Got a rebuilt gen. at the convention from a guy from NC.He had meters with him to check voltage output, it was right on. I was still afraid because of the high amp charging rate. 20 miles toward home gen. light came on.Lifted the hood - not charging.Almost made it home.Put the truck battery in and drove 1 mile home.

I don't know what's putting the load on the generator.I've seen it close to 60 amps when I rev it.On a 35 amp generator?When I get it repaired again I'm going to put the truck battery in to see what happens,only thing I didn't try.Could the battery be putting such a load on the generator?At rest there's no current draw on the system.I'm glad I have 2 6 volt vehicles to swap parts around. Any ideas?

Pinto

You may have walked right by me carrying the generator with Mike Suter. I was in a group in the upper parking lot checking out my friends 56 blue/blue convertable with the late model Lincoln engine.

On your generator problem, as you have found out a generator will put out an almost unlimited amount of current. The current limiting is part of the regulator, You have a regulator problem that is cooking your generators. The shop manual gives an adjustment procedure for the regulator but I think you would have a hard time finding someone who has the equipment to do it today. The manual also says grounding is important, is the regulator mounted to clean metal, I remember some that had rubber bushings in the mount and had a copper strap to bypass the rubber and provide proper grounding. Also check the engine to firewall ground strap, if it's loose your body ground (where the regulator is mounted) will be diffrent than the engine ground.

Another thought, If you remove the field wire at the regulator does the charge rate go to 0.  If not you may have a short between the Armature wire and the Field wire in the harness between the regulator and the generator.  If these wires are shorted together the generator output would also be providing the field current and the output would be completely unregulated.

Yes, it's the regulator that limits the current output (amps) as well as voltage. In the regulator there is a coil that is wound with heavy gauge wire, all the output of the generator armature wire flows thru this coil. If the current goes above a safe level the coil pulls the contacts open and that places a resistor in series with the field causing the generator output to drop of momenterly. Once the current drops the contact closes again and the output increases, this happens about 20 to 30 times a second the contacts actuly vibrate.

This usuly only happens at high RPM's because as we well know a generator at idle cannot even keep up with the current draw of the headlights.

My 56 has an alternator as I am planing on adding A/C and electric radiator fans, does not help you 55 guys who are 6 volt. The 6 volt system in a car with only factory accessorys can be made to work, just needs larger gauge cables than you find in an auto store.

If anyone wants to know how to do the alternator conversion I had prevously posted it here, I used an alternator from a Ford Escort (70 amps) and it bolts up without to much trouble. Do a search for it, If you cannot find it I will post it again.

I took the generator to the shop the week, and they said it's ok.I pulled the truck generator and put the car generator in and it's charging in the truck. I'm glad the generator isn't ruined. Next step I'll check the wiring from generator to regulator in the car.

I put bigger jets in the carburators and went to Numidia Raceway on saturday, the truck ran awful. Way too rich. The car generator gave out at some point, don't know which pass.

I changed back to the smaller jets, put new plugs in and it was backfiring in the exhaust for me. I was getting worried as we're leaving thursday. Tonight I discovered #7 and #8 wires were crossed.

I have to put the truck generator back in then we'll be all set for Columbus.

Maybe later in september I can work on the car.