1956 Charging Circuit

[Stuff101]

I have tested the Generator according to the Tbirb book no output either on the Field or the Arm circuit with the engine running, no output. I took it to a pro who said he tested on the bench with my voltage reg. tested perfect. Put it back on the car and nothing????? Tested the resistance to ground on the Ground lead, good, also check the resistance of the wire from the Reg. to the Generator both ARM and FIELD wires both showed 0.0 ohms with no shorts to ground. Cleaned the screw connections on the Reg. and the Generator. Tested the continuity of the Battery lead to the battery from the Reg. all good.
I have a Amp Meter in the car it shows a constant discharge and a larger discharge when I step on the Brakes. Any Ideas? I am concerned that he really didn’t test it and I am chasing my tail.

 

[59tbirddavid]

Did you polarize the generator?

 

[74 Harley]

I believe if you ground the "field" a generator will put out the maximum it's capable of. The person who checked it probably didn't...

 

[photoguy]

Possibly a stupid question. I’m actually having the same issue, with a classic garage who installed it, and it’s not charging.

So, it doesn’t have to be polarized to work on the bench, but it does to work in the car?

 

[74 Harley]

The regulator is what gets polarized.

 

[Stuff101]

I found the Regulator needed to be polorized. It was sticking and not pulling up when the battery required charging. The Generator was putting out Voltage and the Regulator was stuck. Polarized the Regulator and it started charging.

 

[Tom Alpers]

Possibly a stupid question. I’m actually having the same issue, with a classic garage who installed it, and it’s not charging.

So, it doesn’t have to be polarized to work on the bench, but it does to work in the car?

Yes it has to be polarized either way. It is the generator that gets polarized, not the regulator. What you are doing when you polarize the generator is creating a magnetic field in the pole pieces inside it and that magnetizes the pole pieces. The generator pole pieces need that residual magnetic field to "start up" the generating of electricity. If the magnetic field in the pole pieces gets too weak, like if the generator sits on the shelf for a year, it won't "start up" until it gets polarized again. As long as you follow the procedure to polarize it, it won't hurt to do it after you have reinstalled the generator on your car.

 

[SHA BOP]

I have tested the Generator according to the Tbirb book no output either on the Field or the Arm circuit with the engine running, no output. I took it to a pro who said he tested on the bench with my voltage reg. tested perfect. Put it back on the car and nothing????? Tested the resistance to ground on the Ground lead, good, also check the resistance of the wire from the Reg. to the Generator both ARM and FIELD wires both showed 0.0 ohms with no shorts to ground. Cleaned the screw connections on the Reg. and the Generator. Tested the continuity of the Battery lead to the battery from the Reg. all good.
I have a Amp Meter in the car it shows a constant discharge and a larger discharge when I step on the Brakes. Any Ideas? I am concerned that he really didn’t test it and I am chasing my tail.

I have tested the Generator according to the Tbirb book no output either on the Field or the Arm circuit with the engine running, no output. I took it to a pro who said he tested on the bench with my voltage reg. tested perfect. Put it back on the car and nothing????? Tested the resistance to ground on the Ground lead, good, also check the resistance of the wire from the Reg. to the Generator both ARM and FIELD wires both showed 0.0 ohms with no shorts to ground. Cleaned the screw connections on the Reg. and the Generator. Tested the continuity of the Battery lead to the battery from the Reg. all good.
I have a Amp Meter in the car it shows a constant discharge and a larger discharge when I step on the Brakes. Any Ideas? I am concerned that he really didn’t test it and I am chasing my tail.

I have owned my 1955 Bird for almost 40 years and had similar problems. Mine is still a 6 volt and I will never change it. I did change the generator to an alternator that eliminates the voltage regulator. My generator worked good but it would not charge until rpm was above idle and then it was minimal. Now at idle the alternator charges at 7 volts. The alternator comes housed in an old style generator housing. I also use the Optima battery with 1000 amp cold start.
No electrical problems for years since I changed to the alternator. I left the voltage regulator box installed to look original.