Generator will not polarize

[Skip]

Description: Tried to polarize, after replacing battery, and no spark.

hey Guys...running a model 61 2 brush generator, recently tested as good...new battery...new volt regulator (6 months old)...tried to polarize, after replacing battery, and no spark...I usually get a pretty big spark...but none...WHY...Ground problem? does the regulator need to be grounded to the frame?...recently painted and using star washers to get ground...may not be good enough?...any thoughts would be greatly appricated...Skip

[mbskeam]

is it charging???? some times I don't get a big spark when I do mine if its been out.I think that the reg should be grounded, but I may be wrong. on a 12V it is, and some even have there own ground (shovels) a buddy had this problem and it gave him fits until he put on a dedicated ground , worked good after that.

mbskeam

[Skip]

I don't think it is charging...that is why I needed to charge the battery...frame and reg. bracket painted...It did spark when I first put it together...then took out battery to charge and now this...curiouser and curiouser...this is a 6v system...Skip

[mbskeam]

is your reg electronic or mech. style? if its electronic you may have fried it. this happens some times I know.....LOL
do you have a manual? you can follow the steps to figure out whats up.

mbskeam

[Skip]

it is electronic/solid state...will that keep it from polarizing???will check manual...looked last night and didn't see anything...thanks Skip...how do they fry?

[fourthgear]

Skip
I was told that you don't need to re-polarize when using an electronic regulator , but never tried it to know for sure . They can fry because they are an electrical component and you can have all kinds of things go wrong with them . Grounded properly is one of them , as mbskeam has said , six , twelve doesn't matter , they need a good ground.You need to do the testing procedures in the manual to determine what component has failed if any.

[59Panman]

Have you checked your voltage on your battery after you recharged it?

[Skip]

Yes...6.41 about 5 hours after charge...6.40 this morning...I'm thinking that I need to scrape some paint from the bracket and frame to get a good ground...just hope I did not fry the regulator...Skip

[kell]

Scrape some paint out from under those star washers or run a ground wire. If you don't have a connection from the regulator to the battery's ground terminal, you won't have a complete circuit. So make sure the voltage regulator has a good ground.

[Skip]

Thanks...hope a possitive update to follow...Skip.

Just pulled the new chrome end cap off the generator and it polarized...big spark...guess it was grounding out...then once I got it started I unhooked the positive cable, as someone suggested, and the motor died...now does that mean gen bad or volt reg bad...Thanks...Skip

[Panacea]

The positive cable on the generator?..MW

[Skip]

Positive cable off the battery which is connected to the hot wire on the voltage reg....some say gen is bad and some say only the volt reg bad...had gen tested 3 times over the winter and all times benched tested good...place was called r&r rebuilders...good company so I can only take them at their word...stumped...Skip

[mbskeam]

on mine if I disconnect the main hot, + or (break a wire Wink) mine will die also , and the charging syst. is good.

to check the gen you can test it by full fielding it.as diff generators vary you will have find the info.I know how to do 65A gens, they are the same as GM 12V generators
I would think that the gen is okay, but the reg is most likely toast,
why......because electronic regs don't like to get grounded out

mbskeam

[fourthgear]

I think I used the testing procedure in the HD panhead book for testing my gen. What kind of voltage are you getting @ the Batt. @ 2000rpm. / If you have a digital multimeter you just hold it to the batt. when revving up to 2000 rpms and you should see a increase in voltage. Make sure you have the red to + and black lead to - for polarity on meter. If you don't have some one to hold leads use alligator clips (roach clip) Not sure what your six volt will put out but , my 12 v, goes from idle ( 12.1 ) to (14.40) @ 2000 rpms.

[Skip]

It went up to 7.4 at one point...then bike died, as it started sputtering as if the battery was going dead...I checked the battery...it was at 5.35...6.37 when started...tried the testing procedure from my manual...none seemed to work...all seemed to be backwards from the results you were supposed to get...thinking now that the new Chrome end cap was grounding out on the generator...because as soon as I took it off I could polarize the system...I did have one of those end cap regs that went bad at the end of last season so I bought a square one to replace it...cheaper...only thing I can figure is that that generator needs the end cap regulator?...as this is only a guess any in put would be greatly appreciated...Skip