Hi Kirk,
Since I haven't seen anyone answer you yet...here is the test procedure
according to Glenn's Triumph Repair manual.
"To test the charging system, crank the engine with the ignition switch
off in order to discharge the battery slightly. ( on cars with an
ignition key-type starter switch, it may be necessary to remove the coil
high tension wire from the center of the distributor cap to prevent the
engine from starting. ) Now start the engine and note the charging rate.
( On a car without an ammeter, it is necessary to insert an ammeter in
the charging circuit. ) As the engine is run for a short period, the
charging rate should decrease with a properly operating regulator. If
the ammeter does not show any charge after the test, it is an indication
that either the generator or the regulator is at fault.
To isolate the trouble, disconnect the regulator from the circuit and
energize the generator field. If the generator now charges, the trouble
is the regulator. If the generator does not charge with the regulator
out of the circuit and the field energized, then the trouble is in the
generator. In every case in which the generator is burned out, the
regulator should be replaced too, as it obviously did not control the
output of the generator. CAUTION: Do not race the engine with the
regulator out of the circuit, or the generator will burn up as it is
operating without control.
Because several manufacturers supply electrical equipment for european
built cars, the method of energizing the field is detailed according to
the type generator supplied as follows:
Bosch: connect a jumper wire from the field terminal on the generator or
the regulator to ground.
Ducellier: Connect a jumper wire from the EXC terminal on the regulator
to the DYN terminal.
FIAT: Connect a jumper wire from No. 15 to No. 67 terminals on the
regulator.
Lucas:" Connect a jumper from the D terminal to the F terminal on the
regulator
Marrelli: On 2-unit regulators, connect a jumper from the
DF terminal on the regulator to ground. On the 3-unit regulator, connect
a jumper between the DF-1 terminal and the D+ terminal and the D+ 61
terminal.
Paris-Rhone: Connect a jumper wire from the EXC terminal on the regulator
to the DYN terminal.
If the generator output is excessive, the trouble can be caused by the
regulator points being welded together or by a short circuit in a field
wire. In either case, there is no regulation, and the generator is
running wide open. To test for this type of trouble, it must be
remembered that there are two basic types of field circuits: one grounded
at the regulator and supplied with current at the regulator. By removing
the field wire from the regulator, the generator can be isolated. If the
generator still charges with the field wire removed, then the ground or
short is in the generator itself.
Another generator check can be made by removing the cover band, If the
inner surface of the band is covered with a layer of solder, the
generator was overloaded until the solder from the armature commutator
slots melted. Obviously, this leads to open circuited coils in the
armature. The wires can be re soldered and the commutator turned,
provided that the coils have not grounded out; otherwise, the armature
should be replaced.
Voltage losses, due to poor connections, cause an increase of operating
voltage because the generator tries to overcome the added resistance of
the circuit by forcing current through at a higher voltage. When the
voltage increases, the regulator sense it and returns it to normal by
regulating the field. Thus even though the battery is low in charge, the
generator output remains low, and another vicious cycle begins."
END!
Whew! Been there, thrown that solder, played with regulators. Don't'
want to do it again!
Hugh R. McAleer
Jonesboro, GA
'68 TR 250, '66? Vitesse, '76 TR 7 Victory Edition
Write to: gta@hideout.com to receive an auto response
detailing Georgia Triumph Association events
|