I really wanted to fix this problem on my own but can't seem to figuare it out. I have been driving my stock 31 5w every day to work now that I'm stuck in Seattle. About a month ago it started blowin fuses and headlights. One night I even tosted my ammeter. The first thing I thought was bad ground, so I checked the ground strap off the battery and sure enough it was real dirty and not even tight. After I fixed that it still poppin lights. Haven't blown the fuse again... Yet. Any one got any suggestions? One more thing, after I fixed my ground strap it seemed to only blow lights at high speeds... When they were there brightest... Could it be my cut out? Or my generator?.. Any help is appreciated..
The cutout is not really a regulator since it does not regulate electrical current. Its purpose is to disconnect the generator from the battery when the engine is not running ... otherwise the battery would try to run the generator as a motor. A cutout is just a switch. A regulator is a more complicated switch since it turns on and off using the generator power when needed and to keep the battery from being overcharged, regulating the charge. On a stock Model A the generator's output is controlled not by a regulator but by adjusting the "third brush" on the generator ... when the engine is running the cutout is closed at all times pumping out power whether it's needed or not. The faster the engine runs, the more it pumps. Yours may be set too high. Only one possible cause of your problems, of course. Here's a link. It's says Model T, but it applies the same: http://www.modeltcentral.com/model-t-ford-generator.html
So the cut out realy has only one job in life and if it wasen't working I would be having a discharge problem. I will look at the 3rd brush to see what I can see but at this point I'm not too optimistic that this will solve my problem... Thanks for the imput thus far.
I drive my stock '30 almost every day too. I had a similar problem last year. I had adjusted the third brush to max amps so I could drive at night. The cutout went bad & the lamps would burn out. I found the cheapest fix was installing a 6v alternator from Mac's. The generator is sitting on the shelf with a new cutout just in case. Hope this helps.
If you want to keep your Model A looking stock with the generator, consider this extremely easy installation. I ran one for years: http://www.funprojects.com/products/10505r.cfm
You should pull the band on your generator and move the 3rd brush. It just slides in there back and forth, one way lowers the output and one way increases the output. Seems like you have it turned up way to high. On the stock model A, the faster you go, the more power the generator puts out. If someone before you just drove around at slow speeds they may have pushed the brush up so that the lights would be as bright as possible, but now that you are using it as a daily commuter, you need to adjust that brush back.
I had a similar problem, burnt points, blowing bulbs, blown fuse, I think the generator is only supposed to put out about 4 to 5 amps, mile was pegging the amp gauge when running, I adjusted the 3rd brush as described above & all's well now.
I am gonna look at the 3rd brush today and see if that helps.. I'm also gonna do the "ground" test outlined in the Les Andrews trouble shooting book... Seems like it wouldn't hurt to see If I'm getting a good ground... I really thought I had this problem solved when I found that crappy ground connection to the battery... I let ya'll know if it keeps happening after I check it out today..
So I just went out there and hooked the volt meter to one side of the ammeter and to ground... 6.25 then when I start the motor the reading goes all over the place... Up and down hovering around 18v I think.. Like its pulsing... Is this bad?... Wtf!
I did blow up the ammeter the other night when I was going to work.. Had to by pass the fuse cause it blew to get to work.. Started smoking real bad and doesn't work no more.. Probly cause I let the smoke out!.. But I don't under stand how that would give my multi meter such a crazy reading?...
I have the generator band off and I couldn't figuare out how to adjust the 3rd brush. Took the back off to get a better look and now I'm even more confused... And btw I have the newer style gen. I think its called the cyclinder style.. Not the power house
Well here's the up date.. Sorry to elrod. Didn't mean to sound rude about the 3rd brush thing.. I finnally figuared out how to adjust it. And now feel like a dumbass since it was so simple ater I figuared it out. It was all the way to the increase side of things and now is back down to where it needs to be. Now all I gotta do is replace the ammeter I fried and should be ok... Thanks for the support!