Posted by Kaegi on Friday, May 12, 2006 at 8:23PM :
In Reply to: ?Did you polarize after installation? posted by Will (in MO today) on Friday, May 12, 2006 at 8:08PM :
Do you have a manual? The procedure below is from a WC manual. You have to have everything hooked up and a fully charged battery, then take a jumper wire and hold it on ARM on regulator or generator, then touch it to BAT on regulator for jsut a second. This "polarizes" the system. Generators are self sustaining once they are polarized, unlike alternators that require voltage incoming to function. the advantage is durabiltiy off road and if your battery ever completely fries, a generator will keep your engine running where as an alternator cannot function with out some kind of external voltage source. But most people like the faster charging rate of alternators. I have had no probs with Gens.
(3) POLARIZE GENERATOR. After installing the generator and
before the engine is started, polarize the generator with the battery
by momentarily connecting a jumper wire from the starting motor
switch to the armature terminal (large terminal) on the generator.