EASYchange® Removable Brush Holders

Reliability Starts with a Better Brush Holder

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Keep Generators Running Longer

The Cutsforth EASYchange® Removable Carbon Brush Holder transforms generator maintenance by enabling safer, faster brush changes—even while the unit remains online. Its removable design reduces ring-fire risk, improves personnel safety, extends collector ring life, and lowers maintenance costs. With more than 50,000 installations across 1,700+ units worldwide, EASYchange has become the trusted standard for efficient, reliable generator brush maintenance.

Highlights

  • Directly replaces most OEM or aftermarket holders with minimal modification
  • Uses the same grade of carbon brush already in your system
  • Enables safe, offline inspection and cleaning of holders
  • High-quality materials and design minimize common brush and ring issues
  • Typical retrofits completed in 1–2 days
  • Allows safe online brush changes to reduce downtime
  • Fully integrates with Cutsforth EASYchange Brush Condition Monitoring for continuous visibility into brush performance

How it Works

Installation

EASYchange holders install quickly with minimal modification to existing rigging, allowing most retrofits to be completed in just 1–2 days.

Replacing a Brush

Brushes can be safely removed, inspected, and replaced in seconds — without shutting down or exposing personnel to energized components.

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Positioning the Brush Leads

The ergonomic “pistol-grip” design makes routing and securing brush leads simple, consistent, and free from strain or interference.

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EASYchange Height Setter Tutorial

The included Height Setter tool ensures precise brush seating and optimal contact pressure for consistent performance and longer ring life.

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EASYchange vs OEM Holders

Compared to traditional OEM holders, EASYchange offers safer online brush changes, reduced maintenance issues, and significantly longer collector ring service life.

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Additional Resources

Flyer: Brush Rigging Inspection Worksheet
Brush Density Calculator
Webinar: Brush Failures and How to Solve Them
White Paper: Root Cause Analysis of Collector Ring Fires in Power Generators

Removable Carbon Brush Holder FAQs

What types of generators benefit from Cutsforth EASYchange carbon brush holders?

Our carbon brush holders are currently installed on gas and steam turbines, hydroelectric equipment, and at nuclear power plants. Other retrofits include chemical plants, paper mills, and oil and gas refineries. From the smallest power producers to some of the nation’s largest power companies, Cutsforth brush holders are quickly becoming the BEST choice for an in-service removable brush holder. In addition to the United States, Cutforth brush holders have been installed overseas in several countries.

What brands of generators are Cutsforth EASYchange carbon brush holders installed on?

General Electric, Westinghouse, Allis Chalmers, Electric Machinery, Alstom, ABB, ASEA, GM, Siemens, and Hitachi.

Why should I consider a retrofit with Cutsforth EASYchange carbon brush holders?

Our brush holder will bring increased personnel safety, increased collector ring and brush rigging reliability, and decreased maintenance costs to your plant.

What problems will Cutsforth EASYchange carbon brush holders address on my generator?

Arcing, brush binding, poor terminal connections, poor spring pressure, and photographing.

Our brush holders can reduce collector ring wear and improve and protect the critical brush-to-ring connection.

How long does a Cutsforth EASYchange carbon brush holder retrofit take?

Entire retrofits can usually be completed in one business day. The Cutsforth team works with your company and/or outage coordinators to get our brush holders installed during your outage.

How long have Cutsforth EASYchange holders been operating in generators?

Our holders have been in service and operating for about 20 years. There are currently over 40,000 Cutsforth EASYchange brush holders in operation worldwide.

How reliable has Cutsforth carbon brush holder been?

We are proud to proclaim that we have never had a failure to date from our brush holder.

Have Cutsforth carbon brush holders ever been installed on DC motors?

Yes, on larger critical applications. We have installed our brush holders on larger DC motors such as MG sets.

Can Cutsforth EASYchange carbon brush holders be installed on commutators, pilot exciters and Alterrex ring sets?

Yes, the installation variables are the brush size, ring or commutator size (width) and the existing brush rigging setup.

How can we clean the brushes and collector rings?

Denatured alcohol combined with clean, lint-free rags is the best way to clean the brush holders and collector rings.

How can I see a demonstration or receive more information?

We regularly schedule online demonstrations, which consist of a web-based meeting and conference call for plant personnel. Please schedule a demo by filling out this form.