Generator Failure after about 2000 miles !

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Motorcyclemike
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Generator Failure after about 2000 miles !

#1

Post by Motorcyclemike »

This Generator had a Brand New USA Armature and a "Cycle Electric" Regulator 2 new Acell brushes and a Brand new 18 amp hour battery...and the other night when i came in from a night ride the lights were just great at Idle and showed no flare when motor was raced up at a stop lite....last night i took off and i seen the LED Volt meter was not showing a Charge....so i rode it around and i still never got the volts in the green area on the LCD Volt meter...i got back to my shop and with the engine running....i took a volt reading at Armature and it was Zero......i pulled the generator off and installed a new USA armature and the Volts went to about 14 with lights on and off and motor slightly raced Up.....i have attached a picture of the Brush pick up area.....any ideas why this armature failed so early?
Any Ideas and thoughts will be appreciated...Thanks.
Moooootor Cycle Mike
The Harley is a "Kick Start" 1958 FLH
The regulator is the "High Out Put" model for the large battery.
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Cotten
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#2

Post by Cotten »

Generators make heat when called upon to produce unusual amounts of power. If you never tried to recharge a dead battery, nor run excessive lighting (constant passing lamp use, multiple halogens, etc), then the next thing that comes to mind is poor quality brushes.

(My experience with Accel products makes them my last choice, only when there are absolutely no other options.)

Oil or grease contamination can give a similar result.
The armature may only need its commutator to be dressed for it to become operable again.

.....Cotten
john HD
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#3

Post by john HD »

(My experience with Accel products makes them my last choice, only when there are absolutely no other options.)
ditto that cotten, accel 6v regulators are good for about one season.

two if you are lucky!

for 50 bucks a crack i have found it more economical to build your own!

john
Motorcyclemike
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Generator Brushes ?

#4

Post by Motorcyclemike »


If the brushes are no good from Acell.....then what kinds of choices do you have?......Taiwan Or ?.....i have a few new sets....of the Taiwan ones.....so shall i pull the ones out and trade them for them ?

Any Ideas or Thoughts are Welcomed.

Mooootor Cycle Mike

"Ain't No HEAD.....Like a PAN Head"
Cotten
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#5

Post by Cotten »

Cycle Electric also offers internal replacement parts, available through your local independent dealer.

....Cotten
Guest

#6

Post by Guest »

Take one look at the sements. Heat blue. Bearing failure? Bob
Motorcyclemike
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Heres another shot of the Armature

#7

Post by Motorcyclemike »

This can't be a bearing.....Failure.

What makes you think that it is ?

I ordered the new Cycle Electric brushes today.

i believe like Cotten said.....it can be cleaned up and put back in service.

Thanks and any new ideas are welcomed.

Mooootor Cycle Mike
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fourthgear
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#8

Post by fourthgear »

As was said above , looks like some lubricant got on there . Not sure about poor quality brushes, as far as Accel , I have not had problems with there products in the past.
hjans
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#9

Post by hjans »

Agree with the former speakers.
just find a friend with a engine lathe ( AFTER time, not "Boss"-time) , replace/clean the brushes and probarely you'l be ready for just a couple of $ .
Cotten
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#10

Post by Cotten »

After re-cutting the commutator, find someone with a growler to test the armature before installing.

RE: Accel
I haven't bothered to look lately, but many 6v regulators that Accel used to re-box were from Argentina. The same units in original boxes obtained direct from the importer always worked, but the Accels were often dead on arrival.
Just like CCI and other megamart distributors, 'seconds' and 'blems' are bought up in quantity to then be marketed as premium items. Original manufacturers who value their own name save the best production for their own packaging. (Such as when Caterpillar makes a batch of hydraulic hose that does not meet spec, it has been known to go out as Gates.)

Ever wonder why returns on electrical items are universally refused?

....Cotten
fourthgear
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#11

Post by fourthgear »

I think you will find all electrical components ,not matter what manufacturer , will not be returnable .

Its a fact of life , that some will fry a electrical component and try to return it , at no fault to the manufacturer of said component .

I find it perplexing that some get a bad part or two and condemn them all.

Do you really believe that some manufacturers don't care about the end product . Mass manufacturing has a certain amount of failures , its just the nature of the beast. Have any of you bought a bad 25,000.00 car or truck . Even HD made some bad runs back in the day and still do , like every thing else.

I have heard so much bad talk about Rev Tech and my gear set is still performing flawlessly. (Just to make a point.)
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#12

Post by Cotten »

Sorry, but the absolute worst excuses for tranny parts I have ever held in my hands were brand new "Rev-Tech" straight out of the box.

Appalling.

Admittedly, that was a decade ago. But it was not an isolated incident.

In all fairness, I've held Andrews tranny hardware in my hands that was equally mis-machined.

And I've gotten JIMS hardware that was off in three parameters, costing me incredible grief and lost wages just to get it installed.

Colony's quality control has gone to hell, and recently Eastern has the market saturated with carb shafts that cannot be installed without binding.

Face it, there is an overwhelming lack of concern about the final product in the vintage motorcycle industry. The larger the producer, the greater the risk of a blem or second being shoved down your throat.

...Cotten
Motorcyclemike
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Re: Generator Failure after about 2000 miles !

#13

Post by Motorcyclemike »

Forth Gear and Cotten your Both Right! ......i was looking at the inner side bearing side plate of the 65A and found it all misted with oil and the housing was also.....looking farther i found that the oil seal on that plate bad.....i cleaned up the Commutator with a stone then cleaned that with some brake cleaner and run a Dremel fine saw blade in between the commutator segments very very lightly and i installed new USA made Brushes and a new oil seal and re assembled the Generator and put it in my off bike tester and hooked the Cycle Electric regulator to it and a battery and ~~~~ I Spun it quite Fast....and , it worked great......Thanks all for the advice here.
Motor Cycle Mike
VT

Re: Generator Failure after about 2000 miles !

#14

Post by VT »

find someone with a growler to test the armature before installing
Is there a growler made (by anyone, in any country) that can be used on Harley generator armatures?
hjans
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Re: Generator Failure after about 2000 miles !

#15

Post by hjans »

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