Not charging

[Terry, NJ]

I'm at my wit's end! A couple of weeks ago, I posted that I had cooked the generator and the cut out. A little investigation reveals that The wire was pretty hot and the ammeter got cooked too. The ammeter still showed a discharge (when it should) but no charge. $80 later, after a rebuild, the Generator puts out 6-7 volts at the field connection, in front of the cut out. Between the cutout and the ammeter I read 6 volts. Tonight I changed to a brand new ammeter and wire. I polarized the generator and cut out. (field to ground) Still no charge! When I put the volt meter on the connection, am I reading battery voltage? This is a simple system, there's nothing more to replace. What am I doing wrong!
Terry

[Mike V. Florida]

To polarize the generator you place a wire across the cutout. From the output of the generator to the output of the cutout (battery).

It is this voltage from the battery, through the generator to ground that creates the magnetism that is needed for the generator to operate.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Generator 750 RPM = 500 engine RPM, and this is about the speed where the generator can start charging the battery.

Look at the wiring schematic and make sure all the connections are clean and tight in the charging circuit.

[Terry, NJ]

I re-polarized it according to your instructions and still no charge. However, When i'm taking a reading off the field it's always - Neg. Ground += hot side. I have to reverse the leads from the meter to check the cutout to ammeter side of the circuit, DUH ???? what that all about? Never seen that before! At first I thought I screwed up. but it isn't me.
Terry

[jrelliott]

If you are only getting 6V at the output of the cutout going to the battery, and ammeter, then the cutout is likely bad as you are likely measuring battery voltage. There should only be a micro volt drop if any across the cutout points when the cutout is working properly. You stated measuring 6-7V at the input to the cutout. Are you running at idle or higher than idle as the generator takes rpm to make it work. If the cutout is bad, then the generator could get as high as 40 Volts with no load. The battery is the limiting factor for voltage on these systems. To charge the battery, you need about 7.2 Volts at the output of the cutout going to the battery.

[Tom Wesenberg]

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Originally Posted by Terry, NJ

I re-polarized it according to your instructions and still no charge. However, When i'm taking a reading off the field it's always - Neg. Ground += hot side. I have to reverse the leads from the meter to check the cutout to ammeter side of the circuit, DUH ???? what that all about? Never seen that before! At first I thought I screwed up. but it isn't me.
Terry

The battery should be POSITIVE ground, so always connect the red + meter lead to ground and probe the various points in question with the black NEGATIVE meter lead.

[Patrick L.]

I'm wondering if you have tried motoring the generator, and, if so, in which direction did it spin.

[johnbuckley]

May be you simply need to increase the output of the generator 6-7 v isn't much. I would expect 7-8 even 9-10v as the revs increase
Test 1 Is the generator working OK?- disconnect it from the cutout entirely and attach the volt meter to the terminal on the generator . start engine a check voltage output- do the volts increase with revs?
Test 2 stop engine. leave cutout disconnected from the genny- what happens to the ammeter when you shove 8 volts or more ( use a battery charger) up the wire to it?

[Terry, NJ]

So.. I was searching all around for an answer all afternoon. I tried "motoring" the Generator it "motors" fine, Right direction too! I also tried reversing the cutout. Since the screws are offset it seems to fit better with the connection away from the hole where the two wires come out off the body of the generator. No change! I put the meter on the Gen. with no thing attached 6-7 volts at a fast idle (5-600 RPM ?) Hooked it all up again and it still doesn't work! BUT I took the cover off the cutout that I thought I had burned, no frazzled wires or burnt spots! So maybe I didn't cook it.
Terry

[Terry, NJ]

John, I will try test number two tomorrow. Tell me, What should happen when I put voltage on it?
Terry

Originally Posted by johnbuckley

May be you simply need to increase the output of the generator 6-7 v isn't much. I would expect 7-8 even 9-10v as the revs increase
Test 1 Is the generator working OK?- disconnect it from the cutout entirely and attach the volt meter to the terminal on the generator . start engine a check voltage output- do the volts increase with revs?
Test 2 stop engine. leave cutout disconnected from the genny- what happens to the ammeter when you shove 8 volts or more ( us a battery charger) up the wire to it?

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Terry, NJ

So.. I was searching all around for an answer all afternoon. I tried "motoring" the Generator it "motors" fine, Right direction too! I also tried reversing the cutout. Since the screws are offset it seems to fit better with the connection away from the hole where the two wires come out off the body of the generator. No change! I put the meter on the Gen. with no thing attached 6-7 volts at a fast idle (5-600 RPM ?) Hooked it all up again and it still doesn't work! BUT I took the cover off the cutout that I thought I had burned, no frazzled wires or burnt spots! So maybe I didn't cook it.
Terry

That's an important detail I hadn't heard before. This is post Model A production, and it's important that the wire leading to the fields is grounded under the screw for the cutout mount. Remove the band and push and pull one wire and see if it goes to the insulated output brush. That one must go to the cutout.

[Bob C]

If I was you I would be running my tests at more than a fast idle.

Bob

[Mike V. Florida]

Double check what Tom said.

Do you have the relay type cutout?

It's easy to test, apply a voltage greater then 7 volts to the input, and the other lead from your voltage source to the case and you should have the same out.

[johnbuckley]

Originally Posted by Terry, NJ

John, I will try test number two tomorrow. Tell me, What should happen when I put voltage on it?
Terry

at anything higher than battery voltage (approx 6.3 v) the ammeter should swing over to show a charge-.
If Test 1 shows the generator putting out a voltage more than 7 volts and Test 2 shows the ammeter indicating charge, then the fault must be the cutout or its connections .