Subject: RE:Gen. Woes/ Flash the Field
Author: joe jump
Date: Jun 4, 2001, 9:49 AM
Post ID: 1706983473
The question was asked about flashing the field on a generator.
This is done to rejuvenate a residual magnetism in the field coils. This
residual magnetism is required to "get the snowball rollin' down the hill".
This magnetism starts the generator making current, which after a point will
be high enough to close a set of points in the regulator that supplies
battery current to the field coils, which in turn increases the magnetic
field, causing more current to be generated in the rotating armature.
Without the residual magnetism, the cycle doesn't get started and results in
no output. The residual stays in place unless something disrupts it, like a
sharp blow (drop), or perhaps disassembly-changing the field windings, or
long periods of non-use. Generally it hangs in there.
Flashing the field re-establishes the residual magnetism, just like
magnetizing a screwdriver or a nail. You flash by crossing the BAT terminal
on the regulator to the DF (field?) terminal just momentairily with a jumper
wire.
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