Has anyone here had a failure of any kind with a generator hub. If so I'd like to hear about it.

Thanks

My Sanyo hub was working good until i put the wheel back on the forks in the opposite direction than the way I had it. The bearings started making some sort of popping noise. There was no correct direction of rotation for this hub as far as I could tell.

Nope, still running .. had issues with 1 LED headlight , and bulbs on an E6.

Schmidt loose QR & magnetisim did wrap the wire around the hub axle, once, but had enough slack .. to not matter.

and Shimano plug could me more secure , but bending down and pushing the plug on more firmly, again, is no big deal.

My Shimano has given no problems. though it does have a rotation arrow. However it does have the disc brake option, so it is less likely to get inverted.

No issues here, have used a SON approx 14000km (sold as I went to disc) SP PD-8 disc, it's replacement approx 3000km and on another bike a Shimano T785 approx 3000km, no issues with any of them, wouldn't get the specific model of Shimano again, as it's a little heavy, but Shimano have introduced new hubs (inc the T785-1D) which are significantly lighter since I got mine, and would consider these.

Not used a Sanyo hub, but not sure how you could put any of the others in the wrong way round, as the connectors are always on the RHS.

My Sturmey Archer XL drum dyno has near 19,000 miles now. At 17,000 it got hungry and ate 4 bearings. The crumbs were all stuck on the magnet. ha. Wasn't too hard to put in another $7 part, needed to re solder the wire. This was after a tour with 300 lbs total. So the fork got overwhelmed and broke/ fixed 3 times. Brake is still good.

But I did have to make a 33.5 mm wrench to open it.

There have been reports on internet of people trying to service bearings on ones that are not supposed to be user serviceable, but instead they broke wire connections by trying to fix something that was not broken.

And there have been reports of people thinking that the bearings were too tight so they tried to loosen them, also broke wiring connections.

A dynohub does not "feel" like a normal hub, you can't turn the axle when you are holding the hub or wheel, so don't assume something is wrong when that happens. The magnets inside prevent it from feeling like a normal hub.

This is not a failure, but an occasional complaint - but some people feel a vibration in their handlebar at slow speeds due to the rotating magnetics and magnetic fields, but has not been an issue for me. I think you are more likely to notice this with a light weight randoneering bike that with a touring bike, I suspect the heavier components and tires dampen any vibration.

Mine has been great, SP PV-8.

They are not sumbersible, so do not ford any deep streams.

My Schmidt Son28 is doing good after 15,000 km's. Occasionally the wiring connections give me grief. Yes you can solder with a Bic Lighter.

What does a dynohub with broken bearings feel like?

I felt a few rumbles before and during a nice 123 mile day I think. I think at least 3 were boke by then. A few days later I noticed the wheel top was going sideways, worse when leaning. It seemed OK when just spinning it and went out 3 more times, 20 miles. So I was also wondering if the axel was broke. The last ride it was getting really wonky when not straight up, still rideable. The magnet sucked up the bits, so it was still smooth. There wasn't a speck of grease on it.

The only failure I experienced was a failure to buy one sooner......
One of my favourite purchases that just keeps on giving.
Powers my lights for night riding and/or my garmin gps, cell phone and Petzl Tikka 2XP headlight torch for night reading and early camp dismantling, visits to the bathroom etc.
Love the freedom it offers me and I've never once regretted my purchase.
Yet to meet any one who regrets owning one yet.

I picked up one for my tour and I haven't had any issues. I ended up doing a shorter tour (3000 miles), with no issues. A LBS guy asked me if I thought about failure, I told him I honestly hadn't. He claimed a normal lifespan for a hub could be about 7-10k miles. So far no problems, and to agree with everyone else, I'm really happy about the purchase.

SP SV-8 with Busch and Müller Luxos IQ2

The bearings do wear out, although I haven't actually worn mine out, yet. I've got a lot of miles on my first one, too, probably 30,000+.
I've known of several people who got their Edelux lights waterlogged and ruined. They're mostly okay in the rain, but not a guarantee! That's obviously not a generator hub issue, but if you wind up sitting in the dark, it doesn't much matter where the weak point was, either.
On one of my bikes, I had to remove the front wheel to haul it, and eventually, the little wiring clips were getting loose, but minor issue.

Thanks. So it will be very noticable.

I've been riding my Shimano dynohub that came with my bike for a good 8 years and something like 25,000 km (15,000+ miles) so I don't doubt the endurance of these things.
My Nexus 8 rear IGH is starting to come to the end of its life though I have used it at quite some speed and power, which might add to the wear on it.

Just ordered a B+M Lumotec IQ Cyo Premium T senso plus headlight so I am looking forward to the light it will bring.

* Fun fact: Dynohub is a Sturmey-Archer trademark

About 40 years ago I had a bit of experience about dynohubs, from that I would never own one. Unless you can convince me about quality of hub and bearings, and the friction with the dyno part. YMMV.
I'll spend the same wt. and get a battery to change electronics, and use good hubs. IMHO.

At somewhere that was likely more than 10,000 miles and less than 20,000 miles, I wore through the rim on my dynamo hub wheel. I just built the hub into a new wheel, and it's still going. The new wheel is on a bike that I don't use nearly as often, so it may keep going quite a while.

You are using your experience with 40 year old stuff and using that as a rationalization to never try

the new extremely efficient Hub dynamos currently in production ..
For one thing 40 years ago the Bottle generators were DC & had only 1 hot+ lead and the return was the frame Ground.

Now they are AC/alternators with twin lead wires and the drag is maybe .5~1w

are you still riding a Schwinn Varsity with steel rims Too?

I am pretty sure the vintage Union bottle generator I put on my errand bike is that old, it is AC. I added some zener diodes to it so I can go down hills faster.

No problems yet, but I've only got about 13,000 miles on one, and maybe 8,000 miles on the other.

Wait, you are willing to use battery technology that has advanced over the last 40 years, but not dynamo technology that has advanced over the last 40 years?

Odd.

wasn't the only dynohub available 40 years ago from Sturmey Archer? Because that would be a shame to compare anything from SA to something you can get from any of the vendors nowadays.

I'm glad to hear those thoughts of mine were wrong. Less than 1 watt power drag ? impressive. What's the wt. of a dynahub and other specs.
Please & thank you!

I don't think I've heard very many, if ANY complaints about Dynamo hubs, regardless of manufacturer.

For a "practical" bicycle, one that is used as a commuter, tourer or utility bike, it's a no brainier. Dynamo powered lights augmented with battery powered backups or flashers. Add to the package the ability to charge stuff on tour, and it's a pretty useful item. There is an upfront cost, but in the long run you'll be happy you did it.

Where do I go to to look at the new ones?

Check out Peter White Cycles Home Page lots of good info and high end hubs and lights.

Awesome customer service from them as well, they've done me right more than once.