VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Electrical - 6 volt Low generator output

I've been digging into my charging system that hasn't seemed to been up to snuff for a while.
I had been looking at regulator adjustments, but today I looked more fundamentally at the generator. The output at the generator was just UNDER 6 volts....like 5.965. That's not enough and probably my the root (or at least) the start of my problem. Agree?
My test was ground one side of my volt meter and hook to the larger wire of the generator. Didn't do anything on the regulator.
Aside from a rebuild, is there anything I can try? A reminder on my car. It's a 15 year old restore that either has a new (to her) generator or was rebuilt. ~2000 miles since restore.

The natural voltage of a 6 volt fully charged battery is 6.3 volts. At 5.965 the generator is not charging, at all.

Look up how to "full field" the generator for a test. You either ground or power (I forget which and don't have the service manual handy) the generator's field terminal. You might have to disconnect the field wire first (check the manual). Check voltage from the armature terminal(+) to the generator case(-). Only do it long enough for a test. Engine should be turning faster than idle. The voltage should come up to something more than 6.3v and continue to rise because there is no regulation. If not, there is a generator problem.

If the generator passes a full field test, then you need to look closer at the wiring and the regulator.

Thanks Bloo. That checked out. Now onto regulator…put a NOS 301 in there, but getting low voltage on the generator terminal. More reading

The only movement I've been able to get is removing the Field wire from the regulator and grounding this wire. This got the ammeter to show "charging".
Other tests I tried were to ensure ground to the regulator and also jumpering BAT and GEN terminals. Neither had any affect.

So you full fielded it, and the voltage came up to something over 6.3, and you have verified the the regulator is grounded. Good. It should be pulling the cutout in. If it were me, I would carefully (with battery disconnected) drag some paper soaked in brake cleaner through each set of regulator points, carefully making the points drag the paper, but being careful not to bend anything.

Hook the battery back up, and if it doesn't start working, watch with the cover off and see if it is pulling the cutout in when the engine starts and revs up a little.

The cutout should definitely pull in at something below 6.3v at the generator, the manual might say what the actual cut-in figure is, but everything will be slightly off with the cover removed.