Diode Cutout Output question

Arthur in AK

Arthur in AK

Junior Member
After going through 3 sticking cutouts in as many years, I bought the diode from Snyders and installed it into my original Ford cutout. No problems with the installation.
My older standard cutouts would usually pump out 10 amps, and then go to and stay at 0 amps whenever I turned the lights on.
The new diode cutout runs at 12 to 15 amps, but drops to 0 to 2 amps with the lights on. Strangely, when I have the headlights on and hit the brakes, the ammeter shows a negative 2-3 amps, then returns to 0 to 2 when I take my foot off the brakes (but headlights still on). That never happened with the standard cutout - it would stay steady at 0 amps with headlights and/or brake lights on.
The needle on the ammeter seems to bounce around more now, too. I don't recall that ever happening with the standard cutout.
Nothing else in the electrical/charging system was altered.
Does this charging rate seem correct?
Has anyone else converted to a diode and experienced the same numbers?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.
 
Your readings seem perfectly normal to me. The rate of 12 amps has very little to do with the cutout, it is a generator setting controlled by the third brush which is adjustable. The diode has about a half of a volt drop across it and therefore basically no effect on your readings.
 
I'm wondering if you actually had a problem with your other cutouts?
The cutout is simply an OFF-ON switch and does not control the voltage nor amps output. It simply closes the contacts when the generator output is greater than about 6 volts, and is supposed to open the contacts as soon as the generator output falls below about 6 volts.
 
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