Pilot Dan
Generator problem???
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Racer
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From: greenville al
Generator problem???
I have a 1960, and I have installed a new battery and voltage regulator and still I am getting no volts to the battery. I am stuck. I ran a new wiring harness with the field wire being blue and the armiture being brown. Hooked the ground up and battery wire up. Not sure what to do now. I have read some of the other posts on battery problems, and i guess i need to have the generator rebuilt. Any thought? Thanks
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Did you polarize the voltage regulator? If not, it won't keep the battery charged. You'll just be running off the battery until it goes dead.
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From: greenville al
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From: greenville al
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GENERATOR TESTS
Attach a voltmeter to the battery terminals. Check battery voltage. Disconnect the lead from the Field terminal and ground it to the regulator base. This will bypass the regulator. Start the engine and run at fast idle. Check the voltmeter to see if voltage has increased. If not, shut off engine, reconnect field terminal, and move to step two.
Now we will short out the circuit breaker and current regulator by connecting a jumper wire from the regulator generator terminal to the regulator battery terminal. Again , run the engine at fast idle and check the voltage. If you still see no increase in voltage the trouble is probably in the generator itself.
Attach a voltmeter to the battery terminals. Check battery voltage. Disconnect the lead from the Field terminal and ground it to the regulator base. This will bypass the regulator. Start the engine and run at fast idle. Check the voltmeter to see if voltage has increased. If not, shut off engine, reconnect field terminal, and move to step two.
Now we will short out the circuit breaker and current regulator by connecting a jumper wire from the regulator generator terminal to the regulator battery terminal. Again , run the engine at fast idle and check the voltage. If you still see no increase in voltage the trouble is probably in the generator itself.
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The easiest and best way to check output AND rule out the volt. reg. is to disconnect all the wires from the generator, hook a volt meter to the arm. terminal and start the car. You should have between 2-6 volts. Now ground the field terminal and you should get over 15 volts when you rev. the engine. If you do, you have a bad regulator (assuming your wiring is okay). If you don't, you have a bad generator. Simple as that.
The key doesn't need to be on to polarize everything as the volt. reg. is wired diectly to the battery.
Jim
The key doesn't need to be on to polarize everything as the volt. reg. is wired diectly to the battery.
Jim
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From: Pgh. Pa.
The easiest and best way to check output AND rule out the volt. reg. is to disconnect all the wires from the generator, hook a volt meter to the arm. terminal and start the car. You should have between 2-6 volts. Now ground the field terminal and you should get over 15 volts when you rev. the engine. If you do, you have a bad regulator (assuming your wiring is okay). If you don't, you have a bad generator. Simple as that.
The key doesn't need to be on to polarize everything as the volt. reg. is wired diectly to the battery.
Jim
The key doesn't need to be on to polarize everything as the volt. reg. is wired diectly to the battery.
Jim
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From: greenville al
Well no volts. This all got started because I melted the negative side of the battery 3 times in the last year. I was convinced that the voltage regulator was bad, but I guess this is not the case. I used my battery tester and got nothing. I follwed the above instructions. I then took it to advance auto parts, and used their computerized one. It showed volts on the battery and amps with car off(not surprising new battery), and then it stated to start the car and check with car running. It showed starter fine, but it could not read any voltage coming to battery. The guy at advance said it was designed to check alternators, not generators, but either way, with the clamps on the battery no volts getting to it. I think it shouldd be the same. Guess its the generator. But if so, why did I fry those batteries???
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Army
You still could have had a bad V/R in addition to the generator. Voltage regulators are also current regulators (and have a separate armature and adjustment just for that function). A bad V/R could have allowed the voltage/current to float putting excessive juice to the battery. Just my random thoughts...
I got tired of fighting with those d@mn mechanical regulators and just got a solid state conversion (and there is only ONE place to get them for generator cars!) $85 and NO more problems...and completely hidden under the original V/R housing!
I got tired of fighting with those d@mn mechanical regulators and just got a solid state conversion (and there is only ONE place to get them for generator cars!) $85 and NO more problems...and completely hidden under the original V/R housing!
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; Aug 16, 2009 at 04:26 PM.
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From: Conroe Texas
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From: greenville al
Thats why I replaced the voltage regulator and went ahead and did that harness and battery cables while I was doing it. I Have been remin ded by my wife that i have had battery problems since buying this car two years ago. I am not sure if I have it wired right or what. Just at loss. I am now searching for a good wiring diagram on the forum for the generator, voltage regulator, baterry etc.
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http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c1-a...post1571143715
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Racer
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From: greenville al
I found a diagram, but thanks everyone. I have everything wired right from generator to voltage regulator. I am beginning to think my Z06 is easier to fix. It tears up, off it goes to shop. Its that simple. here I do the "I can fix this." Guess next week I will take it off and have it tested and repaired.
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You do not polarize a regulator, you are polarizing the generator field magnets. You should only have to do this if the generator has been laying dormant for a long time or during a generator rebuild.
The safest way is to remove the wire from the 'A' terminal of the generator and using a separate jumper wire from the positive side of the battery momentarily touch it to the 'A' terminal on the generator.
You are now done.
I am currently in the process of writing a paper on generator/regulator to compliment my paper on alternator/regulator.
Joe
The safest way is to remove the wire from the 'A' terminal of the generator and using a separate jumper wire from the positive side of the battery momentarily touch it to the 'A' terminal on the generator.
You are now done.
I am currently in the process of writing a paper on generator/regulator to compliment my paper on alternator/regulator.
Joe
Last edited by plaidside; Aug 17, 2009 at 03:44 PM.
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Racer
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From: greenville al
If this diagram is right, then my baterry guage is backwards and thats why it shows in the negative