Generator - Last time

[mrdibs]

I have a nice shiny generator waiting to be installed. Rebuilt beautifully by Trappe Auto Electric. He installed a wire to bypass the headlight switch variable charge thingamajig. So I will only connect the battery wire to the regulator. Question is, my headlight switch worked fine as did low/high charge. Should I not listen to him? Also, will the ammeter work in his suggested configuration? I'll post a picture - not as pretty as Rick Spivey's stuff, but they painted her up nice - and I didn't ask them to.

If I'm violating board rules by saying nice things about specific businesses, don't shoot me. I haven't read all the gobbledygook.

[Jim Becker]

Does it still have a cut-out or has it been replaced with a voltage regulator? If it has been changed, leave it as he returned it to you. If not and the headlight switch system was working, remove the new wire and wire it to the original wiring diagram.

[mrdibs]

Does it still have a cut-out or has it been replaced with a voltage regulator? If it has been changed, leave it as he returned it to you. If not and the headlight switch system was working, remove the new wire and wire it to the original wiring diagram.

Not sure i know the difference....

[Jim Becker]

Take the cover off and peek inside. If it only has one relay assembly like in this picture, it is a cut-out. If it has 2 or 3 it is a voltage regulator.

[mrdibs]

Thank you! It's a cutout. I removed the jumper and connected it normally. Works well, though I would like to disable high charge so someone doesn't smoke the battery.

[Jim Becker]

I would like to disable high charge so someone doesn't smoke the battery.

Ready for this? Put it back like the guy in the electric shop had it.
- Disconnect the switch/cut-out wire from the cut-out and tape the end back out of the way.
- Replace the jumper from generator F to cut-out F.
That configuration is hard-wired to low charge. Keep in mind that if you run the lights, it will still be on low charge. Low charge will not be able to keep up with the lights.

[mrdibs]

When I had it wired to bypass the switch, the ammeter did not show a charge at all. Wired 'factory,' it shows a couple amps on low and 10 amps on high. Is there another step?

[Jim Becker]

No. Just connect the 2 F terminals together and you should get low charge. You might check the resistance from the cut-out F to ground. It should be a couple ohms.