Generator Voltage Problem
 

I just hooked up a new rebuilt 2143 generator and new Regulator on my 61 vette and it charges 30+. Which I believe is way to high. It pegs the gauage at 30+ at higher engine RPMs. It also seems to move my temp gauage up about 10 degress and my fuel gauge moves a little up when I increase the RPMS. The temp gauge goes down and the fuel guages moves down a little when the RPMs come down. Does anyone have an idea of what is going on. :crazy2:

Proper operation should be to charge hard until the battery is up and then fall off. If it never falls off, I would suspect a voltage regulator problem.

The behavior you've observed is definitely NOT correct.

To isolated it to either the generator or the regulator, disconnect the wire on the field terminal of the generator and let it hang free. Run the engine again.

If the ammeter indicates a slight discharge, the voltage regulator is at fault.

If the ammeter indicates as it did before, the generator has a problem.

Jim

It probably wouldn't make any difference in your case, but did you polarize the Voltage Regulator?
Rod

Sounds like a regulator issue...if your voltage across the battery terminals at a fast idle is more than say 14.5 then I'd say voltage regulator. A faulty regulator can let your voltage 'float' to serious levels - like 16-18V or more and fry electronic components. You need to correct this if it is indeed the issue...

This happened to my 60 once. The terminal on the gen with the red ring rag was shorted to the case. Made the gen charge to the max off idle.

Thanks to all
 

Thanks everyone for the help.
I did polorize the generator, and do not have any shorts.
I will follow up tomorrow on the generator/regulator test as suggested and let you guys know whats up. I am glad I found this site. Everyone has been very helpful.

Check to be sure you have the regulator grounded to the generator with the shielding sleeve over the wires that run from the generator to the regulator.:cheers:

check the voltage at the battery, report back

Overcharging ???
 

What you're seeing could be normal if your battery is in a discharged state. Charge the battery with a charger for a few hours and then start the engine. Hold the RPM's at about 1500-1800 rpm and measure the battery voltage. If it's way over 14.8, then you have a problem--more than likely a regulator with a seized contact.

I did the field test today and checked the charging system with the field wire connected and disconnected. There was not change and it read high both ways. I figured it was not the VR, and I just happen to have another one on hand to try just in case it was the VR. Neither Vr worked. The generator put out to much with both of them. There is an old gentlemen where I live that works on generator etc, and believe it or not works on Sundays. He bench checked my generator and determined the field coil was bad. He is going to take the generator a part tomorrow to inspect it and hopefully fix it. I will let everyone know the outcome.

There are two items where substitution of a known good part is probably the best troubleshooting method...voltage regulators and ignition coils...

If you have a bad field, then the generator is bad and it will not show anything......therefore since the regulator is what controls the charging and it appears with a plus 30 on the ammeter would or it should tell you the regulator is the culpert....the regulator limits the rate of charge from the generator.....Also if allowed to persist as mentioned above it will overheat the generator causing it to throw solder {a thin silver line, then its really dead} from the armature visible in the brush area inside the generators case...some can be checked with a light directed through the case,,,,I would suspect you have a uncontrolled regulator causing the problem and screwing up your gauges ...at least they still work....one last thing, did you ever check the battery voltage when this happens...hard to help some without all the info....but whatever.....:leaving:

The volts on the battery were a little over 16V.
I tried a different regulator and it stayed the same.
My old generator without tach drive worked with my old regulator.
My current tach drive regulator when the field wire was attached peged the guage 30+; and when I disconnected it read 30+.
When the generator was bench tested it peged the needle with the field wire connected and disconnected. That is why the generator guy thought it was a bad field. So far that is about all I have done so far.
Thanks for info,
Rog

That sure sounds like a perfectly functioning generator but one that is running unregulated. I guess we will see what happens when your tech rebuilds the generator -- but I sure would have thought the indications pointed to the V/R..??.

One more thing. I am totally confused concerning the right regulator. Since it; I guess regulates the volts, does it make a difference with limited accessories if you use a 30 Amp, 35 Amp or 40 Amp? I thought I got a deal on this generator (2043) with the tach drive, vette offset pulley, mounting bracket, and cable all for $325.00. Now I am wondering??????? I have built 3 streetrods in the last year and a half, from the ground up including a 37 Ford Flathead with 3X2s, and never experienced anything like this vette. It has a hell of a learning curve; and expensive, particularily when you are going throught stuff that was converted by who knows who, to what they thought was orginal.
Thanks again Gang.
PS. You guys on this site are great

Either of these two observations indicate you have a bad generator.

Jim

If you have a shorted field coil lead internally, the generator could run at full output continually. Could be as simple as the, through case, insulating bushing has deteriorated allowing the field coil wire to ground to the case.:cheers:

I'm wondering if this was the tach drive C1 generator I saw on eBay recently (supposedly rebuilt). I thought $325 was a little steep though.

No, it was not on ebay. I have been watching 1102043 61 corvette tach drives and just the generator alone run around $300.00 without the tach drive, pulley, or brackets. Most generators you see on ebay are early chevy Power steering generators that at first glance look like an old vette generator, however the the end mounting housing on the generators are about 1/4" inches off. They can be used, but they are not correct. John Pirkle one of the better generator guys sells his units for about $675.00 with tach drive, pulley and bracket plus shipping. If you put things in perspective, a tach drive runs about $125.00 (remanufactured) a pulley runs anywhere from 75-150 (correct offset), bracket 19-30, rubber mounts/bolts etc. So $325.00 complete would be a steel if it worked, even with a $50 rebuild you are ahead of the game if you are looking for all orginal. I dont care a great deal for all orginal, but for resale it is a big deal for some folks $$$$. If one thing I have learn working on corvettes is you can't actually lose with orginal parts; someone is always willing to step up to the plate and pay the big bucks for them.
Just my thoughts