Not unless they stuck, and stayed that way long enough to discharge the battery all the way. Once the points snap closed, the current flow backwards through the relay keeps them stuck together while the battery discharges. Better check to see if anything works- - - -lights, heater fan, etc. Unless you manually pulled the points apart, the battery has probably fully discharged and will have to have a slow, complete recharge, not a boost. You're going to need to recharge the battery with a long, slow charge- - - -at least overnight, maybe for a day or three, at 5 to 10 amps, maximum. Buy a hydrometer at a local parts store, and check the specific gravity. It should read 1.265 to 1.300 on all cells when the battery reaches full charge. Discharged, the gravity will be 1.100 or less, almost the same as pure water (1.000) Specific gravity rises slowly during charging, and eventually tops out around 1.265-1.300 as the cells reach full charge.
Now, about the generator and regulator- - - - -there's at least an even chance the generator is OK if you're running a 6 volt system, slim to none if it's a 12 volt. Look for cooked wiring around the brushes, or an obviously "burned" smell to the generator. If not, repolarize it, then check the cutout relay points (With the battery wire disconnected this time!) If the points aren't barbecued, clean them as well as possible, reconnect the battery wire, and hope for the best. About one in five 6-volt regulators survive a points-stuck discharge. Again, the chances of survival are slim to none on the 12 volt units. Good luck!
Jerry
Last edited by Hotrod Lincoln; 06/27/2010 1:53 AM.
