No charge

[Dbbc]

Aloha,
Tried to figure out why my amp meter is not showing any charge. But I am absolutely clueless about how to go about it. Could someone walk me thru step by step how to check if the generator is functioning or not. Same for the cutout and the amp meter.

I read Les Andrews, but donʻt quite grasp it. I try to check if there was 6 volts between the post on the box that is attach to the fire wall, but nothing. If I put a wire on each of the post and then ground the other wire, it shows 6 volts.

The amp meter show discharge if I apply the brakes or turn on the light. The battery just has been recharged.

Please be very specific where to put each of the wires of the voltmeter, as I am completely clueless.
I appreciate any help you can provide.
mahalo

[rocket1]

Your ammeter is working if it shows discharge when the brake light goes on,I assume the car is not running.Put the leads of a DC volt meter one on the starter terminal and the other to a good ground,you should get about 8 volts with the engine running,this will show that your generator is charging

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by rocket1

Your ammeter is working if it shows discharge when the brake light goes on,I assume the car is not running.Put the leads of a DC volt meter one on the starter terminal and the other to a good ground,you should get about 8 volts with the engine running,this will show that your generator is charging

And if the voltage doesn't increase at fast idle, then move the meter - lead back to each terminal box wing nut, then to the cutout output side, then the generator output post. If none shows a voltage higher than the battery voltage, then the generator isn't charging.
Have you polarized it?
What led up to the problem?

[Mike V. Florida]

This may help;

[Dbbc]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

And if the voltage doesn't increase at fast idle, then move the meter - lead back to each terminal box wing nut, then to the cutout output side, then the generator output post. If none shows a voltage higher than the battery voltage, then the generator isn't charging.
Have you polarized it?
What led up to the problem?

Aloha,
I went for a drive and after stopping at a lookout I wasn't able to restart the car because the battery was dead. I was able however able to push the car and got going and drove fine the way back home.
It seemed that the amp meter showed a charge before, but just a few amps. The only thing I have done was to install some blinkers. Also this weekend I notice that the coil negative out was hooked up to the wrong post on the firewall box. Did not seems to have affected anything.

I am not sure what you mean about polarized the generator. Also when you ask me to move the lead to the post of the terminal box the other wire should be grounded right?
Thanks for trying to help.

[Tom Wesenberg]

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Yes, the positive red meter lead stays grounded.You are simply moving the black meter lead along the charging circuit to see where the problem is by locating the change in voltage. All check points should be higher than battery voltage if the engine is running at 600 or higher RPM.

The coil black feed wire doesn't matter which terminal box post it is fastened to. Ford changed this in late 1929 so that the coil current would show in the ammeter while starting the car. See the Service Bulletins for November 1929, I think was the month.

To polarize the generator just jump a wire from one cutout terminal to the other cutout terminal for one second. You should see a small spark and this sets up the correct resisual magnetism in the generator field shoes. This usually only needs to be done on cars that have had the generator worked on or have been stored for many years without running.

[Ray64]

Mike do you know if someone is making a blowup of the schematic that you show in your response? laminated one would be nice LOL Thanks RAY

[Tom Wesenberg]

Ray, save Mike's picture in your computor, then transfer it to your camera. Take that to office depot and have them make and laminate a print. The schematic isn't too complex and should show well on a 9" x 12" print.

A few months ago I took my 1950 Studebaker shop manual into them and had a large print made of the wiring and of the lubrication chart. Cost wasn't bad.

[Ray64]

Thanks TOM. As always you are sure to come through for us Guys

[Dbbc]

Aloha,
Thanks for all you suggestions. I had some time to go thru the process that Tom suggested, and pretty much everywhere I try to check for voltage, it never exceeded the voltage of the battery.
Than I looked at the brushes on the generator, and it seemed that at least one of the brushes is cracked. I also notice some of the wire inside the generator were coated with some silvery metal, at first I thought the wire burst thru the plastic but it wasn't.
Anyway I will take apart the alternator this weekend to have a look, but it seems to be the root of the problem.
By the way would it be a problem to run the car without a generator and cutout?
Thanks again for all your help.

[Patrick L.]

I notice you mention both generator and alternator ? Two different animals.

[Dbbc]

Aloha,
I do have a generator. However I am still confuse between the generator and alternator, can you shed some light on what the difference is and if I should consider an alternator instead of a generator.
mahalo