training chart manual DELCO-REMY - ANDERSON, INDIANA, U.S.A. DIVISION OF GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATIONFIELD COIL TESTING Feilure of the flld coil cireuit can be coused by either an open field circuit, grounded field circuit, short circuited Feld ccils, or g field circuit with a high resist. ence. Any of thete conditions has a definite adverse effect upon generator autput tend must be elimincted to obtain proper generator eperation, Current cannot low if thore is an open cites in the field coil winding, therefore the magnetic fleld between the pole shoes can not be steengthened ane residual mog. netism provides the only magnetic field. Consequenlly, veltage developed under these conditions will be insuficient to clase the cut-out relay points end comalete the charging circuit to the battery A test lamp connected to either end of the field coils will reveel a break or open in the field coil circuit. lllustra- tions for testing both “A” and “'3" circuit generotors “'A'’ CIRCUIT fare shown. A lighted test lomp indicctes a continuous circuit but doss not indicate @ shorted circuit. A ground fad circuit has diferent effets upon genera Toro peng upon whe i rand Con sider all circuits as storting at the insulated brush of the pe Generator. he field's grounded before the Relé cote, “B'” CIRCUIT Hore wll bu tla Baw af curar inten Pad coil ane gererstor vologe will nol build up. I tls condition, the armature circuit would also be grounded since the field wire is connected to the armature circuit, If the field coils are grounded at @ middle or half-way point, the ef will depend ‘on whether ison “A” or "8" circuit generator. A generator with an A” type Cirevit will build up in voltage es in normal operation. Less resistance in the felé coils will permit more current to flow, and the ompere-turn ratio of the field circuit will ramain approximetely the same. Tha ground would! by-pass tha circuit through both the regulating points ond the regulating resistance ond neither current nor voltage coniral can be obtained over the generator. A generator with o "B" type circuit will also build up in voltage cs in normal operction with its field ciceuit Grounded at the middle or half.way point. The decreased resistance of tha field coils will allow more current to flew, end the ompere-turn ratio in the feld circuit will remoin approximelcly the same. There will be a circuit through the reguicting points ond regulating resistance, therefore, current and woltage control can be maintained. The increased current flow in the field cirevit will, however, cause burning and oxidation of the ragulator pointe, This will cause the resistence of the points te become very high and the field circuit will eventually become an open cirevt. 5 5 3g & oO S iooie CIRCUIT BGENERATOR TESTING (CONTINUED: —_—— FIELD COIL TESTING IF the field coils are grounded at the end of the field coil windings, the effect on the ‘generator will again depend on whether it is an A” or "B" circuit generator. An "A" circuit gonerctor will have its iald circuit grounded before the reguletor and no current of voltage control can be obtained. A "'B" circvit generator will have its field cirevit grounded in the normal place and operation will be normal. A test lomp is usaci to determine if the field circuit is grounded. All intended ground ‘connections of the field coll circuit must be disconnected. lusiations for bath A’ tnd "8" type generators are shown, The lemp will light ihe field cirevitis grounded bout will nof light ifthe field circuit is not grounded. TAP CIRCUIT A short circuited fleld coil has litle effect on the genera- ter output, The resistance of tha fiald circuit is decransed bby the number of tums sherted out of the circuit, which allows more current to flow in the eld circuit and the ampere-lurn ratio of the circuit remains approximately the come, DISCONNECT: “e crRcUT Increased current in the eld circuit will couse burning ond cxidation of regulator points, Eventually oxidation, cause the points to become very high in resistance, cond the field circuit will become an opan circuit Tes! specifications for cll Delco-Remy generators are published in book DR-3248 and its supplement DR- 3248.1. Included in tha specifications is information on the “field current drow’. All published information is based on the field coil temperature of 80 degrees F. Any deviation from this temperature will alter the re- sults of this test loan >a CIRCUIT This illustration shows the proper hook-up to measure current flow in the field coils when a specified voltage is applied. Spocified voltage ic obtained by adjusting the variable resistor until the reading of the voltmeter, in the position shown, is correct. Current ow through the coil is measured by an ommeter and should agree with published specification. Any deviation in current from the specifeations indicates 9 defect in the field current. er ciRCUIT A current draw of move than thet specified indicates the resistance of the cirevit is too low one thet some of the tums are shorted. Repair or replocement of the field coil involved is required for proper generator operaticn. ‘A cotrent draw less than thot specified indicates the cesistonce of the circuit is too high and bad connection or damaged wire isin the circuit. Repair or replacement Gf the Feld ecil involved is required. High resistance in the feld circuit decreases, field coil current and, thereby, decreases the strengih of the magnetic field between the pole pieces. The decrease of magnetic strength within the genereior will require higher speedot rotation to develop therated voltage ond current from the generator. 30G= BRUSHES AND BRUSH HOLDERS COPPER OXIDE FILM The brush is a small but very important part of the generator and does not clways, receive the attention it requires for good generator operation. All brushes are by no means alike. They connot be used indiscriminately. altheugh they may have the some physicol dimensions. Brushes ore selected for each type generator after ‘ests are conducted under the most severe operating conditions te determine their length of life. At present, all Delco-Remy high outpui generators use electrographitic brushes which have high electrical and thermal conductivity. They can withstand high loads and high temperatures. The process under which they ore manufactured makes them hard and very tough. In heavy-duty applications there are two extremes of operation: a high output at high speeds and a low output at low speeds. Each condition requires 9 brush with {a different composition. brush with a third composition is made to take cure of the average operation. These brushes ore designated as “hard”, "'soft” ond ‘medium’. Different system voltages may require bruthas with other compositions, ‘Most brushes used with high oulput generators have leads called pigtails” tomped Into the brush with silver-plated copper flakes to form a low resistance connection. Qne factor commen to all brushes is the sliding friction between them and the bors of the commutator. Narmal currant flow eautes encugh exidation to maintain a copper oxide film, which has lille Friction. At no lood ‘or current flow, the brushes may abrade this film away ‘and bring on a high friction condition which causes brush chatier, heat and wear Under conditions of eperation where extremely low currents are commutated, insufficient copper oxide is produced between the brush and the commutator for cn adequate film ond there is a tendency for the brushes to chatter. Under such condi- tions, the brush leads may locsen in the brush, forming a high resistance connection, causing the current to pass through the bruzh surface aree end brush holders insteod of the “‘pigiails”. Consequently, corrosion and etching takes place between the brush ond holder, which unless corrected, will eventually prevent good brush contact with the commutator and mey cause a burned brush, brush holder, or brush holder orm, When replacing brushes due to this condition, the bruth holder should alio be replaced, at well ar the brush arm. When replacing worn brushes, the brush holder rails must be polished to cllow free movement of the brush cous 3]BRUSHES AND BRUSH HOLDERS CONTINUED ae i SAESSURE OF SAR ania ACAINST A brush orm sop is provided to protect the commutotor eae Artem aee eel Ea tech ten ght Soak cree Guay te bealTeaniaep ake RRveNe SPRING the brush arm from opplying pressure on the brush ‘when the brush becomes foo shor’ for sotisfactory sery- jee. Tha brush should nat be ollawed to wear down unt] the brush orm touches the stop. BRUSH HOLDER, BRUSH: 7 gta, SESPRING ARIA STOP Commurator ROTATION Deleo-Remy Test Specificotion booklets contain infor. mation on the proper spring tension applied to the brush arm. A check of the tension should be made during all generator repais to assure proper generator eficiency fend long brusa life. Brush arm Yension should be meas- ured atc point as close to the middle of the brush as possible. Wack spring tension will equse the brushes fo Bounce at high speeds which will result in arcing and poor commutation. Strong spring tension will couse excessive friction between the brush and the commuta- tor, and short brush life will result. INSULATED % Generator tasting should include an elecirical check of ee ; y the brush holders ond frame. A test lamp placed ceross GROUND ne ‘. : the grounded brush holder and frame should light. If it does nct, the brush holder is insulated from the frame tend all circuits ore open. A test lamp placed across the ineuleted brush holder ond frome should not light. IF i does, the brush holder is grounded te the Frame and ell Circuits will be grounded at this point. Maximum current output ot high speeds causes @ commutation problem of heat which greaty increases wear of the brushes. Similarly, extremely short brush life resuits from friction when @ generator is operated at low or zero current ouipul. Brushes are designed for efficient and long-lasting service. Lubricating ingredients ‘are built into some brother where low output operation predominates. Where bth low and high output operation predominatet, lamineted brushe: cre sometimes used. When replacing brushes, be cure that o brush sect is obtained across the thickness of the brush from front io NOMIAL eat back. A 25% contact area is satisfactory. However, a seat of the same area across the heel or toe of the brush would not be satisfactory. Heel or toe seating of o BRUSH brush chenges the neutral position, and will result in ee excessive ercing. Sotisfactory brush seating may be obtained by the proper use of brush seating stones or man secting compounds. The abrasive action of these ma- terials will produce @ perfect fit between the brush and 7 the commutator. Tor sear HEEL SEATBM NEUTRAL POSITIONING OF BRUSHES The final position for the brushes in non-interpole type automotive generctors is usually Y%4 to 1 full commutator bar chead of the mechanical neuiral point. This lecation will produce tha least mount of arcing at the brushes and will give the longest brush life and grect generator efficiency. Passenger car generators have their brush position fixed and no adjusimert ean be made. Where brush adjustment is provided, it is necessary to first locate the mechanical neviral point. A practical method of coing this is to pass @ high current, 50—75% Of rated cutput, through the ermature ond brushes only. Current must not be ellowed to pass through the field coils, With this current flowing, the armature should be spun by hand in both directions. The position of the ‘brush should be adjusted until the turning effort in either direction is the some. In this position, the brushes a set in the mechanical neutral lecetions. Bruch positien i then moved in the direction of generator rotation the amount of 4 to 1 full commutator bar depending upon the design of the particular generator involved. Brushes must have a good seat across tha thicknass of the brush when making this check. MM MECHANICAL PROBLEMS In the repair or servicing of any generalor, @ good visual inspection should be made to assure that the mechcnicel operation will be satisfactory. Proper lubricetion end cleanliness of bearings is re- quirec. Wom bearings should be realaced. to prevent the armature from shifting its position ond rubbing against the pole faces The interior oF the generator should be thoroughly cleaned fo allow the maximum amount of sir cireuletion for ventilation and cooling. Many cases of burned up generetors have resulted from dirt being peeked inside the generator, restricting the flow of air. 50.75% RAPED GENERATOR OUTPUT VISUAL INSPECTION © WORN BRUSHES: WORN BEARINGS DIRTY COMMUTATOR DIRT IN GENERATOR PROPER LUBRICATION @ OIL ON WIRES. © BURNED SEGMENT GN COMMUTATOR Qil inside the generator is highly destructive to the insulation on the wires. Any entry of oil into the genercter should be blocked to insure long generator life. Oi cooled ganeratars are, cf course, an excaption to this rule. Cleanliness and proper lubrication are vitol to the life of any generator. Regular servicing periods will of failures on the road. grectly increase generator life and decrease the possiGENERATOR POLARITY The magnetism of the pole pieces is determined by the field ceil’s current ond its diceution of flow. Tha residvel magnetism and the polarity of each pole will remain the some as induced from the magnetiam of its field coil the lost time current was passed through it, Generators, therefore, will build up voltage thet will cave Current t0 flow in either direction cepending upon residual magnetism in the poles. This wet discussed in the section entilled, "What's Polerity”. When working on electrical units, ond when “ringing out” cirevits with @ small battery ond bell, itis possible for current to accidentally flow through the field coils in the wrong direction Ene fhe generator will become improperly polarized with respect to the battery in the vehicle, An instontanaous flash is all thot is required to create a reverse polarity cf the genertor. After @ generotor has been repaired ond installed on o vehicle, or at any time efter @ generator hos been tested, it must be polarized. This is fo make sure that it fos correct polarity te develop voltage thet will cause current fo flow in the proper Girection to the bottery itis to cher ge. Failure to polarize the generator in agreement srith the battery on the vehicle may result in burned cut-out relay points, @ run-down battery, and possible serious damage fo the generator itself. If the ciraciion of current flow from the generator to the battery is correct, the beHtery will be charged However, ifthe direction of current fow from tha generator te the battery is wr0%G, Voltages of the btery and generator will be added together to give approximately double vollage across the contact points of the cut-out reloy 24 vous, aS ow 12 yours. What can hoppen when the generator is of the eppatite polerity from that of the bottery is shown in the illus: frotion. Plus and minus symbels are used fo indicate the 4 » direction of current flow. It is assumed ‘hat current will == 12 vous low from plus te minus. r = == [As the generator builds up in voltage, current will flow in the operating coil of the ‘cut-ou! relay causing the contact points of the relay to close, completing the circuit between the battery and generator. The botiery and generator are now connected together in series end their respective voltages ore odded together. Approximately double system voliage is now obtained across the contact points end extremely high currents will result from the high voltage short circuited in the bottery ond generator circuit. This high current produces heat that can weld the contact points together instortly. However, os the illusteation shows, at tha instant the points of the relay close, there is battery voltage on the insvloted side of the operating ecil of the cut-out reloy ‘and gerarator voltage (which will be opproximately the some es bettery voltage) on ta ground side of the operating coil. ince theres litte oF no difference in voltage Eenveen the erie of the coll, the current flow inthe coll is insufficient tohole the points of the relay closed ond spring pressure may open themGaneretor voltage will again elose the pints ard the action is repeated. The points of the relay thus open ond close very rapidly with voltage and current present. Eventually hect and arcing from the high current and voltage will couse the points to actually weld together. Reloy points welded together ollow the batiery end generator to be connected together of cil times. Since resistance of the generator is low, the battery hos a very low resistance path back to the baliery and large discharge current will flow from the bettery through the genereter and back to the battery. This, in © ther! time, completely discharges the battery ond the large current may develop enough seat to bum the crmature of the generator and render it inoperative for future use The importance, therfore, of polerity cennet be stressed too highly. Lack of under tending generator polarity and its relationship (0 the vehice battery has been responsible for many unnecessary electrical failures in ‘and generater. ‘out relay, baltery, The procedure to follow in correciing generator polarity depends upon the generator reguleter wiring cirevils— that is, whether the generator field is internally grounded, for is grounded through the regulator. Procedures for polerizing “A” and “B 'typecircuitgeneratorsdiffer, POLARIZATION OF * " CIRCUIT GENERATORS Generators using on “A” cirauit are polarized by con necting ¢ jumper lead from the insulcted or hot” side. of the battery to the armature or ‘A’ terminal of the generator. The battery, generator and raguletor grounds must be connected, On the vehicle this is done through the frame. This causes current to flow in the normal direction through the field coils which will cor- rectly polorize the generator's pole shoes. A touch of the jumper lec i all thot is required and @ flash or are will be rotad when the lead is emovec, Insulating the brushes is recommended with all 24 er 32 volt generators of circuit "A" construction during polerizing. If the brushes are nct insulated, low resistance of the generator armature will cause an extremely high disehorge current through the ormature wien the jumper lead is connected oetween the Dattery and generctor terminal. This can result in @ bedly burned armature. With the brushes insulated, only fiald current will ow. An easily eccessiole ploce to polarize the generator when it is located on @ vehicle is ot the reguictor. A shori jumper lead between the kattory and armature terminals of the regulotor is all that is roquiresC= GENERATOR POLARITY CONTINUED: —_—_—— suwrr or el AAetD IFAD ; DISCONNECT \\ POLARIZATION OF “B" CIRCUIT GENERATORS Garerators designed for a ‘'8” cifcuil ere polarized by disconnecting the field lead fram the regulator and momentarily flashing this lead to the battery terminal of the regulotor. Battery ond generator ground circuits must be connected together. Current will flow through the flald coils in the proper direction to correctly polarize the gonurator's pole pieca:. A tovch of the fleld lead is all thot is required, and a Aosh or arc will bbe noted when the lead is removed. It ie important to remova the field lead fram the regu loter. Failure to do so will result in burned regulator points if o jumper lead is used between the battery ard terminals of the regulcior. A very low resistence irevit from tha battery through tha points to the genera- lor armature 1 ground and beck to the bettery would carry high current if the connection were not broken, The importance of generalor polerity connot be stressed too greatly. For proper polarizetion, the rule sould be to pass current through the field coils in a direction thot will have the ground side of the coils connected fo the around side of the vehicle betlery.the Delco-Remy education program ‘The Delco-Remy Education Program is designed to Provide to mechanies and students up-to-date techni- cal information on automotive electrical equipment. ‘This manual, one of a series, is a part of the program, Used in a classroom in conjunction with training charts, these inanuals aid in explaining the theory of operation and construction of electrical units. Also available to servicemen and students is a series of Maintenance Service Bulletins. They serve as a reference in the maintenance and testing of electrical units. Test Specification Booklets contain service test data for the electrical units manufactured by Delco-Remy. ‘These booklets are designed for automotive electri- cians engaged in maintenance and testing, Strip Gls with records and film booklets cover the basic operation and maintenance of units in electrical systems, There are many pictures and a wealth of information in diagrams and legends. Other booklets cover various phases of maintenance and testing procedures fer Delco-Remy electrical units and their related cirouitsFOR PASSENGER CARS © COMMERCIAL CARS MOTOR COACHES ® MARINE ENGINES INDUSTRIAL ENGINES © AIRCRAFT TRACTORS © TRUCKS 51336 PRINTED. IN USA 9-17.58