1954 charging voltage
On the 6 volt system should the charging voltage be about 7.3 volts across the battery terminal when at idle with no lights or anything else on? I want to verify if the car is charging the battery under normal conditions. Thanks
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Re: 1954 charging voltage
Guy,
With engine stopped, measure battery voltage. A 6v battery should show apx 6.9v fully charged. This based on 2.3v per cell. What's confusing is that the generator typically will not charge until at apx 900 to 1100 RPM, so why yours is charging at idle seems odd to me. It's possible your Voltage Regulator may be stuck on or generator Field terminal is shorted to ground.
I'm not familiar with 6v systems so ideally a 6v expert will jump in.
Rich -
Re: 1954 charging voltage
Thanks for chiming in Richard, the voltage with the engine stopped is 6.3. With the engine at idle it's 6.1. At a higher rpm with nothing else on there in no movement whatsoever. The battery gauge is a hair above center and doesn't move either. The battery was fully charged. I have a NOS Delco regulator in the car but I suppose their could be something wrong with it. I'm not sure what to do about it. All the wiring is right. I have a new repro regulator, I suppose I could put that in and see if there is a difference. ??????Comment
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Re: 1954 charging voltage
Guy, 6.3v is correct. I stated 2.3v per cell but I was wrong. It's apx 2.1v per cell.
At idle, 6.1v is telling me no charge. But at RPM above idle, around 1200, it should be charging and you should get higher voltage, probably around 7 volts.
If not, to help diagnose if Gen or VR, you could try this. Engine off... Disconnect Field terminal at Gen. Tape terminal to prevent shorting anywhere.
Make sure all lights and accessories are off.
Start engine.
Connect a jumper wire to engine ground.
With volt meter at Bat Pos, while reading the 6.1v, touch the other eng of jumper wire to Gen Field stud.
Read voltage at Meter.
If no change, Gen fault.
If higher voltage, maybe around 7 or 8 volts, then Gen is working.
This would then indicate VR is suspect.
If so, I would open VR and check for corrosion on internal relay contacts. Even though NOS, it could be the culprit.
RichComment
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Re: 1954 charging voltage
Thanks Richard. I did what you said and grounded the field coil and no change on the meter whatsoever. This fall Ill have it checked out. Now the dash lights aren't working but I just found a Delco NOS headlight switch still in the box. Beautiful switch. Ill put that in soon and should fix the problem. Its amazing even with a new LL harness things still go wrong.Comment
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Re: 1954 charging voltage
Well ...I had the generator tested and its doing what its supposed. I think he said 7.4 v @ 25 A. or something close to it. I put in a different regulator, an older one that's correct and had the spring tension adjusted. The battery Gauge shows Negative now at about 7 which is different. Before it was a hair above middle. I'm not sure what made it different, must be the reg. I know the generator is charging, I'm just wanting the car to verify it. Ill check the battery this weekend with it running. Do I still need to jump the reg for polarity? Although I had all my gauges restored I don't how trust worthy the battery Gauge is.Comment
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Re: 1954 charging voltage
Guy, check the voltage at the battery with the car running before you change your gauge. I have seen plenty of wire diagrams printed incorrectly. You may need to just swap the wires at the gauge for it to read properly. Your voltage regulator change may have fixed your charging issue.Comment
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Re: 1954 charging voltage
Guy I agree with Joe,
Always a good idea to Polarize the generator after removal. Since it tested good you either still have a VR issue or a wire fault.
Run engine and check voltage before you do anything else.Comment
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Re: 1954 charging voltage
As I look at the wires to the battery gauge, I have the first wire that exits the harness on the pass. side of the gauge and the wire that comes out with the clock feed on the drivers side. I wonder if I should swap then around. Is there any harm in doing so? Maybe then it would show a charge instead of the negative side. The plan shows the feed that comes out of the harness with the clock feed shows it being connected on the pass. side of the gauge. Maybe I have them reversed. Would anything bad happen if I reversed them? Thanks again, I appreciate it!Comment
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Re: 1954 charging voltage
Guy, Lying under my dash, looking at the back of my gauge, I have the feed from the engine harness on the drivers side and the dash harness on the passenger side. My gauge works properly. Did you ever test voltage with the car running?Comment
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Re: 1954 charging voltage
Guy, Joe explained it perfectly. The AIMs are all wrong and have the wires reversed for all C1's. '62 may have corrected it IIRC.
If you test the voltage while running it will tell us what;s going on.
BTW, Whenever I try to remember polarity of the 2 wires........
I think "RED = RIGHT". When facing the Ammeter Front lens view. So then the Black wire goes to the "Left".
BLACK is always the Feed from the Battery/Solenoid Terminal. The RED is the load wire to the electrical system.
RichComment
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Re: 1954 charging voltage
Thanks guys. The voltage this morning on a fully charged battery was 6.8 volts give or take at times at idle and a little faster.. Can I reverse the wires with no harm? I don't want anything to burn up if you know what I mean. I have the # 10 red wire from the harness that feeds the clock on the drivers side. (the harness from the light switch just the way the plan shows). Are you saying the schematic has it backwards?Comment
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Re: 1954 charging voltage
Guy, the schematic is not a representation of the physical locations, it's only a electrical representation. Since there is no 1954 AIM, I'm not sure of orientation.
They key is run engine, and if greater than 6.8v, say 7v or more, then it would appear charge circuit is working. If Ammeter is wired properly then is should show on plus side.
Rewiring the Ammeter may confuse the issue. Please run engine, note voltages and Ammeter result, then we can decide next steps.
If charge voltage while running is less than 6.8v, and Ammeter is reading negative, it's telling me the Ammeter is wired properly.
If this worked before, then failed, then it seems it's not reversed wires.
BTW, When running engine, RPMs must be over apx 1100 to excite generator. It will always show discharge at idle.Comment
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Re: 1954 charging voltage
Will do this weekend Richard, Thanks for all your help! Joseph too!Comment
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Re: 1954 charging voltage
Guy, To clarify....
Is this issue recent, sine June when you first inquired?
Was the car, generator, voltage regulator and Ammeter working properly in the past, and then failed?
Or is this a continuing problem since ownership?
I ask because I'm still unsure if you acquired the car with the problem or not. A history from day one will help.
RichComment
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