[MikeK]

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Originally Posted by FL&WVMIKE

. . .He said, "There is nothing to polarize on a generator, unless you are running a voltage regulator".

Bolderdash. I repaired many types of gennys and load tested them on a Sun generator test bench. Most generators have identical field pole iron cores. If you flip them on reassembly the generator will need to be flashed, or polarized. If you take apart a pile of identical gennys and reassemble from your parts stock, you may have two poles polarized north, or two south. The case may have a conflicting residual magnetism. The new owner may want to use it on a different polarity. Plenty of things may require flashing or polarizing it. I always DE magnetized cases, field pole cores, armatures, bearings, endplates. They were assembled that way and then flashed (polarized) just prior to load testing. There is no need to re-flash a fresh rebuild that has been bench load tested on the polarity you intend to use, but it is entirely possible for a fresh D.I.Y. rebuild or any gen that has sat for years to need polarizing. You'll know right away when you start and run it. If the cutout relay doesn't close it's either demagnetized or reversed.