Generator / Regulator Question
 

Truck is '53 f100 215 six positive ground. I've got a new voltage regulator which I polarized (disconnected FLD wire from generator at the regulator, touched it to BAT terminal on regulator for about two seconds & saw the blue spark), my generator has been bench tested and it is working right, and my battery is new and fully charged. At low idle, the dash gauge needle is right in the middle. It doesn't appear to move at higher rpms. When any juice is used, such as turn signals or headlights, the needle moves to the discharge side, and still doesn't move at higher rpms. I am not sure what to check for now. Should I expect the needle to be on the positive side at higher rpms? Should it stay over on the discharge side when I'm using the lights? Should I have to adjust a new regulator?

have you tried putting a volt meter on the battery when running? it should read more than 12.8 volts if its charging. with the lights on it should show a discharge on the dash gage

What is your system voltage (measured across the battery) under these conditions:
-- 1500 RPM, no lights on
-- 1500 RPM, headlights on

Is your generator Ground wire connected solidly?

PS I assume you are still 6v?

I'm running six volt positive ground. I measured the voltage at the battery with everything off and got 6.32 volts. When running at low rpm with nothing else using electricity, I got 6.18 volts. There is a 10 gauge wire between the voltage regulator and the generator. I will make sure that the inner fender (onto which the regulator is attached) is solidly grounded to the frame. Maybe that will make a difference.

Ground the regulator to the battery directly if you can.

Did you measure voltage at higher RPM's? The generator doesn't put anything out below about 900 RPM, so your numbers aren't surprising.

No, I didn't try that. I'll see what readings I get at higher rpms. I am also going to make sure that there is a good ground connection between the regulator and the frame. The positive battery terminal is very well grounded to the frame with a heavy wide strap. I also have a ground strap between the frame and the engine and the frame and the cab. But, I do not have any straps between the frame and any front end sheetmetal. I'll install a couple. The ground may be the problem; I painted all the body pieces prior to assembly, and the ground between the regulator and frame could be weak. I have also noticed that my turn signals flash at a slower rate that I recall that they used to. This may also be ground related?

The big ground strap connected to the battery should really go to the engine or bellhousing, as the starter is by far the heaviest load. The engine is sitting on rubber mounts, not connected directly to the frame electrically. Nothing on the frame or body draws much power.

I have a heavy ground strap going from the positive terminal to the frame. I cleaned the point of connection on the frame to shiny bare metal. I used a dielectric grease at the bolted connection to the frame so the contact point wouldn't get corroded. It's about 16' from this connection on the frame that I make a similar bolted heavy ground strap connection from the frame to the bell housing. I also have a similar connection from the frame to the cab. It may be the inner fender on which the voltage regulator is attached may not have the best ground, though it has the four bolts at the cab firewall, the eight or so bolts connecting the inner fender to the outer fender, and the bolts attaching the outer fender to the cab. I'm going to install another ground strap to ensure that there is a good path from the inner fender to the frame.