1962 generator

[Roger B.]

How do I comfirm if my generator is working correctly?

[Terry D.]

Re: 1962 generator

Is it on the car? If so put a volt meter on the battery and rev the engine to 2000, should read 14.+ volts, if off the car take it to a NAPA store and have them test it.

[Roger B.]

Re: 1962 generator

it reads 11.5, does that mean it s working ,but not great

[Terry D.]

Re: 1962 generator

Did you test the voltage of battery before you started the car? It's a 12 volt battery so I would say either the generator is bad or the voltage regulator is stuck. Did you have the battery out of the car or disconnected before this problem started? If so you need to polarize the generator and voltage regulator.

[Domenic T.]

Re: 1962 generator

Roger,
Don't do this as I have not done it for years. We used to remove the belt and wires and run the generator as a electric motor as that is also what it is. I believe we put 12V to the output and grounded the case. We would put the 12V pos on and flash the ground to se if it turned then put the ground back on and ran it as a motor for a few seconds.
I took a gen I built out of parts for a Brit bike to the expert shop here in town and he did just that and handed it back. I said, " that's how we used to do it" and he looked at me and smiled.
DOM

[Domenic T.]

Re: 1962 generator

Roger,
As I said don't try this as I can't remember it was the field or case that was flashed. It is the same as the starter/generator used on some engines.

DOM

[Terry D.]

Re: 1962 generator

If you don't want him to try it why did you even bring it up?

[Domenic T.]

Re: 1962 generator

If you don't want him to try it why did you even bring it up?

Well Terry, I don,t know exactly what his experience level is and maybe that might (spark) him to investigate the test procedure. Also it's educational to some readers as to how a generator works and that it is a electric motor used to produce electricity.
REMEMBER, don't try this at home!!!!

[Terry D.]

Re: 1962 generator

LOL Gotchya, since he hasn't responded in a couple of days maybe he figured it out, if not the way I was taught at a Chevy shop was to touch for a slit second the batt and field terminals on the generator and to touch the batt and gen terminals on the voltage regulator.

[Domenic T.]

Re: 1962 generator

The first one (Generator) I saw doing that was on a old Chevy, the belt was off for whatever reason, and the guy said that his generator wouldn't shut off. I didn't know what he was talking about till I saw it motoring. If memory serves me right I think when the voltage regulator went under certain conditions it would power the generator as a motor and throw the belt. Looong Tim ago.

DOM

[Richard M.]

Re: 1962 generator

"Motoring the Generator" is a test method outlined in the Chevy Pass Car Service manuals. In conjunction with a Ampmeter it's a good simple bench test. It's how I do a quick "is it alive?" test whenever I work on one. A generator is a motor. A motor is a generator(when configured for that purpose). See below for info how to hook it up to do the "Motor" test. 3rd paragraph from the top.

http://home.comcast.net/~richmz/site/?/page/Chevrolet_Generator_Rebuild_and_Restoration

On the car, Roger could disconnect the regulator harness, run the engine to turn the generator at speed, ground the field terminal, and the unit should put out max volts(around 17+) reading the Arm terminal with respect to case ground.

But before he goes through all this my gut feel is that his voltage regulator is bad or a broken VR to Gen harness.

Rich

[Domenic T.]

Re: 1962 generator

Rich,
NICE site, I appreciate getting the correct info.

DOM

[Roger B.]

Re: 1962 generator

Thanks to all who replied. I have more to work wit now.
thanks again