Voltage Reg or Generator???

[timc930]

63iia, converted to neg ground, and recent new generator. Last week my charging light came on. How do I confirm the following:

1) That I even have a charging problem and the problem is the light?

2) Determine Voltage Regulator or Generator?

[stomper]

Did you follow the workshop manual procedure to excite the generator after you installed it?

[timc930]

Did you follow the workshop manual procedure to excite the generator after you installed it?

Generator has been working fine for the last 6 months.

[stomper]

Put a multimeter on the battery, and see if you are getting 14 or more volts while the truck is running. That will confirm if your generator is putting any charge onto the battery. If it is about 12 volts, then you have a charging problem.

I am more familiar with alternators, so I am not sure what voltage regulator you are talking about. The only one I am aware of is for the instrument gauges, and has nothing to do with the charging system.

[timc930]

Put a multimeter on the battery, and see if you are getting 14 or more volts while the truck is running. That will confirm if your generator is putting any charge onto the battery. If it is about 12 volts, then you have a charging problem.

I am more familiar with alternators, so I am not sure what voltage regulator you are talking about. The only one I am aware of is for the instrument gauges, and has nothing to do with the charging system.

Only getting around 12, so looks like I have a charging problem, but I need to know if it is the Gen or the Voltage Reg that is causing the problem...

[SafeAirOne]

Put a multimeter on the battery, and see if you are getting 14 or more volts while the truck is running.

To elaborate...with a generator, you'll probably want to give the engine some gas pedal while doing this as the generator's output is dependent on how fast it's spinning. Your reading may be low if the generator isn't spinning fast enough.

[lumpydog]

To elaborate...with a generator, you'll probably want to give the engine some gas pedal while doing this as the generator's output is dependent on how fast it's spinning. Your reading may be low if the generator isn't spinning fast enough.

Yep - good point. The RB106 Voltage Regulator is usually set to "cut in" (over to) the generator as the power source when the generator is producing 13V. From there, the dash charge light extinguishes and the charge/power flows to the battery, along with the rest of the vehicle from the generator. You will see the charge light on at idle - but, get over 1000 RPMs or so and the generator cuts in. Mine provides about 14.2 volts to the battery at 2500RPM.

[slowmo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjLW_eb3D-c

[timc930]

Yep - good point. The RB106 Voltage Regulator is usually set to "cut in" (over to) the generator as the power source when the generator is producing 13V. From there, the dash charge light extinguishes and the charge/power flows to the battery, along with the rest of the vehicle from the generator. You will see the charge light on at idle - but, get over 1000 RPMs or so and the generator cuts in. Mine provides about 14.2 volts to the battery at 2500RPM.

How do I know if it's the gen or the VR?

[SafeAirOne]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjLW_eb3D-c

And, the other half of the equation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSJxCNLgL2w

[timc930]

And, the other half of the equation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSJxCNLgL2w

Thank you. That's exactly what I needed....

tim

[lumpydog]

Thank you. That's exactly what I needed....

tim

Yep - between the two videos, you can isolate the problem to the generator or the control box.

Here is a good article (http://www.mgexp.com/phile/3/191288/REPAIRING_THE_STANDARD_RB106.pdf) on cleaning up the control box. I didn't go as far as to jumper with a diode or mess with connection paths - but it's helpful with regard to cleaning up contact points and getting it setup to output a voltage/charge for use with today's batteries..

[ninescorpions]

Not sure if it is the same as a S3, but you can possibly use clips to connect to the back of the generator (where output line is) and monitor voltage that way. Then you can see what the generator is doing regardless of any VR. Obviously you dont want to do that in real time with hands...so clips let you stay away. If it doesn't show more than 12V when you rev the engine...that is likely your problem.

On S3, the chassis of the alternator is the ground. Ensure that the brackets of the generator appear to have good clean contact to the mount (if it is desiged that way).

My alternator was bad and would sit on 11.98V no matter the RPM.

[timc930]

ok, so I did something really stupid, at least I think i did, (2) below:

1) My truck as converted to Neg ground before I purchased 5 years ago.

2) I DID NOT polarize the new generator when I installed it last year (stupid mistake).

3) I purchased a VR last week, guessing that was the problem while on travel, installed it yesterday, and it is NOT the problem, light still on.

4) Can the fact that I did not polarize the generator cause it to fail prematurely?

Now I just need to test the generator as you guys posted on the you tube early on in this thread (powering it to run as a motor as in video)

tim

[o2batsea]

Generators are super robust. Unlike an alternator, there are no diodes to fry. However, they can be made to be super unhappy. When this happens it's usually the armature getting cooked and in need of a little refurbishing. Take the genny to your local armature shop. Find one that has been in business for a long time so that they will have someone there who knows how to work on gennys. They will take it apart, clean it up, check the windings and the armature, install new brushes, paint it and hand it back to you ready for another 50 years.
These Lucas gennys are on gazillions of tractors, so they are awfully common in the USA.

[timc930]

Thanks. Apparently it was still under warranty, new one being shipped to me today.

tim