Polarizing my starter/generator on my 185

[danbly72]

Keep hearing different things on how to polarize my starter/generator,can someone help me out please and tell me how,it is on tractor with regulator on(new regulator and starter/generator)did not hook up battery yet but don’t want to mess anything up so I’m looking for help please

[Jim Becker]

In general, you polarize a generator by momentarily jumpering from the regulator BAT to the regulator GEN. This sends a brief burst of battery voltage into the generator "A" terminal and current through the field coils. In your case, you have a starter/generator and can forget the whole thing. The first time (and every time!) you hit the starter switch, it puts voltage into the generator and polarizes it.

[danbly72]

When I received my S/G and my regulator it came with a paper saying to polarize it so that’s why I’m confused about it some people say yes and some people say no,Bob at Hamilton Bobs told me to polarize it so that’s why I’m confused

[MikeEyre74]

I did mine yesterday after I put in a new battery. Noticed it wasn't charging, so I polarized it.. jumper wire from battery voltage (The "A" terminal) to the "F" terminal on the regulator. It jumped right back to life and started charging just like that.

[Jim Becker]

The paper is probably a standard set of instructions that gets stuffed in the box regardless of whether it is for a starter/generator or not. It is a good general guideline to always polarize the generator after working on a regulator or generator. It is a lot simpler to just stuff the paper and tell everyone to do it than to explain when it is needed. A starter/generator can not tell the difference between electricity that comes through a jumper wire and electricity that comes through the starter switch.

The proper way to polarize is between the regulator BAT and GEN terminals. NEVER jump voltage to the generator FLD terminal. It is a dead short through the regulator. When not running, the A terminal is at 0 volts. So Mike, your attempt at polarizing probably did nothing.

The F terminal is used to polarize a "B" circuit generator. But the Delco systems on Farmalls are all "A" circuit systems.

[MikeEyre74]

We'll, clearly you know more than I about these things... But 12.5 volts all day long before jumping that wire and 13.X afterwards made me scratch my head and wonder a bit.

[danbly72]

So Jim,if I a wire from positive on battery to A terminal on S/G will that polarize it?

[Jim Becker]

. . . polarize a generator . . . sends a brief burst of battery voltage into the generator "A" terminal . . .

[BigBill]

Make sure the tractor is idling. Then polarize it.

If your having problems with your electrical system ohm out your grounds first. My new wiring harness will have the ground wire to the s/g mount.

[Jim Becker]

Make sure the tractor is idling. Then polarize it. . . .

No. That is just flat-out wrong.

[mozer71]

I replaced the voltage regulator some years ago and also checked out the S/G brushes and bearings. It wouldn't charge at first but I followed directions. There was a brief "arc" and that is all it took. It doesn't seem like the engine was idling but maybe it was. CRS..