cutout wiring question

B

barnfind08

Well-known member
Finally got around to starting up my new 36LB engine. Runs great now I want to wire the generator. Ignition turned on the ammeter goes negative(likes it is supposed to do). There is 2 wires coming out of the 3 brush gen. Where do these 2 wires go? The wire from under the dash that is at the fuse block goes to the "BAT"(B) on the cutout. I am assuming ones is ground? and goes under a screw holding the cutout and the other goes to the other side(opposite of the"B". How do you tell which is which? Do not want to smoke my generator. Thanks for the help Fred
 
On my 33 the wire that goes under the cutout screw is the smaller of the two wires.Lawrie
 
This one has always puzzled me. As said, smaller wire is grounded under the cutout screw. Other wire goes to a cutout terminal. Cutout only mounts one way, and that is with the 'B' (bat) terminal close to the hole where the wires come out of the generator. So, the shorter, maybe bigger, wire goes to the cutout, and can only reach to the terminal marked 'B'. Seems to me the battery wire ought to go to the the 'B' terminal, but the wires won't let it be hooked up that way.
(So, the battery wire goes to the unmarked terminal, and the short wire out of the generator goes to the 'B' terminal on the cutout.) (Confusing enough?)
 
Sometimes the two wires coming out the top of the generator may be the same size and length. What to do ? Remove the cover band from the generator. Follow one wire into the generator and it will be connected to the main negative brush holder screw terminal. This is the main charging or output wire which connects to the insulated screw terminal on the back side of the cutout. Sometimes marked "A" but sometimes not marked on some cut out covers. Follow the other wire into the generator and it will go into one of the field coils. This is the earth or ground wire for the field windings and connects under one of the cutout mounting screws. Good idea to use a star washer under this screw for a good "bitey" ground connection here. Make sure you use the correct curved stepped insulators on both cut out screw terminals. If you use flat fiber insulating washers a short circuit will be the result. Macs and others have these special insulators as a pair set. Regards, Kevin.
 
bobH, The cutout mounts only one way, that is with the "B" terminal towards the front of the car. The wire on here goes back through the ammeter to the fuse block. The generator charging wire terminal is facing rear of car. It is sometimes marked as "A" but not marked on other cut out covers. Connect the cutout around the wrong way and the generator will not charge. Regards, Kevin.
 
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