electrical charging problem

[Epetek1]

hadn't run car since last year, car started and ran fine yesterday and charging 10-20 0ver, horn worke and showed discharge. Today car started and ran well but battery no longer showed a charge. It did show a discharge when horn hit but never went above zero on ammeter when running and accelerating.
Any ideas appreciated. here or epetek1@gmail.com
thanks in advance,
Pete K

 

[Gary WA]

hadn't run car since last year, car started and ran fine yesterday and charging 10-20 0ver, horn worke and showed discharge. Today car started and ran well but battery no longer showed a charge. It did show a discharge when horn hit but never went above zero on ammeter when running and accelerating.
Any ideas appreciated. here or epetek1@gmail.com
thanks in advance,
Pete K

Have a load test done on battery! and check your cut out may be stuck! There will be many more suggestions!!

 

[mass A man]

Try just cleaning the commutator of the generator. A small cloth with solvent, no metal sharp tools of course. --Pete K.

 

[nkaminar]

Another possibility is that the generator needs re polarization. The field magnets may have lost their residual magnetism.

 

[Jim/GA]

Pete, you don't say if this is an original generator with mechanical cut out, generator with EVR and/or diode cut out, or alternator.

I would diagnose each of those slightly differently.

 

[Epetek1]

original generator and cutout. pete

 

[Jim/GA]

original generator and cutout. pete

You will need an assistant...

Get the engine running on a fast RPM. Have your assistant watch the ammeter.

You take a short piece of wire and "jump" between the two terminals of your cutout. Be careful to only touch the cutout terminals and not the cutout case (cover) because it is grounded.

Ask your assistant if the ammeter now shows a charge. If it does, the cutout is not working. If it still shows no charge, the problem is in the generator. Now you know where to look.

Don't leave that jumper wire on. It's just for a quick test when the engine is on a fast idle.

Hope that helps.

 

[Bob Bidonde]

These slides embellish Jim/GA's advice. The jumper in the middle slide should cause the Ammeter to react. I urge you to make the Ammeter's cover removable for trouble shooting.

 

[Jim/GA]

These slides embellish Jim/GA's advice. The jumper in the middle slide should cause the Ammeter to react. I urge you to make the Ammeter's cover removable for trouble shooting.

Not the Ammeter's cover, the Cutout's cover.

Bob needs another cup of coffee before posting replies.

 

[ndnchf]

The covers are spot welded on, usually with 2 spot welds, except the early type with tab terminals that have 4 spot welds. Filing the edge alone won't be enough to remove the weld. If you look close on the sides of the cover, you can see the spot weld. It goes maybe 1/8" - 3/16" down the side. You don't want to file it down that far.

I refurbish a lot of cutouts. To remove the cover I grind the weld edge just flush. Then use a carbide bit in a Dremel to grind the inside surface of the spot weld until it is through or almost through the inner surface (the cutout base). Then turn it upside down on a solid surface, and use a tiny flat blade chisel (made from a very small flat punch) and hammer to split the weld completely. Then the cover can be removed.

My video explains this and how to test and service a cutout.

https://youtu.be/rnuukBeJ6Zs?si=_OBDwb75aJ3jXF_7

 

[Y-Blockhead]

The covers are spot welded on, usually with 2 spot welds, except the early type with tab terminals that have 4 spot welds. Filing the edge alone won't be enough to remove the weld. If you look close on the sides of the cover, you can see the spot weld. It goes maybe 1/8" - 3/16" down the side. You don't want to file it down that far.

I refurbish a lot of cutouts. To remove the cover I grind the weld edge just flush. Then use a carbide bit in a Dremel to grind the inside surface of the spot weld until it is through or almost through the inner surface (the cutout base). Then turn it upside down on a solid surface, and use a tiny flat blade chisel (made from a very small flat punch) and hammer to split the weld completely. Then the cover can be removed.

My video explains this and how to test and service a cutout.

https://youtu.be/rnuukBeJ6Zs?si=_OBDwb75aJ3jXF_7

Excellent video! Thanks for sharing.