wild ammeter on our 46

[oldford2]

when cruising this weekend the ammeter sometimes would fluctuate wildly back and forth. I have been reading the various tests to do to the regulator. I think I will bring it to the auto electric shop but just first wanted to understand why it is doing this dance. New battery and fully charged. we are planning on a 1600 mile trip next month so trying to check out everything. Thanks
John

 

[flatheadfan]

John-

Obviously, it could be a lot of things but I would start with the simple things such as the brushes. A quick inspection could tell you if you have a broken or badly worn brush(es). Another item that is often over-looked is the armature. If the armature has low spots or out-of-round, it can cause the amp gauge to flutter back and forth. Too often the regulator is immediately assumed to be bad when it isn't the culprit.

Hope this helps.

Tom

 

[Vic Piano]

John, I'm no expert when it come to most things, Flathead Ford electronics being at the top of the list but, it could be something as simple as excessive moisture in the air. How old are the wires, did you check all the connections? When I lived on Long Island and had a '46 TuDor, the amp gauge needle would jump all over the place if it was damp outside... probably just another Ford malady. Here's a question, when the needle starts to jump, have you tried turning on the lights to see if it will stabilize, if it does stabilize, is it reading charge or discharge?

I don’t know if that helps or tends to further confuse the issue but I think having the generator checked out is an excellent idea. Whenever I take one of our cars on a "road trip” I always bring at least one extra voltage regulator and a fresh generator, etc, etc.

I’m sure you’ll have an excellent adventure, regards to Barb. Vic

 

[thunderbirdesq]

The generator on my roadster has a slightly out of round armature and my gauge does the same thing at certain RPM's. I just picked up a spare genny for parts, hopefully it has a nicer armature!

John-

Obviously, it could be a lot of things but I would start with the simple things such as the brushes. A quick inspection could tell you if you have a broken or badly worn brush(es). Another item that is often over-looked is the armature. If the armature has low spots or out-of-round, it can cause the amp gauge to flutter back and forth. Too often the regulator is immediately assumed to be bad when it isn't the culprit.

Hope this helps.

Tom