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[email protected]
Samba Member
Joined: September 24, 2020
Posts: 8
Location: CA
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 Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2020 10:19 pm Post subject: 55 sedan - regulator - generator - red light |
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I have a 1955 sedan, my car has been in storage for several years. During this time it has run a few times. I am working on the car to fix any problems. One of the last things is my red charging light ... it's always on.
I replaced the voltage regulator ... the light is still on.
I ran another wire to the red light in the speedo to check the wiring ... the light is still on.
I looked at the brushes and the brush spring, it looked fine.
I grounded DF and connected 6v+ to DF+ ... the generator started spinning, not super fast but it spun. This looked good. 
I grounded DF and the negative voltmeter lead. I put the voltmeter on D+ ... I got 0 volts, I reved the engine and I still got zero volts. So it looks like I need a generator. I thought that if the generator spun in the previous that it indicated that the generator was ok ?????
Does anyone have a suggestion what else I can check ?
Thanks, Imre |
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leowagen
Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2018
Posts: 171
Location: Argentina
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| Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2020 6:56 am Post subject: Re: 55 sedan - regulator - generator - red light |
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Hey there!
I went through same issues with mine. Please confirm this.... you grounded Df, and supplied 6 V. Positive to D+ and negative to Df, right? this polarizes the generator, and if done the wrong way, it will get hot as hell when made run as it should.
Don't ask me why I so sure about this... I fried a rotor this way!
If also grounded Df, and no voltmeter reading when spinning, then you have problems in your rotor. I had the very same issue. I found to have a faulty collector (where brushes rub). Few connections lost the solder...
Try lightly sanding the collector and cleaning carefully the collector segments separation. You may have carbon built up shorting the segments... if this doesn't help, then you can hunt down a rotor either from a 6V or 12V gen. What makes it 6 or 12 is the Field winding.... so rotor has the same configuration.
I had no idea about any of this, and figured it out. all you need is lots of patience and several trial-error attempts.
I'm almost 100% positive your problem lays in the rotor... your symptoms are exactly as what I had.
Good luck! |
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[email protected]
Samba Member
Joined: September 24, 2020
Posts: 8
Location: CA
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| Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2020 11:45 am Post subject: Re: 55 sedan - regulator - generator - red light |
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| leowagen wrote: |
Hey there!
I went through same issues with mine. Please confirm this.... you grounded Df, and supplied 6 V. Positive to D+ and negative to Df, right? this polarizes the generator, and if done the wrong way, it will get hot as hell when made run as it should.
Don't ask me why I so sure about this... I fried a rotor this way!
If also grounded Df, and no voltmeter reading when spinning, then you have problems in your rotor. I had the very same issue. I found to have a faulty collector (where brushes rub). Few connections lost the solder...
Try lightly sanding the collector and cleaning carefully the collector segments separation. You may have carbon built up sh
orting the segments... if this doesn't help, then you can hunt down a rotor either from a 6V or 12V gen. What makes it 6 or 12 is the Field winding.... so rotor has the same configuration.
I had no idea about any of this, and figured it out. all you need is lots of patience and several trial-error attempts.
I'm almost 100% positive your problem lays in the rotor... your symptoms are exactly as what I had.
Good luck! |
Yes I jumpered DF to ground and jumpered 6v+ to DF+ ... i held the connection 6v+ to DF+ for two seconds ... the generator started spinning clockwise. I think the wires got kinda warm but they were not super hot ... it was only connected 2 maybe 3 seconds.
I will look at the collector today and sand it lightly ... the brushes looked fine.
I am pretty sure I will replace the generator ... I found a couple on Samba last night.
Thanks very much, Imre (pronounced Emery) |
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leowagen
Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2018
Posts: 171
Location: Argentina
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| Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2020 6:51 pm Post subject: Re: 55 sedan - regulator - generator - red light |
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| [email protected] wrote: |
| leowagen wrote: |
Hey there!
I went through same issues with mine. Please confirm this.... you grounded Df, and supplied 6 V. Positive to D+ and negative to Df, right? this polarizes the generator, and if done the wrong way, it will get hot as hell when made run as it should.
Don't ask me why I so sure about this... I fried a rotor this way!
If also grounded Df, and no voltmeter reading when spinning, then you have problems in your rotor. I had the very same issue. I found to have a faulty collector (where brushes rub). Few connections lost the solder...
Try lightly sanding the collector and cleaning carefully the collector segments separation. You may have carbon built up sh
orting the segments... if this doesn't help, then you can hunt down a rotor either from a 6V or 12V gen. What makes it 6 or 12 is the Field winding.... so rotor has the same configuration.
I had no idea about any of this, and figured it out. all you need is lots of patience and several trial-error attempts.
I'm almost 100% positive your problem lays in the rotor... your symptoms are exactly as what I had.
Good luck! |
Yes I jumpered DF to ground and jumpered 6v+ to DF+ ... i held the connection 6v+ to DF+ for two seconds ... the generator started spinning clockwise. I think the wires got kinda warm but they were not super hot ... it was only connected 2 maybe 3 seconds.
I will look at the collector today and sand it lightly ... the brushes looked fine.
I am pretty sure I will replace the generator ... I found a couple on Samba last night.
Thanks very much, Imre (pronounced Emery) |
Hello Imre....
Watch out! 6V positive must go to D+ and negative to grounded Df. Remember ground is nehative. Looks like you connected it backwards, thus getting hot as said.
Best thing is to replace it, but keep the old one for a while before you sell it or give it away.
The unit you will buy will most probably need yo be polarized and tested....
So, with no connections at all from cars loom, ground Df and send 6V POSITIVE to D+ and negative to grounded Df. It should spin.
Now, install it, leave Df grounded, don't connect anything from cars loom and measure voltage with motor running...voltmeter's positive to D+ and negative to grounded Df. Your reading must be over 20 V and increase as you throttle in. If so now you are in the right direction.
If these 2 tests are successful and you light is still on, then your problems lay in the regulator.... |
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