VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Electrical - 6 volt Voltage Regulator and Generater Problems

So I have been chasing a charging issue on my '41 Master deluxe (6-volt, generator system). I have installed all new wiring and have cleaned all grounds. The issue was that the battery would drain within a few hours when the car was not running. My amp meter in the dash shows that the generator was charging. My buddy put a meter on the battery to try and isolate the draw. We were surprised to find a 19 amp draw with the ignition off!

we started with the larger systems that could draw that much amperage and found that when the generator was disconnected, there was no draw. We are suspecting the voltage regulator. I currently have an adjustable Allstate regulator with highway and town settings (kind of cool). I see 35 amp and 45 amp units for sale and don't know which one to buy.

I am also not certain that I have the 2 wires on the generator hooked up right as there is no marking for which post is field. I reversed the wires and found that the amp meter in the dash didn't move at all, so we went back to how it was. Which wire should be the field wire? If I look at the front of the motor, should it be the left or right post on the generator? (the wiring diagram seems to show the rotation of the generator backwards and just confuses me)

If the amp meter shows a charge when the car is not running, then you have the wires reversed on the back of the amp meter.

The field post should be the post on the left (which is the post closest to the engine block) looking from the front of the generator.

Did you polarize the generator when you installed all of the new wiring?

There are three "functions" of the voltage regulator. One is controling the amps. one is controling the volts and one is the generator cut-out. The cut out disconects the generator from the eletrical system when the gennerator is not charging such as at idle speed or when the engine is not running. It may be the the cut-out points are not opening at a no charge condition thus draining the battery. The points may be stuck together or improperly adjusted. The instructions are in the shop manual mfor a Delco regulator.

To clarify, the amp meter was only showing a charge when running.

I did have the wires on the generator correct as well, thank you for validating that.

This is my first car with a generator, never heard of polarizing before, but a quick google revealed some tractor repair procedures that spoke of it. Wonder if the lack of that process has fried my regulator? So exactly how does one polarize a generator in a '41 Chevy?

We have had many discussions in the past on polarizing the generator. With the ignition off and all of the wires attached correctly, using a jumper wire, connect one end of the jumper wire onto the generator terminal on the voltage regulator and momentarily touch the other end of the jumper wire to the battery terminal on the voltage regulator. You should get a spark. The generator is then polarized.

Good luck!

Thank You all. I will now polarize the generator. Now, I'm back to one of my original questions though about which amperage regulator I need to buy. What are you guys running? 35 or 45 Amp?

The original factory installed production generator on a 1940-1951 wwas 35 amps. 45 amps would risk an armature melt down.