56 Clipper Gen Light Troubleshooting

Posted by Ken Hill On 2021/1/3 17:36:53

I'm hoping to find some guidance here. The generator dash light is off (or very dim) when idling, and it turns on or gets brigher when accelerating and driving at cruising speed. When the engine is off, my multimeter shows the battery with 12.5 volts; when the engine is idle or when I rev the engine the voltage at the batter drops to 11.76. The maintenance manual says this is normal function of the generator; however, the generator light should not stay on. This is relatively new - within the past couple of months. I haven't been too worried because the battery is not loosing its charge.

I've been reading about the maintenance manual on troubleshooting the generate and voltage regulator. I've inspected all the wires to the the regulator and generator; they appear fine (no cracks in the insulation). I cleaned all the connections to the regulator and generator. I also oiled the generator. This helped dim the generator light while driving, but it still is on.

What should I check, clean, and/or replace next?