OK, here goes- - - - - -
First, I firmly believe an 8 volt battery is a solution to a nonexistent problem. The properly set up and maintained 6 volt system is all you'll ever need on an old stovebolt.
If you absolutely must do it, here's how to set up the regulator: You'll never be able to get the cutout relay to close until the voltage regulator is set to at least 9 volts. Once that's done, or at least approximated, the cutout relay can be adjusted to close at 8.5 to 8.75 volts. Drop the idle speed low enough for the cutout relay points to open at slow idle, and attach the voltmeter lead to the Armature terminal on the generator. The voltage will probably be somewhere in the range of 5.5 to 7 volts. Slowly increase the idle speed and watch the cutout points and the voltmeter. As the cutout relay closes, you'll see a slight change in the armature voltage. BTW, an old style analog meter (the one with the needle)will be better for making these settings. A digital meter is just too sensitive. Repeat the speed up/close cycle and adjust the spring tension on the points until the cutout relay is closing at the proper voltage.
Once the cutout is closing correctly, it's time to do the final adjustment on the voltage regulator. It's the unit with the spring-closed points directly behind the "field" connection on the regulator. Don't tinker with the coil with the points held closed, and the heavy wire windings. That's the current regulator, and its setting should be OK with the original setup from the 6 volt battery. Now- - -voltage regulator setting- - - - -Start out with a fully-charged battery. If necessary, use an external charger on it until the specific gravity of the battery acid is 1.265 or higher. This is very important, as voltage set with a partially-charged battery will go higher as the battery charges up, and you'll boil it dry. Set the voltage against the charged battery to 9 volts, and re-check it after the cover is installed on the regulator assembly. The setting will drop slightly as the cover is installed due to a better magnetic field being created around the regulator coils. I've set several hundred regulators with the above procedure, but practically all of them were 6 or 12 volt units. I tried to avoid having anything at all to do with an 8 volt setup, as they're nothing but a royal pain in the butt!
Jerry
