The Stovebolt Site Forums Thread Like Summary - Not charging

I finally got the electrical system powered up for the first time on my project truck today. It's a '49 that I've converted to 12V negative ground. I'm using a 12V Delco generator and regulator. The thing won't charge. With the belt loosened, I quickly jumped from the battery to the armature in an attempt to polarize the generator. It spun just like I'd expect it to, but opposite of normal rotation. Does that sound right? Everything else is wired correctly. On the regulator I've got 12V+ to BATT, A on the gen to ARM on the reg, F on the gen to FLD on the reg. All the connections are clean and tight.
What do I check next?

If the generator will "motor" (either direction) it will also charge. Try disconnecting both wires (armature and field) at the generator, and running the engine at idle. A DC voltmeter should be able to measure at least 0.5 volts between the armature terminal of the generator and ground at the housing. ("residual voltage"). If that is there, the next test will be to attach a jumper wire from the "field" terminal of the generator to ground at the generator housing. With the field grounded (still no wires attached) the armature voltage should rise dramatically- - - -maybe 20 volts or more as the speed is increased. If the generator passes these tests, it's good. I'm going to guess your problem is either in the wiring harness between the generator and the regulator, internal problems inside the regulator, or a bad ground between the regulator base and the generator housing.

Drop me a PM, and let's have a phone conversation. I can share more test procedures in a 15-minute phone call than with a novel's worth of typing.
Jerry

Here's some literature for you:
http://www.navioneer.org/riprelay/The%20Navion%20Files/delco_remy_regulators.pdf

http://www.navioneer.org/riprelay/The%20Navion%20Files/Delco_Old_Generators.pdf

I like it when my headlights dim down automatically at idle!