadrupling that is going to overload them and may even cause them to short out and/or catch fire.

Because I'm not absolutely certain that anyone who would think this could possibly work out okay will pick up on the subtle nuances here ...

Do not ever use a bulb of a wattage higher than the fixture is rated for.