[koates]

billy, just test your optima battery with a voltmeter. Fully charged it should read 6.3 volts. The cut out is just an automatic switch that connects or disconnects the generator from the battery depending on generator RPM. It is not a regulator in any way. The only generator regulation is by the third brush position. Usually volts does not come into checking the third brush but the AMPS setting is the way to do it. A normal daytime setting (no lights on ) would be around 5 amps charge on the ammeter with some revs up. Generators do not charge at idle speed. If you intend driving with headlighhts on for any length of time then the third brush amps setting will need to be increased. Dont go above 15 amps output on the generator otherwise it would overheat. Your generator looks like a 1932 unit or a mixture of parts and not an original 1936 Ford generator. I suggest you read the 1936 Ford instruction book or service bulletins for a better understanding of the early Ford V8 generating system. Regards, Kevin.