[Healeys] Parisian volts

[Simon Lachlan]

The BJ8 genny saga continues. (My nephew is an Air Traffic Controller and
his shifts have not enabled him to get down to the car as often as he might
have liked. I've just retired, so the boot's on the other foot on my side of
the Channel!)

Now, he's done some tests which I think are pretty conclusive. Any of you
gurus out there who are electrically minded - R2D2 eat your heart out -..I'd
appreciate your input.

See Pierre-Henri's email, below. (My comments in brackets)

QUOTE

Hi,

I've come back from the garage.

And I've done these tests:

1) Polarization

-first I polarized the genny:  engine off, connectors off terminals D and F
on the Genny. One lead from terminal - of the battery to F terminal (of the
Genny) and made 2 or 3 sparks.

-then I polarized the control box: connected B (for battery) and F, and made
them spark

(We think this polarization business may be a bit of a diversion, but it
seemed worth doing. Anyhow, he seems to have done it right per various
websites and the Moss video. And he got sparks as hoped for. So, I think the
genny and the control box are correctly polarized and probably always were.
Any comments?)

 

-I connected back the connectors onto the genny and started the engine. the
ignition red light did not go off...

(No surprises there really? Polarization of genny and control box was
probably unnecessary and the fault probably lay elsewhere. But it was worth
checking???)

-Then I turned off the switch in the boot to disconnect terminal - from the
battery (same as disconnecting a terminal from the battery). The engine
stopped instantly.

(This is per an answer from Norman Nock that I've kept on file for ages. He
advised:- turn on engine, disconnect a battery terminal and, if engine
stops, the genny is knackered. Norman was The Man and it seems like a good,
neat test. Is PH correct in assuming that turning off the battery switch is
the same as removing a battery lead??)

-I turned the engine back on. I disconnected both connectors from D and F at
the genny. Then I put a voltmeter between D and a good earth (red lead on a
good earth and black lead on D terminal). I increased the RPMs and volt
meter never showed 1,5 to 3 V. It was way below (30 mV)...

(Seems like genny is not doing its stuff???? Comments??)

-Then, voltmeter in the same position as previous test (and connectors of D
and F), I connected a wire from D to F. I increased the RPMs. Instead of
showing a increase in voltage, the voltmeter kept on indicating something
near to 0. (30 mV).

(Per above, genny is knackered?)

 

So all this should mean the Genny is out of service?

(Well, sitting in the UK, I think it's not doing it's stuff. Any
ideas.....?)

I could take it out of the car. try and turn it into a motor (as shown in
one of the videos)?

(This is per a video on Youtube whereby one squirted volts in rather than
taking them out. If genny spins, it's sound inside. However, test does not
show how many volts/amps are going to come out.

Pierre-Henri. Watch the video again..you can do it in the car).

I could take it home and disassemble it?

(Yes. To check the brushes. Only. We don't have the facilities or skill in
either location to do more than the brushes.)

 

Looking forward to hearing from you!

PH

UNQUOTE

I think the genny is u/s.

I think it should come out ASAP.

I think PH could look at the brushes if he can get inside without a
workbench and vice.

I think we'll be looking at a replacement for the genny.

I'm dissuaded from the lookalike alternator scheme. I've had advice from
experts which is all appreciated. They overheat..they don't produce the
goods...they're not the Real Thing and they seem to be a waste of space. I
guess they'll improve. I think PH will be content with a replacement genny.

I've been reading about these new(?) electronic Control Boxes. They seem to
be reliable and to squeeze a few more amps out of the system. Apparently,
one avoids the Far East replicas at all costs, but they are otherwise a Good
Thing. Any comments???

 

Sorry to present you all with such a questionnaire,

Simon

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://autox.team.net/pipermail/healeys/attachments/20170501/1330c4a0/attachment.html>