Gerry,
Yes you are correct the generator does provide a grounding path when it is
not turning or if it is not putting out. That is why the light will come on.
I think you have covered all the possible scenarios in your email and it
might be that the charging voltage is too high. However I believe a constant
changing rate would be seen in the ammeter if that were the case. So it
would be good to check the charging voltage. It would also be a good idea to
check out the voltages at the light. First see if one side reads battery
voltage when the ignition is turned on. And then check to see if the other
side reads the generator output when running. I would take these
measurements with the light removed. So the only two explanations are that
either the generator is putting out a much higher voltage than it should or
the battery side of the light is grounded.
Anyway the light is trying to tell us something and we just need to listen
to it since something is not correct.
Regards,
Phil
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Willburn,Gerry [SMTP:gerry.Willburn@vcincorp.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2000 12:15 PM
> To: 'Ernest(Chip) Brown'; Phil Roettjer
> Cc: morgans@autox.team.net
> Subject: RE: Clarification of ignition warning light question!
>
> As was stated, one side of the lamp is connected to the "ignition on"
> (white
> wire) side of the ignition switch and the other side of the lamp is
> connected to the generator output (the "small" yellow wire on the "D"- for
> dynamo- terminal of the regulator). The circuit DOES NOT pass through the
> regulator.
>
> When the output of the generator is lower than the voltage of the battery,
> the light will be on. The current path is from the battery through the
> light, through the generator to ground then back to the other side of the
> battery (the battery is "charging" the generator). When the output of the
> generator rises to the level of the battery, the light goes out.
>
> There are two conditions where the light could be on while the generator
> is
> working. Both involve the generator output being MUCH higher than the
> battery voltage.
>
> In the first instance the "dropout relay" (inboard coil on the regulator)
> has not picked up. The Open circuit voltage from the generator will
> generally be in the range of 16V to 18V depending on the setting of the
> regulator. This is most likely not the case as he says the ammeter
> indicates the battery is charging.
>
> The second instance requires that the charging rate setting of the
> regulator
> (outboard relay) be set MUCH too high (or uncontrolled). If there is
> enough
> resistance in the charging system the generator output can become enough
> higher than the battery to cause the light to come on. The charging rate
> should be adjusted on the regulator after swapping battery polarity.
>
> There is also, I suppose the possibility that one side of the light is
> connected to ground and not where it is supposed to be. If the yellow
> wire
> is grounded instead of being connected to the generator output, the light
> will come on when the ignition is turned on (as normal) and then will get
> brighter as the generator connects to the battery. This would be
> exaggerated by a low battery. If the white wire on the lamp is grounded
> instead of being connected to the ignition switch, the lamp will be out
> when
> the ignition is first switched on and then vary in brightness directly
> with
> generator output.
>
> Assuming the lamp worked properly before the switch to negative ground,
> and
> the system seems to be otherwise working, it is most likely the case that
> the charging rate of the regulator is set too high.
>
> Gerry
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Ernest(Chip) Brown [SMTP:Chip.Brown@msdw.com]
> > Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2000 8:09 AM
> > To: Phil Roettjer
> > Cc: morgans@autox.team.net
> > Subject: Re: Clarification of ignition warning light question!
> >
> > Hey Phil: since I don't have a generator light now, I am reading your
> > email with great interest. I guess what I don't get (yet) is where's the
> > ground? If the output from the generator is grounded, the generator
> > won't generate. But if the output from the battery isn't grounded on
> > the other side of the light, the light won't come on. There has to be a
> > ground that is broken when the generator starts generating. Out of
> > complete ignorance, that would seem to suggest somewhere in the voltage
> > regulator there's a contact that pops open when the generator is
> > charging, which shuts the light off. Am I wacko here?
> >
> > Chip Brown
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