Had the generator off and tested, told it was good. Bought new regulator and followed installation instructions. Still does not charge. My memory from testing one at college is not very good.
Any tips on how to diagnose?
How do I make it turn by itself w/o belt connected? instructor did that and can't remeber how he connected it to the battery.

 

is the battery good?

whats the idle voltage?

 

Battery is good idle is 11.9v

 

A generator? Not an alternator?

 

Yes a Generator from a 1959 Chevrolet Viking 60 truck. Has the foot pedal starter.

 

Damn. It's been 23 years since I did anything with generators but replace them with alts. I think you ground the field wire and put power to the output. But don't quote me on that. It's been a long time. If you took it to autozone they would probably have to ask what it is .

 

Closest autozone is 275 miles.
I've gotten tips and such from other sites. I'm now at the point where I think the person who tested the generator when I had it off didn't know what he was doing. If I only had a wiring diagram of a generator I might be able to figure it out.

 

I believe what I told you will work if the generator is good. I don't see how it could harm it as the field shoes do not contact the armature so it shouldn't short out. Sorry I can't be more help. I usually replace gens with alts because they put out more power , have internal regulators [ most anyway] and I don't have to worry as often about them going bad , but I'm sure you want to keep it original or you'd have changed it long since.

 

It actually hasn't worked for many years. Since I have some time i'd thought i'd try and make it work. Generators would motor themselves if hooked up to a battery properly wouldn't they? I'm at the point where i'll tear it apart and test the circuits in it, but I don't know how current is supposed to flow through it.

 

I might be more help if you could post a pic, and yes , it should act as a weak motor if you wire it for that. It was just the old way of checking it. If it sat for a long time it could have corosion on the commutator [ where the brushes ride] , microfine sand paper will clean it up nicely. Some gens had an oil port behind the pulley for oiling the front bushing on the shaft. If it was over oiled it won't work. You might pull the cover on the voltage regulator to make sure it didn't blow as soon as you connected it to power.

 

The truck does get used a few times a year. Before it was taken in to get tested I cleaned all the crap out of it. It does have 2 oil ports, and since I can remember oil has not been added. I'm not quite understanding how oil would affect it's operation.
What exactly would I look for on the regulator to show that it blew. I had it off when I was trying to make it work and it looked like it did when i took the cover off before I put it on.

 

On the regulator there is a point gap that only closes when the gen is putting out power. There is a thin un- insulated wire going to the point gap and it usually blows there . The wire isn't copper. I think it is selenium, and melts at low [400] degree temps. I have fixed them with a soldering iron and a piece of thin [ about 1/16inch] lead electrical solder. Oil is an insulator , bad for generating electricity .