[rotorwrench]

When you polarize, it has no benefit to the regulator at all. The reason for polarizing is to use the battery DC current to magnetize the pole shoes in your generator via the field windings in there. If there is no residual magnetism in the pole shoes or if the polarity is out then the generator can't pull the cut out points closed to energize the charging system after engine start. The procedure for the older Ford vehicles is specific and can only be done one way. Disconnect the field wire from the regulator and momentarily (no more than 2-seconds) touch it to the battery terminal on the regulator. The field wire can then be reconnected to the field terminal and the generator is ready to go as long as all the components are serviceable.

If you use a jumper wire from a battery source, don't connect it to the field terminal until the generator field windings are isolated from the rest of the system or it can damage the regulator.

There are ways to test the generator to make sure it functions but a person has to have a meter on it and it can only be bypass connected for a very short time since the output is unregulated. The equipment required to do complete testing of the system is getting harder to find in this day and age. Every shop used to have test equipment back then but few have it now days. An auto electric shop generally has the equipment but there are fewer of these type businesses out there in this time frame.

If you have a multi-meter, you can set it on DC voltage and check the system when it's running across the battery terminals. The voltage should be around 7.2 to 7.6 volts. In any case is should be above static battery voltage.