1926 Std six generator questions

[Guest Billort]

The generator on my recently acquired '26 std six is not working and I have a bunch of questions. The generator is a Remy model 917-A according to the tag which should be correct according to the parts book. It is very clean and appears to have been worked on recently. The field coils and brushes appear to be new. It is a three brush type but does not look like the illustrations in the Service manual. The back cover plate is flat and appears to be cast iron. The third brush is fixed and not adjustable. It also has a field post on the outside of the case next to the armature post. This post had no insulation which means the coils were grounded to the case. I assume this is wrong and will fix that. Now the questions. Is this in fact the correct generator? Any idea why there is a field post on the outside? Also there is no thermostat in this generator and I cannot find a mount for one. How serious is this? The relay is a Remy but it too does not match the book. The book shows a two coil model and mine is a single coil model. Is this correct? If I need to add a thermostat and different relay does anyone have a source?

Sorry for being long winded. Thanks for any help.

[Guest stude8]

For what its worth, I have an aftermarket armature supplier catalog for 1936 and it does list DelcoRemy 917A for 1925-26 Stude model ER Std 6; also same for 1920-21-22 EJ, Light 6; also 1923-24 EM, Light 6. All use DR part# 809963 armature.

The armature number is usually die stamped into the winding lamination segments.

The uninsulated post in the frame doesn't sound Kosher.

Unfortunately 1925-26 is a year I do not have any technical literature for.

Stude8

[Guest Billort]

Thanks for the info. I did insulate the field post and it made a difference. I now get about 1/2 a volt out of the unit running at moderate speed. I will take the unit back off and check the amature number as well as the coils etc. for shorts. Thanks for the help.

Bill

[Guest stude8]

I am supposed to know this from memory but I can't give the proper method from my faded memory right now, when you only do this once in 20 or 30 years it gets foggy.

There is a procedure of "Polarizing" a replacement generator when reinstalling on a car. It involves momentarily striking the output post to the vehicle battery "Hot Post" (negative in this case)to cause a flux condition in the depleated magnetic fields of the field coil cores.

If this generator has been apart and rewound as you suggest in your post it likely needs re-polarizing before it will function. Look up the process in a Dykes book or other prewar technical publication.

Stude8

[dictator27]

The 917A is correct. The third brush should be adjustable. Thermostat is next to third brush. Output should be 18-20 amps cold and 9-12 hot. Maximum output at about 25 mph. Maybe your unit is a change up.

Terry

[oldford]

If the field winding is truly connected to that external post, it should be insulated from the generator frame. Then a wire gets connected from that terminal to the F (field) terminal on a voltage regulator. That regulator will alternately open and then ground the fields on the generator. Open fields yields no generator output and a grounded field yields full output. Perhaps the fields were permanently grounded to bypass a regulator. If you use the third brush method of adjusting the output, you should use a plain cut-out. The regulator route would give you trouble free operation, but it won't be authentic.

Frank

[Guest Billort]

Thanks for all the infomation and tips. The third brush is indeed adjustable and was set all the way to one side. I adjusted it more toward the middle. I pulled the armature and fond the number stamped in it but it has been stamped over with a new number. I have corrected the field post by insulating it. I confirmed that the amature post was also properly insulated. I found an article on polarizing and tried that. So far no luck. One thing I have noticed, if I manually close the cut out/regulator the points stick shut. This is true both with the car running and not running. If I remove the power from the battery side of the cut out the points open. I still get no output from the generator. Can anyone tell me what the resistance value should be on the coils or any other test I can do to try and get this old girl working?

Thanks again for the help.

Bill

[Guest stude8]

Bill, I sent a personal email on this forum, check your folder. I have scans of Delco service manaul for your type generator but files are too large to fit this forum attachment space. Stude8