The other day (week) my truck quit charging while driving in the rain. I
measured the generator output and found no (ZERO AC OR DC) volts on the
generator, both post to post and post to ground. HMMM that would indicate a
bad generator NO? I pulled the generator and the brushes looked really
funky. I tried to get new brushes but all I got from the FLAPS was the 2nd
Lieutenant salute so I got the generator professionally rebuilt ($60.00).
OK now I place the professionally rebuilt generator in the Pcup and it still
won't charge! Also no voltage on either generator pole. I called the
Professional Generator Rebuilder guy and he said that I need to polarize the
voltage regulator by shorting the 'BATT' post to the 'GEN' post for a few
seconds, don't touch the 'F' post. OK sounds easy so I do it. The result
was mass quantities of smoke and sparks coming from my voltage regulator
when I started the truck. The only thing that could have been worse would
have been doing this in the rain but the day was exceptionally fine so Oh
well. I recalled the Professional Generator Rebuilder guy and he said that
the regulator was bad (duh) and for $70.00 he could fix me up in a few days.
I told him that I would have to get back to him. I took the voltage
regulator from my 1 ton and put it on my 1/2 ton and did the polarization
thing on it and I got more smoke and sparks from the one ton than I did from
the 1/2 ton regulator. The Professional Generator Rebuilder guy was gone
for the day by now and I had to take off for the 200 mile trip to my job in
the mountains. Also SHMBO is really upset that I spent so much time making
smoke and sparks and saying bad words and that I wasn't in the garden
pulling weeds or picking up dog poop on the lawn. I thought that it was
Fathers day and I could legally do something that 'I' wanted to do, but then
again that's usually what happens when I think. This calls for another 'Oh
well'. Bummer of a day!
So how does an everyday Joe such as myself polarize the generator or Voltage
regulator?
I doubt that I buy a new one as long as there are used ones available but I
don't want to let any more smoke out of another regulator. Is the
Professional Generator Rebuilder guy full of beans or is it a coincidence
that I smoked two bad voltage regulators in one day? Hopefully the third
time will be a charm.
Durwood
51 Chevy 1/2 ton Deluxe 5 window
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