Polarizing a 12 Volt Generator?

My BF Avery came out of the factory as 6 volt in 1947 of course. Previous owner converted it to 12 volt. I have verified it has a 12v coil, a 12v regulator and the generator puts out 12v at about 6 amps. Do I need to polarize the generator like a 6 volt system? If so, which poles on the regulator would I jump? The regulator has only three poles, BAT, GEN, and F. My 6volt Cub has a four pole regulator and I jump BAT to GEN. Charges good. Thanks

To Polarize the Generator you use a jumper wire to momentarily flash jump BAT over to GEN (on either a 3 or 4 terminal VR, on either 6 or 12 volt) and you should get a small spark. If needed do that BEFORE start up. Sounds like you are already polarized but you asked and there's your answer

John T

If it's running and charging, it doesn't need polarizing.

Best leave well enough alone!

Thank you John T. Generator was run on test equipment at an auto electric shop to check voltage and amps. Engine has been out of the tractor since March, re-bored and crank turned. Total rebuild. Now I am getting everything back together. Thanks again. Ron

You're welcome. Anytime a genny has been in the shop I advise people to be safe go ahead and Polarize BEFORE start up and it wont hurt if
its already correctly polarized. The reason I say that is because a shop might have a genny polarized at NEG ground and if your tractor is
POS ground it really needs correctly polarized.

John T

(quoted from post at 05:02:09 09/16/20) You're welcome. Anytime a genny has been in the shop I advise people to be safe go ahead and Polarize BEFORE start up and it wont hurt if
its already correctly polarized. The reason I say that is because a shop might have a genny polarized at NEG ground and if your tractor is
POS ground it really needs correctly polarized.

John T

Click to expand...

ohn T, My tractor is neg ground. Don't know if the shop guy tested it on pos or neg grd. So I will polarize it before I start the engine. Now, once a generator is polarized, does it stay that way, say if I had to disconnect the battery, or would I have to polarize it again after reconnecting the battery?

(quoted from post at 10:16:54 09/16/20)

(quoted from post at 05:02:09 09/16/20) You're welcome. Anytime a genny has been in the shop I advise people to be safe go ahead and Polarize BEFORE start up and it wont hurt if
its already correctly polarized. The reason I say that is because a shop might have a genny polarized at NEG ground and if your tractor is
POS ground it really needs correctly polarized.

John T

Click to expand...

ohn T, My tractor is neg ground. Don't know if the shop guy tested it on pos or neg grd. So I will polarize it before I start the engine. Now, once a generator is polarized, does it stay that way, say if I had to disconnect the battery, or would I have to polarize it again after reconnecting the battery?

Click to expand...

o need to re-do...it will remember

Great question "Don't know if the shop guy tested it on pos or neg grd. So I will polarize it before I start the engine. Now, once a
generator is polarized, does it stay that way, say if I had to disconnect the battery, or would I have to polarize it again after
reconnecting the battery?"

Its more common for a shop to have it polarized at NEG then POS ground but it never hurts to be safe and polarize before start up
ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE POS GROUND.

Just sitting idle for a relatively long period or simply disconnecting the battery shouldn't cause the gennys soft iron field poles to
loose their residual magnetism and it doesn't need re polarized. I think if it was disassembled with the armature removed it may loose
polarity sooner.

John T

loosen the drive belt and push the cutout contacts together . The generator should spin as a motor and be properly polarized .