Reply To: Correct amperage output?

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Chris,

Thanks so much for response, and please accept my apology for taking so long to get back to you.

Since I posted my inquiry, it’s happened again. The armature is cooked and it flung solder.

I’ve already been through what you suggest. Sealed bearings were installed when I had it rebuilt. I’ve tested the cut-out and it’s fine. I adjusted the third brush to the lowest setting. It brought the amperage down closer to 10 amps at normal operating speed. I did this almost immediately after re-installing the generator after having the armature rewound again. I then drove the car for no more then an hour and a half (split up between three or so short drives) when the ampmeter started to show a weeker charge, only a few amps. I removed the band to find that it flung solder again and the armature looks cooked. This is the second time this exact scenerio has played out. Everything working fine, no sign of any shorts, amperage starts to get low, and I find that it’s flug solder and the armature looks like someone spilled black coffee on it. I feel confident that the guy who rebuilt it is very competent, and I can’t find any dead shorts. I’m at a loss.

Here’s something: With everything in the off position in the car and the ground side of the battery disconected, I put a voltmeter between the positive post and ground. I get about one and a half a volts. This suggests a mild short. But when I remove both battery cables and put my ohm meter between the two cables, I get no reading. It seems that there should be some resistance of the car is drawing voltage. I then put my voltmeter beween the two cables, battery totally out of the picture, and got about a half a volt. That must be from dissimilar metals in the car.

Either way, if the car is drawing 1.5 volts, it seems there must be a mild short, but it doesn’t seem like that would be enough to fry the generator so quickly. I am of course on a mission to find the short(s).

Thanks again.

Mike