help diagnose

What would I look for to fix my charging issue on my 59 cj5 4 cylinder generator. I just installed a generator with regulator and polarized it and it only charges at high about 1800-2000 rpm. So most times it's not charging

 

I have a brand new TR22416 belt that is 11/16 wide which should be correct and looks to fit my pulleys perfect. and belt feels tight

 

I pulled out my 1963 Motor Manual and it apparently had a section on diagnosing charging with generator issues.

First step in troubleshooting they wanted to clean all terminals and check again. I did and still no charging at any rpms

second was bypass regulator by jumping Field terminal to ground for an externally grounded field. I did this and it showed a charge 12.8 and more so when I increased rpms 13.6 volts.
book says if showing a charge now, voltage regulator is at fault.

so now that testing shows regulator is at fault. is this something I should fix or just replace? if fix, how should I fix it?

the generator is a GJP 7402 A 35amp externally grounded field purchased off ebay, did no work just installed it.

the regulator it says is at fault I removed from a 56 cj5 that I had scrapped. the regulator looks pretty new so I figured it should be good. I know given the year of vehicle the regulator was removed from it should have been 6v but there are no markings and when I got the donor vehicle it had a 12v battery so I figured it was a 12v regulator but I don't know could be a 6 v regulator

 

also I wrote my first post stating problem before I actually began diagnosing. so when I said charging at high rpm only. I now believe it wasn't charging anything at any rpm 12.2volts.

until I bypassed the regulator and it showed a charge 12.8-13.6 indicating regulator was bad

 

yes I have a couple local electric shops nearby. the one shop has rebuilt 2 different starters for me.

I plan on going to napa tomorrow and ordering a new regulator at about $65 I will probably have it on Thursday.

 

for my 59 cj5 4 cylinder with a 12v Prestolite GJP 7402 A generator looks like the voltage regulator I need from napa is VR206. which from the picture looks like the same one that's in the jeep now that is not working

 

I don't have a tach so rooms are unknown but hand throttle was out about 2 notches to get about 12.8 and operating carb linkage to full throttle got me about 13.8.

But now I think of it there was a lag in number changing on my new harbor freight multimeter. Maybe I should have held throttle longer for number s to stabilize. Or maybe it did stabilize at that 13.8 number. I'm not sure but that 12.8 charging just above idle should be correct since meter was alligator clamped to battery so it should have had time to stabilize.

I too was wondering if generator was having low output but I'm not too familiar with generator s so I wasn't sure what charge should be when bypassing generator. All I know is it did show a charge at that point.

What's your take on this info? Does this mean I have bad regulator AND a generator with low output indicating need for service?

 

Guessing

 

Make sure you have a very good ground wire from the regulator base to the generator housing. Don't depend on the frame/fender or firewall to engine for ground.

 

I always wonder how electricity is magic. Tonka is a god in electricity. The regulator is a nice idea, he decides where to send the current. In my next life I'll learn electricity, I have a problem with it.

I can make a full setting of a house with 30miliamp protection, but I am not good at calculating, I forget; I learned at school, long ago, Ohm law, but we cannot touch electricity (it is unpleasant).
I can make furniture in oak, without any screw, I can make steel objects or repair for example my lawn mower welding or fixing parts with bolts, nuts, etc... but calculate electricity wirh resistance, using diods, etc... I have to learn, I don't see.

So please Tonka if you can find me a book for the most dumbs I am interested.

I want to repair PCB, changing components, I already changed a resistor on a charger and it was successful, but this is what I want to learn, all the rest I know, modestly.

Electricity is magic : I am now creating a new room in my barn, these 2 wires, positive/phase and neutral, this is so powerful!
What could we do without electricity? I know that Amish people are not using electricity (in movies) they must have a hard life.

We must protect electricity, it is precious.

 

That engine analyzer thingy looks similar to the thing I have in the garage I used to adjust dwell on my points. Im sure its in the garage somewhere... but your guess is as good as mine. looks like a brand new actron unit can be bought for about 23 dollars

I purchased a new voltage regulator today and it should be here tomorrow. we will see how everything is once it has a new one tomorrow.

As walt suggested I went and made sure I had a good ground at the base of the regulator so I used a jumper wire straight from battery ground to case of regulator and measured for voltage again and it didn't change anything still wasn't charging.

 

My new voltage regulator just got installed and now it is charging as it should cost me 57 dollars after using my work discount at napa. took me 10 minutes to swap out.

I have been continuing to drive this 59 cj5 for days since I realized It wasn't charging just because the nice weather and these old jeeps don't take much power to run since there is no stereo and no electric winches or that stuff.

Anyways problem resolved now.