Non charging issues

[PaulD738]

Hi Alan, the top screw sandwiches a plate from the rear brush to earth. There is a wire from the brush which is soldered to this plate? I hope this makes sense?

[canaletto5]

Hi Alan, the top screw sandwiches a plate from the rear brush to earth. There is a wire from the brush which is soldered to this plate? I hope this makes sense?

Yes it does Paul. The brushes are connected up correctly, although the soldered joint on the regulator side brush is a bit of a bodge. We are all assuming of course that the brushes are bearing on the rotor surfaces with sufficient pressure and that the surfaces are clean and conductive ? Kev

[PaulD738]

Hi Kev, yes the brushes look fairly new and have got a nice circumference worn in to them so I'm presuming they are contacting the rotor the way they are supposed too.

[canaletto5]

Hi Kev, yes the brushes look fairly new and have got a nice circumference worn in to them so I'm presuming they are contacting the rotor the way they are supposed too.

Hmmm. the worn circumference suggests they may be near or at the end of their life Paul. A few example pics. Kev

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=worn+ ... d=0CDQQsAQ

[Oldbeancanopener]

Paul

Don't jump the gun just yet and don't waste any money on components.

You need to get back on track with the process that Uncle Alan is walking you through.

He's giving you a logical step by step process that will eventually pinpoint where the problem exists.

Currently he wants to establish that current is flowing through one brush and it's slipring, through the copper windings, out of the other slipring through the other brush and then to earth. This should be an unbroken continuous route for electric current. If it isn't the rotor will not become magnetised and you will not generate any electricity.

If you can't do the test that uncle Alan has suggested because you can't access the wires or terminals here's another way to do it.

First, unplug the voltage regulator. By doing this you will disconnect the green wire from the power supply. The green wire will no longer be live. Next, switch your meter so that it will measure amps (electrical current). Sometimes you may need to plug your meter lead into another socket on the meter in order to measure amps. Select the scale that will allow you to read whole amps not milliamps.

When you have switched to amps put your red meter probe onto the positive battery terminal. Then put your negative probe onto the terminal where the green wire is connected to the generator. You do not need the ignition switched on to do this.

Your meter is now acting as a bridge between the battery and the generators rotor.

If there is an unbroken route for electricity to flow as described above you should get a reading of between three or four amps. If you get this reading this will prove that your brushes, slip rings, and rotor windings are ok. If you get no reading we have isolated the problem to the items we have just tested.

If necessary, we can then go onto Uncle Alan's next step.

Warning...when your meter is switched to amps do not connect it directly across the battery terminals or between any live connection and earth. If you do you will likely blow the fuse inside the meter.

Regards

Bill

[PaulD738]

Thanks Bill and uncle Alan I'll check that Asap and let you know the results. Love this forum, it's a gold mine for thickies like me

[PaulD738]

Status update!
I have just done Bills test and I'm getting no reading from the multimeter whatsoever

[canaletto5]

Paul

Don't jump the gun just yet and don't waste any money on components.

You need to get back on track with the process that Uncle Alan is walking you through.

He's giving you a logical step by step process that will eventually pinpoint where the problem exists.

Currently he wants to establish that current is flowing through one brush and it's slipring, through the copper windings, out of the other slipring through the other brush and then to earth. This should be an unbroken continuous route for electric current. If it isn't the rotor will not become magnetised and you will not generate any electricity.

If you can't do the test that uncle Alan has suggested because you can't access the wires or terminals here's another way to do it.

First, unplug the voltage regulator. By doing this you will disconnect the green wire from the power supply. The green wire will no longer be live. Next, switch your meter so that it will measure amps (electrical current). Sometimes you may need to plug your meter lead into another socket on the meter in order to measure amps. Select the scale that will allow you to read whole amps not milliamps.

When you have switched to amps put your red meter probe onto the positive battery terminal. Then put your negative probe onto the terminal where the green wire is connected to the generator. You do not need the ignition switched on to do this.

Your meter is now acting as a bridge between the battery and the generators rotor.

If there is an unbroken route for electricity to flow as described above you should get a reading of between three or four amps. If you get this reading this will prove that your brushes, slip rings, and rotor windings are ok. If you get no reading we have isolated the problem to the items we have just tested.

If necessary, we can then go onto Uncle Alan's next step.

Warning...when your meter is switched to amps do not connect it directly across the battery terminals or between any live connection and earth. If you do you will likely blow the fuse inside the meter.

Regards

Bill

Ermm. Are we sure this is right? If we connect the probes of the meter in this way when set to current measurement then it is in parallel to the circuit we are testing, whereas I think it needs to be in series?

I'm leaning more to the brush condition so, turn all power off, set your meter to continuity (the beeper) and put one probe on the slip ring associated with the green wire, put the other probe on the green wire terminal. If the brush is ok, you should get a bleep. Now do the same on the other brush with one probe on the slip ring and the other on earth. Once again, a bleep means it is ok. If either do not bleep, that brush is not bearing on the slip ring sufficiently. Kev

[mark.read3]

Status update!
I have just done Bills test and I'm getting no reading from the multimeter whatsoever

Switch it on ?

[PaulD738]

Status update!
I have just done Bills test and I'm getting no reading from the multimeter whatsoever

Switch it on ?

Now I know I'm thick but the meter is definitely turned on
Thanks Kev, I'll nip out and try that now