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Polarizing a generator?

16 years ago

I was told that after I take my generator apart that I would then have to polarize it. I know you have to use a jumper between the battery and either the ignition or the generator but witch one? Do I have to disconnect every thing else?

Can someone break it down for me? In detail?

Wheel Horse T-856

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Comments (18)

cherokee_140
16 years ago
I don't know about mowers but I can tell you how to do it on a car. First off you are polarizing the voltage regulator not the generator. It also matters if it is positive or neg. ground.

You will need to find out what kind of regulator you have, on it there is usually a bunch of letters. You need to look up the specs for this regulator, Then it is a simple matter of touching specific terminals to pos. or neg. terminals.

Sorry I can't be more specific. Don't wing it if you touch the wrong terminal you will fry the regulator.

Anytime the battery is out of anything with a gen. it is a good idea to re-polarize the regulator again.
mownie
16 years ago
Here is a link that might help.

Here is a link that might be useful: Polarizing Generators
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don21
16 years ago
Good link

You ARE polarizing the generator BTW - Not the voltage regulator as Cherokee stated

Don
cherokee_140
16 years ago
Technically you are correct, but tell me what terminals are you touching, you are touching terminals at the regulator.

I have seen regulators with as many as 6 terminals on them and unless you know which terminal is field, armature battery, I have even seen regulators with 3 positive leads, you need to know which one to use.

Because you put the jumper from the batt to the regulator that is why most call it polarizing the regulator. Incorrect I know, but it is just common speak.
gator_rider2
16 years ago
B terminal to A or G or GEN as maybe marked stay clear of F terminal are cover just arc will do on B and A
machiem
16 years ago
huh?
ericschevy
Original Author
16 years ago
Sorry I miss-spoke, I meant the voltage regulator.
The voltage regulator is labeled B F L
B-Batt.
F-field
L-Lighter

So do I just jump the battery+ to the F post on the voltage regulator?

MOWNIE, I seen that site before, I'm just making sure I'm reading it right. I think I am.
mownie
16 years ago
DO NOT connect the jumper to the F or Field terminal. If your regulator has 3 terminals, B is Battery, F is field, L is Load (output from generator, sometimes lableled A for armature....in DC generators, the armature produces the output charging current). You want to connect Battery voltage to the terminal that recieves the generator output. BTW, you are polarizing the generator. Only the GENERATOR can hold "residual magnetism". This residual magnetism is the "memory" the generator needs to charge with the correct polarity. What did you do to your generator while you had it apart? Unless you have replaced the field shoes or the armature....OR had the armature bench tested using a "growler" (electromagnetic testing device), the residual magnetism in the components will remain the same. The catch is......if you tested the field coils or armature with anything more powerful than an Ohm meter, or if you "short circuited" the wiring to the field coils while it was apart, you may have "de-magged" them. If you aren't sure about any of these things, by all means, re-polarize it.
don21
16 years ago
"Technically you are correct, but tell me what terminals are you touching, you are touching terminals at the regulator"

Yes, but only because it's a more convenient place to get at the generator terminals. You can remove all connections from the regulator and still touch the same wires and polarize the GENERATOR

Nothing you can do will 'polarize' a regulator, so I'm not 'technically correct' - I'm 'absolutely correct' ;-)

Don
mownie
16 years ago
Hear, hear!
cherokee_140
16 years ago
I will go back and say, GET A BOOK ON THE REGULATOR THAT YOU HAVE AND JUMPER WHERE IT TELLS YOU TO.
Otherwise you might let some smoke out.

Good luck, done with my two bits...off the the runoffs.
ericschevy
Original Author
16 years ago
Mownie, The L terminal is directly linked to the cigarette lighter in the dash.
I have not done it yet but I was told that I was going to have to re-polarize the generator anytime it is serviced.
So is this not true?
When I took it apart I just cleaned every thing and greased the bearings.
How would I even know if it needed it?
Would it fail to charge?
I did test it while it was running with an Ohm meter and was getting some RADICLE readings. The generator light in the dash would only stay lit at an idle, as soon as you increase engine speed the light goes out.
mownie
16 years ago
I'm not quite sure abut the L terminal wire being linked directly to the cigarette lighter (all by itself) but it could be tied or connected with some other wires. As to the requirement for re-polarizing a generator when servicing..... "Servicing" is a pretty broad term. Practically anything you do to anything could be called "servicing". The kind of "servicing" that requires you to polarize a generator is if you are replacing the armature assembly (or replacing the commutator on the existing armature) or if you are replacing the field coil(s) assembly. If all you did was disassemble, clean, lubricate and re-assemble, you did nothing that would alter the residual magnetism of the generator or de-magnetize any of the components. The fact that your GEN light burns at idle and goes off at higher RPM indicates that it is charging (at least enough to put the light out. You CAN'T check electrical devices with an Ohm meter while they are in use. Ohm meters are good for testing the resistance value of electrical circuits and components (or for continuity) ONLY if the device is not in use (electrified) and ONLY if the device and any sub-components are physically and electrically separated (so you know you are measuring only ONE thing and not several that are linked up together). The proof that the generator is charging is to use a DC VOLT METER. Measure the battery voltage with the engine off. Write down your reading. Then start the engine and raise the RPM to about 2500 or so and check the battery voltage again at that RPM. Your reading should increase by about 2 to 2.5 volts and should not exceed 14.2 to 14.4 volts. Run the engine at this RPM for about 1/2 hour and check the battery voltage again with engine running. The voltage reading should not be higher than 14.2 to 14.4 VDC.
tom_k_de
16 years ago
The (L) is usually for load on the regulator.My starter /generators have an (F)field, and an (A).for armature......I was taught in Automotive school,back in the late 40's and early 50's,when all there was were generators.It was called,"flashing the field".Remove the (F) field wire from (F)generator terminal.With a jumper from (B)battery on regulator,QUICKLY touch the (F) generator terminal.I have disassembled,cleaned,and rebuilt many a generator,as well as starter/generators,and never have had a need to "repolorize any.Just maybe,when replacing the field windings,to reverse rotation of a S/G.tbk
ericschevy
Original Author
16 years ago
The meter I have is a DC volt meter, I just have always referred to them as a Ohm meter..LOL
I'm just a young guy, don't know a lot of things but think I do..LOL
Thanks Mownie and every one else. You have been a big help.
I think I might go and test it here in a few.
Thanks again..
mownie
16 years ago
ericschevy, OK, I understand your use of "Ohm meter" now. Most times folks refer to these as "Multi meters" nowadays. There was a time when a lot of people called them "Amp-probes" (even though amp probe was only one function of many included in the device made by Simpson). In regard to your "getting some radical readings": If your multi meter has an LCD (digital) display, you can expect to observe the display changing under certain conditions where the system voltage (or other parameter being read) is changing rapidly. For this reason, I prefer an "Analog" display (needle pointer with background scale) to measure things such as electrical system voltage when the engine is running. LCD meters are fine if checking stuff that does not vary rapidly.
ericschevy
Original Author
16 years ago
Yeah, this is a analog/needle type. Well, If the knob is turned to the 10 spot and the needle goes to the 2 on the DC side of the scale does that make it 12 volts??
Oh yeah, I'm getting the same reading with it off as it is when running with just a slight movement when at full throttle.
So now what..LOL
When I was getting that radical reading I was testing the field post of the generator. It would go up as I increased speed then suddenly drop off at a certain point until I turned the throttle down..Something screwy there..
don21
16 years ago
Usually when the knob is turned to '10' that means 10 volts, full scale and then a reading of '2' means 2 volts

Maybe you have a '25' number for the knob? Then you're 25 volts full scale and you can find a 12 volt marking at about half scale on the needle

Don

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