1948 chief generator

[jn1972]

I am working on my 1948 chief generator ,I changed the brushes and reinstalled now it does not charge ,I did a test with the battery and the generator spins counter clockwise ,it is suppose to spin clockwise any idea what I did wrong thanks jerry

[T. Cotten]

I am working on my 1948 chief generator ,I changed the brushes and reinstalled now it does not charge ,I did a test with the battery and the generator spins counter clockwise ,it is suppose to spin clockwise any idea what I did wrong thanks jerry

Somethin's switched I'd guess, Jerry...

Polarity can be funny.

Cutting to the chase, I'd ask IndianFrank@yahoo.com by email, since he is not a forum member.

He makes things simple!

....Cotten

[aumick10]

Sometimes you need to re polarize a generator after working on it. The procedure is probably in your manual.

[T. Cotten]

Sometimes you need to re polarize a generator after working on it. The procedure is probably in your manual.

Polarity isn't mentioned, Mick!

Frank explained it to me once, but I've forgotten (or just didn't understand!).

...Cotten

[aumick10]

The polarity I am talking about is the magnetic polarity.
By putting voltage to one of the terminals ( I forget which one) you set up the magnetic poles on the field coil cores. The cores remember the polarity.
It has been a LONG TIME, but I think this is how it works.

[T. Cotten]

Hopefully that works for Autolites, Mick!

(But it does not for HD's Delco-style units that can flip polarity any time they are disconnected, and should be re-polarized.)

So Jerry needs to know: How do you polarize an Autolite in the first place?

I think IndianFrank@yahoo.com does it on his testbench, by turning it in the right direction in the first place.
But we need to ask him.

...Cotten

[pisten-bully]

So Jerry needs to know: How do you polarize an Autolite in the first place?

I could post Indian Frank's instructions, but I'd hate to do that without his permission.

[tomfiii]

To polarize grd.case to heg.of battery and pos. to armature lead and ground red field wire and gen. should motor. Step 11 of gen. assembly instructions in manual.

[T. Cotten]

To polarize grd.case to heg.of battery and pos. to armature lead and ground red field wire and gen. should motor. Step 11 of gen. assembly instructions in manual.

Jerry got that far, Tom!

But its turning the wrong way.

Sorry I brought up polarity...

....Cotten

[Lyle Manheimer]

I have not worked on a Chief generator for a long time. Reversing the field connections will reverse the rotation of the generator that is being motorized. One connection is easily accessible from what has been mentioned here. The other may be internal to the generator. This is always the case with a DC motor.

[Lyle Manheimer]

BTW, the test procedure given here is questionable, grounding the red field wire sounds odd. On American built motorcycles red is always positive, so I do not know why the manual would tell you to ground a positive lead. I can not check my Indian manual as it has been lent and not returned. Improper connection of your source, battery or high current charger, will cause the generator to motor in the wrong direction. Therefore I would suggest you double check your source connections before reversing the field connections.

[tomfiii]

Is there anyway you could have reinstalled end plate 180 degrees out.

[jn1972]

I reversed the connections and the generator is turning clockwise now ,I polarized the generator and will install back in the bike and see if it charges , thanks for everyone’s help jerry n

[Lyle Manheimer]

Jerry,
I assume you mean the field connections? After doing so you polarized it which lines the electrons up for proper current flow. Keep in mind if the generator motorized it should charge. If it does not the next likely culprit is the voltage regulator. If I remember correctly there is a procedure for polarizing that as well. Indian manuals are not always the best but the procedure should be the same as a Harley for polarizing the voltage regulator.

[jn1972]

I finally got my generator to work by replacing the field coils,is there any way to test the voltage regulator on a1948 chief to see if it is working correctly thanks jerry n