Robert,et al-The tale handed down to me regarding the bearings is this: It
was standard practice to use an air jet to spin the bearings on your
fingers, until a few guys had the bearing lock up around 100,000 rpm's or
so, removing the finger down to the knuckle, an then running off with the
mangled remains. I STRONGLY SUGGEST NOT USING YOUR FINGER AT ANY SPEED
GREATER THAN YOUR HAND CAN ROTATE THE BEARING. Unless you don't mind being
known as Justin the nine-fingered.
Mark Haynes
'62 HAN6
> -----Original Message-----
> From: RBHouston@aol.com [SMTP:RBHouston@aol.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, May 18, 1999 9:19 AM
> To: justincook@yahoo.com; spridgets@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: Generator testing
>
> In a message dated 5/18/99 6:48:59 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
> justincook@yahoo.com writes:
>
> << Assuming the brushes are bad, is it worth it (quick and easy) to
> replace them. Or do you just buy a new generator?
>
> All opinions appreciated...
> JC >>
>
> In the old days...
> This was SOP. Disassemble the Generator, clean the commutator (copper end
> of
> the amature where the brushes run) with fine emery paper, scrape down the
> lines between the copper sections to make sure they are not shorted out
> between each other (just at the surface), and install new brushes.
> Brushes used to be very cheap and this was a cheap rebuild. Check the
> bearing at the same time and replace if necessary.
> We had an electromagnetic device commonly called a "growler" to check the
> armatures. You would place the armature on the machine, in a v shaped
> notch
> on top, turn the "growler" on, the amature would be drawn to the machine
> by
> an electromagnet, and then while twisting the amature, we'd hold an old
> hacksaw blade against the side of the amature windings. If the amature
> was
> bad, the hacksaw blade would vibrate.
>
> To check the bearings, take them out, clean them, stick a finger in where
> the
> shaft goes and touch the outside race against a turning wire wheel. The
> bearing should spin up quickly and freely with no noise to speak of. A
> whining or grinding sound means a bad bearing.
>
> NOTE..none of the above is OSHA appoved, so do it carfully, or buy a
> rebuilt
> generator.
>
> Those of us in the we cheap crowd are used to things like no finger
> prints...
>
> Robert Houston
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