MTFCA Forum

Hello all,
I see another thread just started about a generator not charging. I've started my own so not to piggyback .
My generator appears to be charging, although it is registering the same voltage reading as the battery side on the cutout. The reading is slightly above 6 volts.
With engine NOT running the battery side of cutout reads slightly above 6 volts with NO reading on generator side.
Ammeter does not register a charge when I raise engine speed. The ammeter does register a discharge when I turn lights on. Shouldn't the generator output reading be higher than 6 volts? And like I've said I'm using a cutout on the generator, however, I have a Fun Projects voltage regulator that I want to install but not until I am confident the charging system is performing proper.

The battery side of the cutout will show what your battery has as it is a straight shot to the battery on one wire. Well, except it goes through your amp meter first. You would NOT have 6 volts on the generator side of the cutout if it weren't running.

Problems could be your cut-out, possibly your amp meter, and possibly your generator. The Fun Projects regulator is a positive step. Could be your cutout is "sticking" or maybe just shot. There are more electrically intelligent folks on here so I'll let them help you as well but it sounds as it you need to bench test your generator.

Does the Volt Meter you used to measure the voltage also have the ability to measure amperage? Why not use it then?

Connect your voltmeter across the battery terminals with the engine at idle speed. If, when you increase engine revs the battery voltage increases, then the generator is charging. It's just possible that the ammeter has been incorrectly connected into the wiring harness - I'm thinking if the wire from the cutout has been connected to the wrong side of the ammeter, so that charge current flows direct to the battery without flowing through the ammeter.

I am by no means an expert, but that never stopped me before.

Some info on this thread might be of use: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4643&p=35199#p35199

I'm going to get at it again tomorrow. Between the information here and some I found on the Internet I think I'll have it figured out. Thanks for the input.