[Healeys] Battery Not Charging

[Steven]

Hi all you smarter than me gents.  I have a 1961 Austin Healey 3000 
BN7.  About a year and a half ago I finished a full frame off 
restoration and have been driving on and off ever since.  Last month I 
discovered that my bushing in the generator had gone bad so I removed 
the generator and replaced the bushing and reassembled it. I should 
mention that the internal guts of the generator has never been touched 
but I did replace the brushes about a year ago as well as a new voltage 
regulator.  Of course all the wiring harnesses are new as well.  Now 
then, before I disassembled the generator to replace the bushing the 
battery was receiving a charge just fine but since I worked on the 
generator.....no more charging.  I thought maybe the brushes didn't seat 
so today I took it back apart and made absolutely sure the brushes were 
in contact.  I don't know much about electricity so I had to watch 
videos on how to check to see if the generator is working.  From what I 
read and watched, I performed a polarization test on the generator with 
the belt removed and the pulley wheel began to turn so that seems to 
check out, but for some reason I cant get a reading at my generator 
because the number start jumping all over the place as soon as I get the 
volt meter prods even remotely close the the back of the generator so I 
check at the battery.  With the engine off the battery reads 12.5.  
After I start the car and turn on electrical accessories, it dips to 
about 12.27 and even if I rev the engine for a little bit, the volts 
won't jump up in the mid 13's.  I tried checking the voltage regulator 
using Moss Motors video by running a jumper from the hot on my battery 
to one of the terminals on the voltage regulator that goes to the 
generator but it kept arching so I stopped.  Oh, and my ignition light 
is also on confirming no charging is taking place.  Any ideas before I 
have to go to my local mechanic?

Steve Meyer,
61 3000 BN7