Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport
Aircraft
On climbout; received Master Caution; Level 2 'electrical alerts;' Level 1 SEL Electrical MAN; and GEN 3 out indication.  After running QRH procedures; electrical synoptic stated that 1-elec system alerts may be INOP 2-elec panel may be partially INOP 3-system display may be incomplete. (ELEC controller in MAN)  The QRH directed us to reference electrical panel if additional equipment failure occurred. We called Maintenance to see if they had additional guidance (none). We contacted Dispatch via ACARS to see if they had additional guidance.(none)  After considering destination; Maintenance history (recent GEN 3 r+r); equipment failures and QRH guidance; we decided a return was the safest course of action.
Shortly after takeoff; we got a Level 2 ELEC alert; and a Level 1 SEL ELEC SYS MAN. We also had a GEN 3 OFF light on the electrical panel; and our electrical synoptic had parts of normally displayed items (DC Tie 3; AC Tie 3; Gen 3) that were completely missing. Additionally; the Number 3 Generator had recently been replaced. After running the checklists for these alerts; we called maintenance to see if they had any additional information regarding the alerts and checklists we were presented with. Maintenance had no additional information. The QRH directed us to reference the electrical panel if additional equipment failures occurred; and also states that the ELEC PANEL MAY BE PARTIALLY INOP. After considering the QRH; our current alerts; maintenance history; and our destination; we made the decision to return.
MD11 flight crew reports a Number 3 Generator failure during climb. The generator had recently been replaced by Maintenance and the crew elects to return to the departure airport.