6 volt charging question

notjustair

Well-known Member
I swore I would never ask a charging question, but I?m going to anyway.

It has been hot here - 100 degrees on average for the last couple of weeks. I?m haying everything that doesn?t run away. The last two days I
have used the 54 Chevy grain truck to haul bales up out of waterways. It is all original (and has been a family member since before I was born).
When I fire her up she charges just fine. It goes up to operating temp just fine. If I shut it off when it is really hot or let it idle while I load bales it
stops charging. Next day after cool down it is charging again and repeats. Still original generator and regulator. I took the cover off the Delco-
Remy regulator yesterday and cleaned off the contact points with emery cloth.

What?s malfunctioning? I?m always away from home and it?s hot as can be or I would jump the field and see if it charges. And honestly, by that
point I?m so hot I can?t imagine lifting the hood!

I have a gut feeling it?s the regulator. It has charged an little fluttery sometimes for a year or so now. I?m pretty concerned about getting a good
regulator anymore with the luck I have had. The last thing around here that had one got an alternator after trying four Chinese regulators at $50
a pop. I?d like to keep this old girl original, though.
a273700.jpg
 
Look on page 4. I don't know if this would completely stop the charging, but it may be slightly out of adjustment.

I would leave it be as long as it keeps the battery up and only does this under extreme heat conditions.
Delco Regulators
 
I know a generator does that by nature, but we?re talking stops charging completely. Not slowly dwindles, either. I caught it the other day when it had been idling. I gave a little fuel to pull out and the charge rate came up and then instantly stopped and stayed that way off the way home. It?s not the gauge - I can tell by the speed of the blinkers that it isn?t charging.

The 35 Chevy I use for chores will lose several charging amps when it gets good and hot, but it still charges. The 54 is stone dead all of the sudden. I just didn?t figure the generator would ?short out? when it was hot and then miraculously heal itself once it cooled down.
 
As pointed out, the regulator is temp sensitive. When you turn on the lights (while the engine is running above idle, and it is hot enough to be "not charging") does the needle stay at the center, or discharge to -20 ish? If it stays pretty centered, all is well. if it discharges, then I would worry. If the voltage (with an analog meter or very good digital) reads 6.3 to 6.4 volts when above idle, it is ok. Jim
 
If it has been running for quite a while, the battery may be charged to the point that even when you restart it the battery is not lwo enough for the regulator to call for charge. I suggest you follow Janicholson's suggestions.
 
I just finished complete rewire of my 51 3/4 ton GMC. I added 6 additional fuses on the inside of the firewall above the pedals, and upgraded all wires and terminal strips to modern technology. It passed the smoke test. Jim
 
You may find an original regulator on ebay. Probably not a lot of these old 54's still making a living. Mine turned over 100K about 5 years ago, then the spedo quit. Dad bought it new. It's hauled a lot of hay in it's day, and had a hard life, but still runs good. Stan
a273714.jpg
 
It is common for those old systems to not charge at low idle but as you know it should pick up when you throtte it up. As the generator heats up it gets less efficient and as the coils in the regulator heat up they get less efficient also. Old connections corrode and build resistance I would guess that a combination of those factors is what is causing your problem which is the generator doesn't have enough umph when it is hot to pull the cutout relay closed. If it were mine I would remove the cover from the regulator and lessen the spring tension on the cutout points just a smidgen. The cut out relay is the one directly connected to the BATT terminal. The cutout points will be open when the engine is stopped. Another way to identify the correct set of points is to loosen the generator belt and remove the belt from the pulley. Then push the points closed with your finger. The cutout will cause the generator to motor, the wrong ones will not. Do not adjust the air gap,adjust the spring pressure, on some regulators it is a screw, others you have to bend the tab that holds the dead end of the spring. As an aside emery cloth should not be used on points, always use sandpaper.

Agree with you on the new regulators mostly junk. When ever I need a 6V regulator I go to Ebay and buy an old stock unit.
 
Forgot to add that another easy thing to try is to run a temporary ground wire directly from the regulator body to the generator housing. I have had to do that on a couple rusty ones where the regulator was mounted on the firewall
 
It discharges. It is definitely not charging once it is hot under the hood. I don?t run her down the road a great deal - lots of stop and go at the farm and with loads. She charges up and then settles back but not clear to zero. When it quits charging in this heat it goes to zero and pulls discharge with the brake light or headlights on.
 

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