voltage regulator limits

[robb4100]

I just replace the generator and also replaced the voltage regulator. The current voltage at 1000 is 13+ and upon upping the revs it steadily increases until I can measure 17.5 (~ 30 F /2C outside) across the battery. This seems high to me and the workshop manual says that it should top at 16.5.

Should I be concerned? should I attempt to adjust regulator?

Robb

[neilsjuke]

Yes this is to high and the armature will overheat and throw is solder out the regulator needs adjusting do not run for long at this voltage setting.
Did you polarise the dynamo when fitting ( connect the F terminal to the supply for a few seconds you can do this at the reg )
Neil
ps worked in Lucas main agent workshops(a long time ago)

[robb4100]

Thanks Neils!!!,

No I did not polarize the dynamo. Can you please describe the procedure as I do not recall seeing it in the manual. It sounds like I should do that, check the voltage and then adjust if necessary.


Thanks

Robb

[robb4100]

Ok I found the procedure in the manual (I have a positive earth vehicle).

It says "Connect a jumper lead to battery negative terminal"

Question: Is this connected to terminal D? and if terminal D is already hooked up is that the same connection?

and Neils if I understand you correctly since the wire goes directly from dynamo F to reg F, I can just disconnect from the reg and use that wire for the re-polarization.

Sorry to be so dense but this has been a tough fall and I don't want to foul this one up.

Robb

[robb4100]

This is what I have done:

disconnected both D and F from Dynamo
ran jumper from dynamo to negative pole on battery ( positive earth car)
small spark at battery terminal
ran jumper from F to positive terminal on battery (no spark)
kept connection for 5-10 seconds
did this twice.

hooked up D and F again. still 17+

[ppnelan]

Sounds like the control box needs adjusting... The Workshop Manual tells you how (if you're brave!) or the safer route is to take it to an auto-electrical specialist.

There are at least two (maybe more?) identical-looking types which have different current outputs. I discovered this when I saw two different versions for sale on eBay. Not sure whether this would cause the symptoms you have, but it may be worth checking that you have the correct type...

Matthew

[robb4100]

I m relatively certain that I have the correct regulator. I walked through the characteristics with RD enterprises and sorted out which of the two that I had. Characterized by having the wire basket securing the top.

right now I have managed to sieze the starter while tryig to fix a clutch problem in parallel.

Unable to do anything else until the starter is sorted.

Robb

[neilsjuke]

Hi yes it needs adjusting if you need to run the car to the sparks pull the field lead off so not to damage the dynamo. Now the bad news if the dynamo is not polarised before running it can arc the points in the regulator
so needs to be checked out as this may be the cause of the now high voltage setting.
Neil

[oldokie]

Re: starter problem, with everything turned off, select top gear, rock by hand until a ' klunk' is heard.

[robb4100]

Neils and others.

Sorry but I need a translation. What is meant by

if you need to run the car to the sparks[/code]

I have other questions.

1) Would I have ruined the regulator if the dynamo was not polarized properly

2) Is this the proper way to polarize for a positive earth car

disconnected both D and F from Dynamo
ran jumper from dynamo (D terminal to negative pole on battery ( positive earth car) I saw a small spark at battery terminal
ran jumper from F to positive terminal on battery (no spark)
kept connection for 5-10 seconds
did this twice.

Thanks

Robb

[neilsjuke]

Ok you need to take a wire from the F terminal of the dynamo or pull the f wire of at the regulator you need to have this in contact with the supply from the batt (the large brown wires to the right on the reg are live you can use a split pin))for a couple of seconds you may see a small flash of blue spark this is a routine for any dyamo that has been standing for some time to put residual magnetism into the feild poles .AS its charging not worry but you will know next time you need to get the charging ckecked and as i said before leave the dynmo leads off so not to overheat the armature.

[RotoFlexible]

Robb, you have my sympathy. It is fire drills like this that convinced me to ditch the late Age of Steam dynamo and control box for a nifty mini-alternator. Turn it and electricity comes out, at the right voltage and with plenty of amps available. No muss, no fuss. Oh, and the starter that kept getting jammed in the flywheel? Also gone now. For me, functionality and reliability trump originality in these areas. Others have different priorities and that's fine!

[Frank Howard]

Robb,

I too ditched the Lucas starter and generator in favor of Nippondenso and Mitsubitshi. As it was below zero F this morning and I hadn't even started the Elan in 13 days, I decided to fire it up one last time before removing the battary. As the fuel always drains from the carbs and I have the original mechanical fuel pump, it took about 45 seconds of cranking before it started, and this was using the lowest rated battery from Sears (WeatherHandler 495 CCA). And by the way, the crank case is filled with 10W-40.

Regardless, to polarize your generator, remove both wires, attach a wire to the positive side of the battery and flick it (don't connect it) against the F terminal on the generator 10 times. Hope this helps.

[robb4100]

Thanks Guys,


You know it is funny, I chose to keep the Generator because it was August and I thought that doing that swap would be quick and easy and would have the car back on the road in a couple of weeks. while doing the alternator thing and changing to a negative earth seemed like it would take months (I only have weekends and work WAH WAH WAH)

Well it took a couple months before I could get under the car- the clutch got stuck and now it has been several months and still the problems. I should have just been smart and done the right thing the first time.


Thanks for the advice. I will see if I can get it started in the next couple of weeks,

robb

[robb4100]

Thanks Guys,


You know it is funny, I chose to keep the Generator because it was August and I thought that doing that swap would be quick and easy and would have the car back on the road in a couple of weeks. while doing the alternator thing and changing to a negative earth seemed like it would take months (I only have weekends and work WAH WAH WAH)

Well it took a couple months before I could get under the car- the clutch got stuck and now it has been several months and still the problems. I should have just been smart and done the right thing the first time.


Thanks for the advice. I will see if I can get it started in the next couple of weeks,

robb