The Ford Barn

Vanspeed · 05-01-2015, 08:00 PM

Hey guys, got my old F-1 fired up and she is running. This was an old farm truck that sat for years. I pulled the cover off my voltage regulator and it looked very nice inside so I kept it. I am not showing anything at my battery gauge (ameter). I have been told two ways to flash my generator. Disconnect bat wire from regulator and touch field and vise versa.

I get a good spark when I touch bat to field, just a tiny spark if I touch field to bat. Is my regulator working? How do I check it? Is my generator working? Again, how do I check it? Is my gauge bad? Again, how do I test it? I have been getting mixed results and don't want to purchase/ rebuild everything if only one thing is the culprit. I know the alternator shop can probably test my generator but they are not open until Monday. Any help is appreciated.

cmbrucew · 05-01-2015, 08:14 PM

Van
Check battery voltage with engine off. Start engine, check voltage with engine at high idle. If voltage is higher its charging.
Bruce

JSeery · 05-01-2015, 09:31 PM

Good to hear it's running! I think cmbrucew's suggestion is a good place to start, that will tell you if the battery is seeing anything out of the regulator/generator. If you are seeing a voltage increase at the battery then most likely something is not right with the amp meter. If not then you need to move on to the regulator and generator.

49fordv8f4 · 05-01-2015, 11:25 PM

You may need to polarize the generator. Most older auto repair manuals will give the procedure, be sure you use the instructions for a Ford charging system. The do not all polarize the same.
Mark

rotorwrench · 05-02-2015, 08:40 AM

Flashing the field, Bat wire touched momentarily to field terminal or a jumper lead between the two will work to magnetize the generator field pole shoes in a good polarity.This residual magnetism is what closes the cut out pole and starts the unit generating. Now if the brushes are worn out or the armature has issues then you will still have a problem. A volt meter on the battery posts will tell you if it is charging or not. It should read somewhere around 7.2 volts when the generator is turning.

waterboychuck · 05-02-2015, 09:14 AM

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It sounds if you got the wiring issue solved. I would do what the above posts say but I would also take the generator and voltage regulator to a shop and have them tested. That way you know it's working right and the brushes are in good shape.

Vanspeed · 05-02-2015, 01:55 PM

I just tested the battery with the engine running and I am showing 7.8-7.9 on my meter. Still nothing at my amp gauge. Maybe the gauge is bad.

JSeery · 05-02-2015, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vanspeed

I just tested the battery with the engine running and I am showing 7.8-7.9 on my meter. Still nothing at my amp gauge. Maybe the gauge is bad.

After all of the wire color coding issues in the wiring, are you sure the correct wire is running through the gauge? It is the wire from the starter solenoid (battery side) to the tie bar between the circuit breakers. The wire goes from the solenoid through the loop on the gauge and then to the CBs.

Vanspeed · 05-02-2015, 03:14 PM

Yes I checked the wire for continuity at the solenoid and the wire that goes through the loop at the gauge and I did have continuity there.

JSeery · 05-02-2015, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vanspeed

Yes I checked the wire for continuity at the solenoid and the wire that goes through the loop at the gauge and I did have continuity there.

And your sure that is the same wire that goes through the loop? Same color code? You are sure it is not the wire from the CBs to the regulator, think it was the same color? If it is the correct wire, sounds like a bad amp gauge.

Barry-ct · 05-02-2015, 04:51 PM

Very common for the amp gauge to be bad on these trucks. As long as you have the heavy yellow wire from the solenoid ( hot side ) thru the loop to the circuit breaker, then most likely the gauge is toast. Sounds like it's charging with 7+ volts at the battery when it's running. You can watch Ebay for NOS ones, as they come up now and then. I do have a few used ones that I'll give you if you want to go that route. PM me.

Barry-ct · 05-02-2015, 05:00 PM

I found some NOS amp gauges. For this many to still be around and NOS, there must have been a problem with them when they were new. We never stocked things, unless there was a steady demand for them.

Part number 8C 10850

Wesley Obs. Liberty, Ky Has 13 606-787-5293

McDonald Obs. Rockport, Ind. has 5 812-359-4965

Wesley probably will be cheaper, nice people to deal with.

Vanspeed · 05-02-2015, 08:32 PM

Swapped out the battery gauge for another and I had discharge showing( but atleast it was working!) and so I was told to thread the wire the other way through the hoop. It worked and then I lost my fuel pump so I am idle until a new pump arrives.

JSeery · 05-02-2015, 09:28 PM

Having fun? Yep all you have to do is reverse the direction of the wire through the loop.

chap52 · 05-03-2015, 06:53 AM

That's why we refer to these as "works in progress". I like to believe that it helps in our personal development also. Enjoy the adventure.

05-01-2015, 08:00 PM	#1
Vanspeed Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Suttons Bay, Mich. Posts: 3,392	F-1 wiring, generator and regulator ?'s Hey guys, got my old F-1 fired up and she is running. This was an old farm truck that sat for years. I pulled the cover off my voltage regulator and it looked very nice inside so I kept it. I am not showing anything at my battery gauge (ameter). I have been told two ways to flash my generator. Disconnect bat wire from regulator and touch field and vise versa. I get a good spark when I touch bat to field, just a tiny spark if I touch field to bat. Is my regulator working? How do I check it? Is my generator working? Again, how do I check it? Is my gauge bad? Again, how do I test it? I have been getting mixed results and don't want to purchase/ rebuild everything if only one thing is the culprit. I know the alternator shop can probably test my generator but they are not open until Monday. Any help is appreciated. __________________ *Respecting and Resurrecting Ford Model A's.*

05-01-2015, 08:14 PM	#2
cmbrucew Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: North of sandy ago, CA. Posts: 2,070	Re: F-1 wiring, generator and regulator ?'s Van Check battery voltage with engine off. Start engine, check voltage with engine at high idle. If voltage is higher its charging. Bruce __________________ Works good Lasts long time

05-01-2015, 09:31 PM	#3
JSeery Member Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 16,132	Re: F-1 wiring, generator and regulator ?'s Good to hear it's running! I think cmbrucew's suggestion is a good place to start, that will tell you if the battery is seeing anything out of the regulator/generator. If you are seeing a voltage increase at the battery then most likely something is not right with the amp meter. If not then you need to move on to the regulator and generator.

05-01-2015, 11:25 PM	#4
49fordv8f4 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Yellville,AR Posts: 222	Re: F-1 wiring, generator and regulator ?'s You may need to polarize the generator. Most older auto repair manuals will give the procedure, be sure you use the instructions for a Ford charging system. The do not all polarize the same. Mark

05-02-2015, 08:40 AM	#5
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,564	Re: F-1 wiring, generator and regulator ?'s Flashing the field, Bat wire touched momentarily to field terminal or a jumper lead between the two will work to magnetize the generator field pole shoes in a good polarity.This residual magnetism is what closes the cut out pole and starts the unit generating. Now if the brushes are worn out or the armature has issues then you will still have a problem. A volt meter on the battery posts will tell you if it is charging or not. It should read somewhere around 7.2 volts when the generator is turning.

05-02-2015, 09:14 AM	#6
waterboychuck Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Nine Mile Falls,WA Posts: 900	Re: F-1 wiring, generator and regulator ?'s Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) It sounds if you got the wiring issue solved. I would do what the above posts say but I would also take the generator and voltage regulator to a shop and have them tested. That way you know it's working right and the brushes are in good shape. __________________ The sign of a good craftsman is how well they cover up their mistakes.

05-02-2015, 01:55 PM	#7
Vanspeed Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Suttons Bay, Mich. Posts: 3,392	Re: F-1 wiring, generator and regulator ?'s I just tested the battery with the engine running and I am showing 7.8-7.9 on my meter. Still nothing at my amp gauge. Maybe the gauge is bad. __________________ *Respecting and Resurrecting Ford Model A's.*

05-02-2015, 03:14 PM	#9
Vanspeed Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Suttons Bay, Mich. Posts: 3,392	Re: F-1 wiring, generator and regulator ?'s Yes I checked the wire for continuity at the solenoid and the wire that goes through the loop at the gauge and I did have continuity there. __________________ *Respecting and Resurrecting Ford Model A's.*

05-02-2015, 04:51 PM	#11
Barry-ct Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Newington, Connecticut Posts: 1,374	Re: F-1 wiring, generator and regulator ?'s Very common for the amp gauge to be bad on these trucks. As long as you have the heavy yellow wire from the solenoid ( hot side ) thru the loop to the circuit breaker, then most likely the gauge is toast. Sounds like it's charging with 7+ volts at the battery when it's running. You can watch Ebay for NOS ones, as they come up now and then. I do have a few used ones that I'll give you if you want to go that route. PM me. __________________ Barry 50 F-1

05-02-2015, 05:00 PM	#12
Barry-ct Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Newington, Connecticut Posts: 1,374	Re: F-1 wiring, generator and regulator ?'s I found some NOS amp gauges. For this many to still be around and NOS, there must have been a problem with them when they were new. We never stocked things, unless there was a steady demand for them. Part number 8C 10850 Wesley Obs. Liberty, Ky Has 13 606-787-5293 McDonald Obs. Rockport, Ind. has 5 812-359-4965 Wesley probably will be cheaper, nice people to deal with. __________________ Barry 50 F-1

05-02-2015, 08:32 PM	#13
Vanspeed Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Suttons Bay, Mich. Posts: 3,392	Re: F-1 wiring, generator and regulator ?'s Swapped out the battery gauge for another and I had discharge showing( but atleast it was working!) and so I was told to thread the wire the other way through the hoop. It worked and then I lost my fuel pump so I am idle until a new pump arrives. __________________ *Respecting and Resurrecting Ford Model A's.*

05-02-2015, 09:28 PM	#14
JSeery Member Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 16,132	Re: F-1 wiring, generator and regulator ?'s Having fun? Yep all you have to do is reverse the direction of the wire through the loop.

05-03-2015, 06:53 AM	#15
chap52 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Marana Arizona Posts: 1,778	Re: F-1 wiring, generator and regulator ?'s That's why we refer to these as "works in progress". I like to believe that it helps in our personal development also. Enjoy the adventure.