No output from generator

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Topic author
jbodkin
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Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2019 12:19 pm
First Name: Jim
Last Name: Bodkin
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1923 Touring
Location: Boston, Ma.
Board Member Since: 2010

No output from generator

Post by jbodkin » Mon Jul 15, 2019 11:29 am

Trying to diagnose no gen. out put. With engine off, when I short out conventional cut out (not voltage reg.) with an ammeter, it draws approx. 15 amps between terminals. This should flash the gen. if that was the problem. What should the current draw be in a working gen? With engine running at moderate speed, I draw 5 amps across cut out. Any Ideas? Sounds like a question for John R.

Thanks, Jim

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Mark Gregush
Posts: 4957
Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2019 1:57 pm
First Name: Mark
Last Name: Gregush
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1925 cutdown PU, 1920 Dodge touring, 1948 F2 Ford flat head 6 pickup 3 speed
Location: Portland Or
MTFCA Number: 52564
Board Member Since: 1999

Re: No output from generator

Post by Mark Gregush » Mon Jul 15, 2019 12:55 pm

Unless you are trying to motor it (off the car), there should be no draw it was built as an output device. It is self generating and does not require an outside power supply. Flashing should only be required if rebuilt, been sitting for a long time, change of polarity (IE: switching from + to - ground or vice versa) or has had an electrical issue at some point. With out seeing it; could be dirty commutator, bad brushes, shorted field/brush plate/wires etc.
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas! :shock:

1925 Cut down pickup
1920 Dodge touring
1948 Ford F2 pickup


Topic author
jbodkin
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2019 12:19 pm
First Name: Jim
Last Name: Bodkin
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1923 Touring
Location: Boston, Ma.
Board Member Since: 2010

Re: No output from generator

Post by jbodkin » Mon Jul 15, 2019 1:19 pm

Mark, I'm assuming shorting out the cut out should attempt to motor the generator. Obviously it won't turn over the engine. I was just asking if anyone knew what the current draw should be. 15 amps sounds low to me, but maybe not. I'm sure John Regan has the answers to my questions. I did clean the commutator and checked the brushes.

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Mark Gregush
Posts: 4957
Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2019 1:57 pm
First Name: Mark
Last Name: Gregush
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1925 cutdown PU, 1920 Dodge touring, 1948 F2 Ford flat head 6 pickup 3 speed
Location: Portland Or
MTFCA Number: 52564
Board Member Since: 1999

Re: No output from generator

Post by Mark Gregush » Tue Jul 16, 2019 12:13 pm

BTT
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas! :shock:

1925 Cut down pickup
1920 Dodge touring
1948 Ford F2 pickup


Piewagon
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Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2019 8:38 pm
First Name: John
Last Name: Regan
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1911 Open Runabout, 1911 Touring, 1912 Delivery Cars (2), 1915 Roadster, 1916 Roadster, 1923 Touring Car
Location: St. Charles, IL
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Re: No output from generator

Post by Piewagon » Wed Jul 17, 2019 11:52 am

Send me an email and lets work on this OFFLINE since committee's formed to help electrical problems have resulted in everybody having a different idea. Do not repeat the flashing thing that you are doing since once is enough. I have some questions and don't like to give advice based upon one question since the answer as to what to do next is "it depends"...


HaroldRJr
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Re: No output from generator

Post by HaroldRJr » Wed Jul 17, 2019 4:00 pm

Please excuse this "aside" remark, but just felt the need to mention this,....since you've "retired" from, and passed your business (Fun Projects, Inc.) on to someone else, we don't hear from you very often on the Forum John. Really miss hearing from you once in awhile! Nice to know you're still well & active within the "T" community. Let us know what's going on with you once in awhile, and I for one would like to see a photo once in awhile of your "T" activities, and that beautiful pie wagon, and even the curved dash Olds too! Always enjoyed your posts John, except that the only problem I ever had with your posts is that I realize that you were seldom able to "come down to my level" when writing about "things electrical", however, I realize that that would require stooping pretty low for an electrical engineer! :D Again,....sorry to clutter up this thread but just sort of felt the need to say "hi" to an "old forum friend" and that I'm sure that I'm not the only one to miss hearing from you more often John! Stay well, keep "T"ing and take care John,......harold


HaroldRJr
Posts: 169
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 10:13 am
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Re: No output from generator

Post by HaroldRJr » Wed Jul 17, 2019 4:07 pm

.....oops! The very next thread I brought up (firewall post) contains another post from John Regan! Oh well,...no harm done I guess,.....just one more "foot-in-mouth" post from me! :lol: :D :oops:


Piewagon
Posts: 106
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2019 8:38 pm
First Name: John
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* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1911 Open Runabout, 1911 Touring, 1912 Delivery Cars (2), 1915 Roadster, 1916 Roadster, 1923 Touring Car
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MTFCA Number: 14725
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Board Member Since: 1999

Re: No output from generator

Post by Piewagon » Wed Jul 17, 2019 6:04 pm

Hi Harold:

Thanks for the kind words. I am keeping busy. I try to chime in if there is something that I can help on. I am working on hopefully putting up an article on my attempt to put a starter on a show quality 1915 Roadster using minimal if any altering of the car. Where I live it is just too dangerous NOT to have a starter on a T that is street driven since I have to travel to town using a 4 lane highway with a few 4 lane crossing points as well. 45+ MPH speed limits the whole way. If I accidentally killed the motor at an intersection it would be a scary event to get out and hand crank the thing while sitting in the left turn lane of a major highway. I finished the project but need to spend some time on pictures and methods to show how I did it. I ended up drilling only 1 small hole for the starter push button - nothing else. One has to look for the starter, battery, and charging system. I have a nice brite LED tail light strip that is also a brite brake light too and I have a rather novel NO MODIFICATION choke system. Everything that I removed from the original car is in a box with all hardware so that it could be reinstalled on the car and return it to total stock with little or no effort.

John


Topic author
jbodkin
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2019 12:19 pm
First Name: Jim
Last Name: Bodkin
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1923 Touring
Location: Boston, Ma.
Board Member Since: 2010

Re: No output from generator

Post by jbodkin » Fri Jul 19, 2019 8:03 am

I have been communicating with John and feel I have narrowed the problem down to the field coils circuit loop. John is such a resource to our hobby and so generous with his time.
THANK YOU JOHN!
Jim

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