VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Electrical - 6 volt 1929 Voltage Reading Concerns

Was doing an electrical check on my 1929 Chevrolet, to see what kind of voltage the Generator is putting out.

Concern 1
Battery is disconnected, and using a volt meter on DC. touch the ground to frame and then touch the positive to the output of the cutout switch (from cut out to battery) and get a reading of 5.4 volts ?? same reading if i touch it ground to frame and positive to starter.
-why would i have a volt reading ??
-where would it be coming from ??
with battery connected this reading matches what my volt reading is direct on the battery within a few tenths of a volt.

Concern 2
with battery connected and car running i am getting 8.5-8.9 volt reading on the generator side of generator. is this good, or ??

Does the generator put out a CONSTANT voltage and the third brush vary the CURRENT (AMP) output ??

Concern 1
Which wire and location did you remove? The wire connected to the cut-out? I suspect you are reading the voltage through the ammeter.

Concern 2
That voltage is higher than typically higher than measured with the battery connected but not too concerning. You may have a poor connection somewhere between the generator and battery or ammeter.

Thanks Chipper...

Concern 1
no wires removed, check voltage with ground to frame and positive to the battery side of the cut-out.

how could i be getting a voltage reading from the ammeter with NO battery connected engine NOT running?? does it store/ hold a charge itself somehow ??

Concern 2
will double check for loos wires and such.

The voltage also depends upon battery condition.

The amp meter does not hold a charge. Check your wiring diagram.

yeah really confused on HOW & WHY i would be getting a voltage reading.

checked more than once, get the same reading ground to frame & positive to starter switch, and reading ground to frame & positive to gen cut out connection to battery.

Battery is NOT connected
Engine is NOT running

The only source of electrical power in a non-running engine is the battery. Therefore there must be a connection somewhere. There is no power generated by the generator until the magnetic field of the armature rotates past the field from the field coils. If the above is not consistent with what you find then once you find the source of power file a patent on it.

There may be one other source of electical power - just enough to give a reading on a (digital) voltmeter - the capacitor on the distributor. I haven't checked to see how long this capacitor would hold a charge, or if it even would show a reading on a voltmeter, but, after all, that is what it is designed to do - hold a charge, albeit a small one. After reading BearsFan315 posts, and looking at the wiring diagram, this seems to be the only other possible source of power that might produce a reading on the voltmeter. Ray (Antique Mechanic) is very familiar with electrical circuits. What do you think, Ray, could this be possible?

Happy Motoring,

Dan

Thanks guys, when I get home tonight I am going to double check myself, and use the info you guys provided for guidance.

Chipper...
i need to verify that i DISCONNECTED the Flux Capacitor as well

ok, double checked my numbers.

With the Battery DISCONNECTED (BOTH CABLES) at the Terminals on Battery, i get NO reading on the meter from ground & positive on either side of generator or Starter.

With the GROUND CONNECTED to the Battery and the POSITIVE disconnected at the Terminal on Battery. I get the approx 5v reading at the Gen CutOut Battery side or at the Starter. Does this make sense ?? how do i get 5v with out the POSITIVE CONNECTED.

There must be a connection somehow. Clean the top of the battery completely. There must be a connection somewhere/somehow.

Will do a clean and check...

I agree must be some power flowing from the positive battery terminal somehow.