Southern Cross Generator

The system works to the extent that when the contacts on the big coil in the control box are closed manually the lights on the demo light board light up but the coil contacts will not close automaticaly.

The problem is knowing more about the control box that sits on top of the generator. Especially how to tension the spring and adjust the contact points that control cut in and cut out or is this the voltage regulator?

All are equipped only with a cutout relay - none has a voltage regulator. If your's isn't working either the generator is not generating sufficient voltage to cause the cutout to pull in.

The cutout likely needs to see 36 - 40+ volts at the relay terminals in order for it to pull in. And the cause of low voltage could be simply the generator spinning too slow.

However more likely the cutout relay is bad or needs adjustment.

The cutout coil winding wound with fine wire should have a coil resistance probably in the neighborhood of 150 to 300 ohms or so. However resistance is significantly higher (or infinite) the relay is no good.

If the relay coil appears good, then REDUCING the cutout relay spring tension and/or contact point gap reduces the cut-in voltage.

Warning! Make cutout relay spring/gap adjustments in very small increments only. They are highly sensitive to even small changes in spring tension/point gap!!