[SEL] voltage regulator (kinda related)

[Curt]

To polarize the field on a generator, you simply take the field wire 
loose at the connector stud, and with the battery on you strike the 
loose wire several times against the connector stud, creating a 
sparking. Those EMF spikes do an excellent job of adding permanent 
polarity to the laminations.
Curt Holland
Gastonia, NC

Bill Brueck wrote:
> Others will surely jump in if I don't have this quite right, but I believe
> the starter-generator you describe is kind of self-polarizing by just using
> it to start the engine.  The polarity is a question of what regulator you
> have, not of the starter-generator itself.  The regulator is normally
> stamped for voltage and ground polarity, usually on the base; thus I'd
> expect you to find a 12P or 12V P (or N) stamped or sometimes printed.
> Printing is a sign of an aftermarket regulator; Delco used a good stamp so
> it couldn't wear off.  Thus be careful when cleaning it looking for the
> mark, in case yours is printed. If a regulator is run at the wrong polarity
> it will work OK for a while, maybe quite a while.  But the points do burn up
> quicker if run with reverse polarity. 
>
> You can also tell the polarity of a regulator by looking at the points, but
> I don't remember how.  Maybe someone can explain that to us.
>
> Polarity will not affect the direction of rotation, for either starting or
> for generating.
>
>