6 volt generator vs alternator

36coupe

36coupe

Well-known member
My generator stopped working. I tore it down and it seems the armature has a dead short. It looks new but goes to ground from the armature terminal.

Our summers are short here and I want to get up and running soon. Parts have to be ordered stateside. I alway like to have spare parts ready to swap out and keep going. I carry an extra fuel pump and carb in a box. A spare regulator and generator might be next.
Reliability is a key issue here.
I am also thinking if I switched over to a Van Pelt 6 v alternator then my charging worries would be over, at least for a longer period of time.
Has anyone used their 6v alt?
Does it have a build in voltage regulator?
How do wire one up and retain the amp meter? Just join the wire from the alt to the wire marked battery on the voltage regulator?
 
36,
If originality is not a big issue go for the alternator. If your car has a 3 brush
gen and a cutout the hot wire attached to the cutout is attached to the terminal on the back of the alt and yer done. If you are currently using a 2 brush gen with a conventional type reg just follow the directions that are included.
Charlie ny
 
Hi there, Your armature has a dead short , goes to ground from the armature terminal ??? Exactly how are you testing this ? Generally you cant test an armature while it is still inside the generator. Needs to be tested on an armature growler for shorts between the windings and tested for ground shorts between the commutator and armature core. Fitting an alternator is the easy way out but not original equipment. Spend a little more time here on the gen. The problem might be small but you need to use correct testing procedures. Give me some more detailed information. Regards, Kevin.
 
Charlie ny said:
36,
If originality is not a big issue go for the alternator. If your car has a 3 brush
gen and a cutout the hot wire attached to the cutout is attached to the terminal on the back of the alt and yer done. If you are currently using a 2 brush gen with a conventional type reg just follow the directions that are included.
Charlie ny
Click to expand...
It is a 2 brush

koates said:
Hi there, Your armature has a dead short , goes to ground from the armature terminal ??? Exactly how are you testing this ? Generally you cant test an armature while it is still inside the generator. Needs to be tested on an armature growler for shorts between the windings and tested for ground shorts between the commutator and armature core. Fitting an alternator is the easy way out but not original equipment. Spend a little more time here on the gen. The problem might be small but you need to use correct testing procedures. Give me some more detailed information. Regards, Kevin.
Click to expand...
I am going to look for a shop that has a growler.
Planojc said:
What are you going to do about the fan ?
Click to expand...
I think the Van pelt alt has provisions for the fan. I was hoping somebody on here has used one.
Speedway lists a PowerGen alt that looks like a gen for 400.
I figure I can always have the original equipment for the next person. I just want trouble free road trip when taking the wife out.
 
I have used the 6v alternators on many 32-38 cars. Be sure that the one you are buying is not supplied by MAc's Antique auto Parts. Many vendors sell them. The issue is that with them I have had them all "stay on" and run a battery dead. I usually buy the bracket from Mac's and the Pulley from speedway and pick my own alternator. The alternator I have been using switches on when the alternator starts spinning preventing battery drain. The do have a built in regulator and are a easy one wire hookup.
 
I had a problem with my gen about 3 years ago and a guy in town used a GM 6 volt alternator. Works great. It is a one wire set up and it sure cleaned out a lot of other wires in the engine compartment plus no more regulator.

Mike
 
With the fan on the generator changing to an alternator there has to be a compromise with the pulley---either you spin the fan too fast to make the alternator happy, or you spin the alternator too slow and make the fan happy

from my perspective the generator is more reliable, 3 of my old cars have generators the chevy has alternator , in 35 years 3 chevy alternator failures, no generator failures
 
Kurt in NJ said:
With the fan on the generator changing to an alternator there has to be a compromise with the pulley---either you spin the fan too fast to make the alternator happy, or you spin the alternator too slow and make the fan happy

from my perspective the generator is more reliable, 3 of my old cars have generators the chevy has alternator , in 35 years 3 chevy alternator failures, no generator failures
Click to expand...

I think you can either get kits or separate pulleys that have the same OD so the speed will not be effected. Hard to beat a delco alternator for reliability.
They do look ugly on a flathead imho.
 
I agree with Kurt that a generator if properly rebuilt will give you all you will ever need and will be reliable. As for the speed affecting the alternators longevity, I kind of disagree. Quality alternators Such as a GM one wire have been used in racing for many years on engines turning 8000 RPMS with a small pulley. I have went through many cheap Chinese alternators with nothing but headaches. Finally bit the bullet for a quality one and have had no issues since. My only reasoning for having alternator on 3 of the cars is they have Halogen lights and really need it at night time. If it was not for that I would have never gotten rid of the generators.
 
I'm looking at C&G alternator and bracket for 250 plus shipping or Speedway PowerGen for 389 free shipping. I don't mind 6 volt but would like to have better lights for night.
 
Kurt in NJ said:
from my perspective the generator is more reliable, 3 of my old cars have generators the chevy has alternator , in 35 years 3 chevy alternator failures, no generator failures
Click to expand...
''

While I'm not trying to start a 'generator vs. alternator' argument, I WILL say that ever since we got a Tom Wesenberg (on the Model A side) Electronic Voltage Regulator in our generator, it has made a world of difference in performance and maintaining the battery.

Farm King 6V battery at least seven years old and still going strong!! Before they seemed to only run about 4 years or so............
 
If you go for the Delco single wire alternator have the stator changed to a 24 volt
stator it will charge at idle and put out better a low speed with a small stock Ford pulley. Several years ago a friend bought 2 6 volt POS ground Delco's one for his 35 and the other for his father's 36. They took them off after 2 weeks because they didn't
work as good as the generators. I talked to the old guy at the electric motor and generator shop and he suggested the 24 volt stator. He did one and it worked perfect
so I had the other one done. The cost was $35.00 each. I later made 7 6 volt alternators in the Ford generator cases that work great also. The Delco was good but
I didn't like the look of it on my Fords. G.M.
 
G.M. said:
If you go for the Delco single wire alternator have the stator changed to a 24 volt
stator it will charge at idle and put out better a low speed with a small stock Ford pulley. Several years ago a friend bought 2 6 volt POS ground Delco's one for his 35 and the other for his father's 36. They took them off after 2 weeks because they didn't
work as good as the generators. I talked to the old guy at the electric motor and generator shop and he suggested the 24 volt stator. He did one and it worked perfect
so I had the other one done. The cost was $35.00 each. I later made 7 6 volt alternators in the Ford generator cases that work great also. The Delco was good but
I didn't like the look of it on my Fords. G.M.
Click to expand...
I was thinking of buying one ready to bolt on as shipping to Canada is costly to buy pieces individualy. Plus I can get on the road before summer is over.
For now it was a toss up between CG alternator bracket and pulley or a PowerGen from speedway.
Will delco internals fit in a stock generator case?
Thanks
 
Ed Whitney puts together both a 6V and 12V alternator that looks like the OEM generator. See the following Fordbarn thread: http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?p=66672
I'm not sure about the ability to mount a fan on it, but a call to Ed will answer that question. I've had his alternator on the truck for over 5 years with no problems whatsoever.
 
Here is the pulley for delco alternator to mount the fan
 

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"Will delco internals fit in a stock generator case?"

Don't know the answer to that but I would assume no. GM parts is not what Whitney uses.
 
expavr said:
As I recall Ed uses the internals of a Kubota tractor alternator.
Click to expand...

Yep, something like that. I know it doesn't have the exciter wire issues. It can be wired as a one wire, but I had him wire mine was a two wire hookup (for other reasons).
 
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