1960 Electra Generator Issues

[Bill Stoneberg]

This all started a few weeks ago,  I was driving and my Generator light came on and would not go off.  I removed the Generator and replaced the Brushes. They were worn badly.

Since then I have had issues with the light coming on and going off at random times. 

I had the battery checked and it had a bad cell so I replaced that  (for free, still under warranty) but that didn't stop the light from coming on.

I have checked wiring for bad connections with no luck.  Even went as far as replacing the voltage regulator (so now I have a spare).

Still I get out and going and the light will come on and then go off.

 

Any ideas before I  have the generator rebuilt and hope that solves the issue.

 

Thanks

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Install an alternator?

 

  Ben

[Bill Stoneberg]

Maybe...  But that would be a bigger pita then dealing with the generator.   Besides the generator has worked since I got the car.

 

[60FlatTop]

Be sure your brush springs are seating the brushes firmly on the commutator and that the brushes slide freely. If there is any eccentricity in the commutator a brush can lift, stick, and lose contact.

 

Alternator? Go all the way. The LS engines come with an alternator bracket attached, no fabrication needed.

Bernie

Edited May 28, 2018 by 60FlatTop (see edit history)

[Bill Stoneberg]

After writing the message above I pulled the generator off again and checked things out.  Had a brush I didn't like, so took it out and tried again. Looked better the 2nd time and put it back together.  Went out on the test drive where it failed 3 times yesterday and it worked fine. Maybe I fixed it.  Going to drive more and see but 25 miles this morning doing interstate / back roads and in town driving. 

Had the AC on all the time as it is already 95.

[NTX5467]

As I recall, the light illuminates when voltage is flowing backward in the system (i.e., discharge, not enough power being generated to cover the system's load).  Hopefully, you've got it fixed!

 

NTX5467

[Bill Stoneberg]

According to the shop manual the Gen Light lights up so everyone in the car knows that the generator is dead.  They dont well you what dead is, just that it is dead.

One of the funnier hyperboles in the manual.

[Beemon]

Next time you have it apart, gently buff the armature and commutator with a scotch brite pad, then check to make sure the internal wiring isn't loose. This will give you good contact for the brushes and a stronger magnetic field (if the armature is dirty).

[EmTee]

Maybe the mica between the commutator contacts on the armature needs to be cut down?  As the commutator wears, the copper approaches the height of the mica insulation.  If the commutator wears too far, the mica strips can hold the brush away from the copper.   Part of a generator rebuild used to include cutting the mica so that it was below the height of the commutator contacts.  If this is the issue, maybe careful work with a hacksaw blade can fix it.

[Bob Engle]

Grind the teeth on an old hacksaw blade flush on the sides so there is no rake.  Use this to cut the mica below the surface by a 1/32".  You don't want to cut the copper commutators.

I do this any time I have a generator apart.  I'ts an absolute necessity if you turn the commnutators to get a good concentric surface.

 

Bob Engle