Generator vs. Voltage regulator problems

[Go Fleiter]

Hi all,
  please: how can I distiguish generator bug from the voltage regulator´s?
  I lost battery loading capacity and changed the very consumed generator brushes.
When put back, problem was not solved. I suspected the brushes not having goog axial pressure on the collector- have to check.
  When disconnecting the battery, engine stalled before, now continues running, but only if running at ~1000 rpm.
 Then I put my spare generator- fresh [10 years ago ] from Bernbaum´s.
It does load, but just up to 6.5 Volts instead of the 7.3... V as expected.
Engine however does not stall any more with batt off.
  Voltage reading on both generators was around 1 Volt with no connections to the regulator, not changing much up to 2200 rpm.
Question:
1.) is the low reding on the unconnected generator ok?
2.) is it safe to connect 6 V from battery (field wire (the smaller one)off) to the generator field Terminal and may I then get a valuable voltage reading? Informing me on the pure generator performance without including the performance of the voltage regulator?
I remember having had 20-30 V readings on bare generator, but I don´t remember with which circumstances.
  Is there a method to tell generator defect from regulator defect or is it a trial and error matter?
Thanks for Your hints!
Greetings from Düsseldorf!
Go

[knuckleharley]

42 minutes ago, Go Fleiter said:

Hi all,
  please: how can I distiguish generator bug from the voltage regulator´s?
  I lost battery loading capacity and changed the very consumed generator brushes.
When put back, problem was not solved. I suspected the brushes not having goog axial pressure on the collector- have to check.
  When disconnecting the battery, engine stalled before, now continues running, but only if running at ~1000 rpm.
 Then I put my spare generator- fresh [10 years ago ] from Bernbaum´s.
It does load, but just up to 6.5 Volts instead of the 7.3... V as expected.
Engine however does not stall any more with batt off.
  Voltage reading on both generators was around 1 Volt with no connections to the regulator, not changing much up to 2200 rpm.
Question:
1.) is the low reding on the unconnected generator ok?
2.) is it safe to connect 6 V from battery (field wire (the smaller one)off) to the generator field Terminal and may I then get a valuable voltage reading? Informing me on the pure generator performance without including the performance of the voltage regulator?
I remember having had 20-30 V readings on bare generator, but I don´t remember with which circumstances.
  Is there a method to tell generator defect from regulator defect or is it a trial and error matter?
Thanks for Your hints!
Greetings from Düsseldorf!
Go

Have you tried to polarize the generator? This has to be done any time you take the generator or alternator off and put them back on.

 

Can't remember which wire you strike against which right now because positive and negative ground systems are different,but this information will be in your service manual and in your Motors Auto Repair manual that covers the year your car was manufactured.

[MackTheFinger]

This is a pretty good description for testing a generator.

 

 

[Go Fleiter]

Both posts were very helpful!

And I could even understand  the video speaker. He spoke very clearly and SLOWLY!

Thanks a lot!

Easy: if Generator is working, Regulator has the bug!

Greetings from Düsseldorf!

Go

Edited May 18, 2018 by Go Fleiter

[Dodgeb4ya]

The regulator is usually the problem of no charging.

Today's Chinese  replacement regulators will most likely not work or not for long.

A NOS never installed factory equipment Autolite regulator is what I use as a replacement.... i buy them off Ebay.

[sser2]

Low voltage from generator at low rpm is normal, it is one of disadvantages of generator vs. alternator.

[dpollo]

I think Dodgeb4ya has pinpointed your problem  

 

Remove the regulator cover and clean the 3 sets of points with a point file or very fine paper.

This may solve your problem at least temporarily.   Nice to see you on this forum, Go.  I am the guy with the twin to your car and your car is wearing a fender spear I sent years ago.

 

Be sure to use the regulator which has two connections on one side and the battery connection on the other.  These were used 1950 to 55.

[Go Fleiter]

Thanks again, my generator and regulator now are working well.

I needed a couple of trials to find the best adjustment for

different temperature circumstances.

Greetings from Düsseldorf!

Go

 

BTW: dpolo, do I remember well: are You Pat??

The spear still is beautiful,

but I let the scratched lamp chrome ring on it´s place, although having a perfect one:

It has to remember me that accident on 17. July 2010!!

Thanks again!!

Edited May 21, 2018 by Go Fleiter

[dpollo]

10 hours ago, Go Fleiter said:

 

BTW: dpolo, do I remember well: are You Pat??

    not Pat,   David

 

[Go Fleiter]

:))

[Young Ed]

On 5/18/2018 at 11:04 AM, Dodgeb4ya said:

The regulator is usually the problem of no charging.

Today's Chinese  replacement regulators will most likely not work or not for long.

A NOS never installed factory equipment Autolite regulator is what I use as a replacement.... i buy them off Ebay.

how about the opposite? my coupe swings up to about 10amp after starting like always but now just stays there. I drove 120miles last week with my headlights and heater on just to keep the charging to a minimum

[knuckleharley]

5 minutes ago, Young Ed said:

how about the opposite? my coupe swings up to about 10amp after starting like always but now just stays there. I drove 120miles last week with my headlights and heater on just to keep the charging to a minimum

How is the battery? It sounds to me like it's not taking a charge.

 

I guess it is possible the generator is overcharging the battery,but if it were doing this the battery would get very hot and hte water would boil out.

[Young Ed]

4 minutes ago, knuckleharley said:

How is the battery? It sounds to me like it's not taking a charge.

 

I guess it is possible the generator is overcharging the battery,but if it were doing this the battery would get very hot and hte water would boil out.

well my battery was old so I removed it to replace it. when I went to buy a new one they were sold out(in the optima battery thread) so I borrowed one from Dads 54. So it's done it with 2 different batteries. 

[knuckleharley]

41 minutes ago, Young Ed said:

well my battery was old so I removed it to replace it. when I went to buy a new one they were sold out(in the optima battery thread) so I borrowed one from Dads 54. So it's done it with 2 different batteries. 

Ok,sounds like the voltage regulator to me. Disconnect the pos batt cable and then take the cover off of the regulator. Push the points open at each of the contacts and look for evidence of them being stuck or pitted. If they are,take a emery board and file them flat,put the battery cable back on,and start it up to see if it is behaving now.

 

I am not sure of the regulator you are running,but the original ones were adjustable,so it was possible to put a amp gauge on the battery and adjust the points in the regulator to the point where it is putting out "X-Amount of amps at idle or at any specific RPM you want.

 

If you can't adjust it,your only option is to buy a new voltage regulator. IIRC,a little less than 30 bucks from Advance Auto.

 

 

[James_Douglas]

If anyone is using a Optima battery and has odd problems with charging over time, go look at the archives on the subject from me.  Some Autolite voltage regulators do not work with generators and optima batteries.

 

James.

[Go Fleiter]

Hallo All!

 Thanks again for all Your hints!

Really strange, the partially uncompatible Optima / Autolite combination!!

Well, now everýthing is working very fine here.

My spare generator (unused since its production) also runs perfectly with the same regulator settings.

That may be logical, but these electrics often seem not!

I had to polarise it- resulting performance is 1a now.

Interestingly, this one needs a slightly longer pulley belt to be postioned comfortably.

Nice Plymouth season to Your all!

Greetings from Düsseldorf!

Go

Edited May 28, 2018 by Go Fleiter