[koates]

Hi El Rat, If you connect the field terminal to the armature terminal and rev the engine a little, then disconnect the battery and the engine still runs then the ignition is being powered by the generator. This is a farm yard test to prove if the generator is working but not a good or recommended test. Linking the field and armature terminals at the gen or v/reg bypasses the voltage and current controls inside the reg. The cut out inside the regulator box still operates. There are laid down procedures for testing and adjusting generators and regulators and disconnecting the battery while the engine is running is not one of them. Does the ammeter show some sort of a charge when you rev the engine up ? More specific info on your problem is required. Regards, Kevin.