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I read that a jumper lead is neccassary during the installation of a generator... does that mean I take a random loose wire attach one end to the "a" and the other to the "b" terminal of the regulator? Please a step by step... if possible, Thanks again

Yes. All u need is a short length of wire and touch it to the terminals for no more than 1 or 2 seconds. Do NOt HOLD IT ON THERE. Just 1 or 2 seconds.

BE SURE to check the manual to verify that it is the "A" and "B" posts.

When u touch the two posts u will see a small spark. That does it.

All you have to do is have a short length of wire--use about the same size as that on A & B. Touch one end to A and hold it, then touch the other to B. There will be a spark when you touch B, after second or so remove wire and you're done.

what the heck does that accomplish??

Correctly magnetizes the field poles to match the polarity of the battery.

The reason for polarizing is to ensure the current from the new generator flows in the proper direction as before. If you DONT polarize, the points in the voltage regulator can stick and burn, battery could run down and the generator could be damaged. Most good rebuilders included polarizing instructions with generators and/or voltage regulators.

He has not indicated what car or generator!!!

Check to be sure that the generator IN your car is right for the car!!!!

There are 2wo, countem 2, as in one two, different types of generators. A field ground generator and an armature ground generator. IIRC referenced type "A" and type "F".

********* THere are 2WO different polarizing procedures depending on the TYPE of GENERATOR. ********

I can not recall exactly what theprocedures are. LOOK IN THE F'in MAunal for the procedure. Be sure that the generator of one type has not been swapped (and therefore the reg. too) for a gen of the other type.

Best to go by generator number if possible. Otherwise internal inspection maybe necessary to determine generator type. All Delco generators i have worked on are armature ground. The field coild are regulated. AL generators come both ways. I don't know about others.

On 2 or 3 6v systems (AL and other non-Delco) i had to go in and change from field ground to armature ground (or visa versa) the generator because i did not have a replacement regulator of the appropriate type and converted the gen to match the reg.

It worked just fine for 10 years.