Generator discharging too much under load

[farmerdick]

Hey Guys, My generator works fine until I turn on the headlights and it
discharges to about -8 volts. I don`t operate very often at night but would like to do so without worrying about draining the battery. Do you
have any suggestions?

Richard/Maine

[tdlmomowers]

Adjust the third brush so that when it is running and the lights are on, the ammeter is in the middle.

[TD]

Just remove the band covering the access slots on the generator and push the third brush around until the amps are where you like it. You gotta love the old technology, goes right along with an old cathadaray (sp) tube.
TD

[MrTube]

Cathode ray tube?


FYI there is nothing simple about a CRT especially how it works.

[farmerdick]

Thank you gentlemen, I will give it a try and road test it.

Richard

[Patrick L.]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

If you don't want to keep messing with that brush,, I'd suggest an EVR from Tom W.

[Kurt in NJ]

It is intended in the design that there is a slight discharge when the lights are on ---it says so in the owners manual.

Just think of the battery as a bank account(say 200$), driving at night you are taking out 8$ per hour, and if without the lights you are depositing 10 per hour and drive 3 hours for every one at night---the account will stay full---you always have to put in more than you take out because there are some losses in the transfer(bank fees), and a startup fee--2-10$(0 if you hand crank)

i have my deposit rate set at 15, use quartz halogen headlights, at 15 I am at +1 with the lights on, sometimes I make withdrawals in daytime so my account doesn't get too full (overcharging)---perhaps 50% of my driving is at night

Tom's EVR is like underdraft, and overdraft protection combined

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by Kurt in NJ

It is intended in the design that there is a slight discharge when the lights are on ---it says so in the owners manual.

Just think of the battery as a bank account(say 200$), driving at night you are taking out 8$ per hour, and if without the lights you are depositing 10 per hour and drive 3 hours for every one at night---the account will stay full---you always have to put in more than you take out because there are some losses in the transfer(bank fees), and a startup fee--2-10$(0 if you hand crank)

i have my deposit rate set at 15, use quartz halogen headlights, at 15 I am at +1 with the lights on, sometimes I make withdrawals in daytime so my account doesn't get too full (overcharging)---perhaps 50% of my driving is at night

Tom's EVR is like underdraft, and overdraft protection combined

Kurt,
I'll send this to my C.P.A. daughter, Cindy, and see what she thinks Bill W.

[sethkestenbaum]

If you aren't driving too long at night and not that frequently, then don't worry about adjusting the rate. Let the battery draw down a little. If you decide to road trip at night, then you need to start adjusting the rate. I have my generator set so I have a slight charge with the parking lights on. I tend to drive with them on durring the day. If I turn on the high beems, I have a drain of -8.

Every few weeks I also put the battery on a slow charger/tender to make certain I am not over draining it. As I see it, I am better off undercharging it and using a tender than overcharging it and boiling the battery.

Just my thoughts

[farmerdick]

Thank you, all info is good. I will also try that.

Richard