The Ford Barn

Old Henry · 08-13-2012, 12:22 AM

Generator charges great when cold but as it warms up it charges less and less until eventually it's down to about 5.5 volts, which doesn't keep up with anything, and, eventually, the battery is too dead to start the car and I have to charge it externally.

Which is being compromised by heat? Generator or regulator?
What tests can diagnose problem and what are the solutions?

G.M. · 08-13-2012, 09:19 AM

Check the fan belt and generator ground. If depending on the generator mount for the ground they get black and have paint on them =s poor ground. I clean the parts good and sometime put a seperate ground on the gen. Try another regulator. They can be adjusted but are tricky. G.M.

Old Henry · 09-08-2012, 04:53 PM

I put my old voltage regulator back in that I took out when I restored the car 5 years ago (the one that had been sitting in the car for 31 years) and it works great now. Some new stuff just ain't quite as good as the old stuff.

V12Bill · 09-08-2012, 06:12 PM

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I just had 3 voltage regulators adjusted to match the generator output. Cost at a generator/starter rebuild shop was $15 each.

08-13-2012, 12:22 AM	#1
Old Henry Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Orem, Utah Posts: 5,762	'47 charging problem Generator charges great when cold but as it warms up it charges less and less until eventually it's down to about 5.5 volts, which doesn't keep up with anything, and, eventually, the battery is too dead to start the car and I have to charge it externally. Which is being compromised by heat? Generator or regulator? What tests can diagnose problem and what are the solutions? __________________ Prof. Henry (The Roaming Gnome) "It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” *Ursula K. Le Guin in The Left Hand of Darkness

08-13-2012, 09:19 AM	#2
G.M. Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Florida and Penna. Posts: 4,471	Re: '47 charging problem Check the fan belt and generator ground. If depending on the generator mount for the ground they get black and have paint on them =s poor ground. I clean the parts good and sometime put a seperate ground on the gen. Try another regulator. They can be adjusted but are tricky. G.M. __________________ www.fordcollector.com

09-08-2012, 04:53 PM	#3
Old Henry Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Orem, Utah Posts: 5,762	Re: '47 charging problem I put my old voltage regulator back in that I took out when I restored the car 5 years ago (the one that had been sitting in the car for 31 years) and it works great now. Some new stuff just ain't quite as good as the old stuff. __________________ Prof. Henry (The Roaming Gnome) "It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” *Ursula K. Le Guin in The Left Hand of Darkness

09-08-2012, 06:12 PM	#4
V12Bill Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mt. Holly,NJ Posts: 1,822	Re: '47 charging problem Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I just had 3 voltage regulators adjusted to match the generator output. Cost at a generator/starter rebuild shop was $15 each.