Generator disconnected

[fundytides]

I want to "yard drive" my Model A chassis while I am restoring the body. I don't have the wiring harness in place and I think I remember that running the generator while disconnected will burn it out. Can I ground the generator or something to prevent damage?

 

[eagle]

If you are using a battery just run a temporary wire from the cutout to the battery.

 

[Big hammer]

Yes! not seeing battery voltage it will burn up! Get a shorter v-belt and by pass the generator.

 

[larrys40]

As big hammer said you can do that but if you have a generator on it and cutout and am using a battery to start anyway why not just use the harness to return the feed back to the battery. It makes good sense and isn't a big deal.
larry

 

[Tom Wesenberg]

I'd do as Larry said, but if you had to, you can also ground the generator output stud to keep the generator output at 0.

 

[Dave N.]

Tom, is the out put stud the one that the cut out is connected to. Help me understand this , the generator is connected to the ground (+) and you will connect a jumper to the out put stud (-) ? So if the stud is connected to the ground(+) (+) plus a (+) equals zero?
Thanks you .

 

[Tom Wesenberg]

That stud is insulated from ground, and if you ground the stud, then the residual magnetism, which will try to start generating electricity when the engine runs, will be shorted to ground. This will prevent the output from shooting up to 40 volts on an open charging circuit, which will of course burn up the windings.