Generator/battery not charging question

[Mike_Pop]

I don't know anything about generators so excuse the ignorance.

Recently, I was working on the electrical system on my Mighty Mite and wound up draining the batteries. I jump started it and ran it for over an hour. After shutting it off, the batteries were still dead. I tried it again, running for an hour or more and then shutting it off. Still no juice and the generator meter on the dash shows no charge.

My question is: Do generators recharge the batteries slower than an alternator does? If that is the case, then I will have to charge them on a charger.

Thanks!

 

[DSD277]

Mike
The generator should be more than enough for the Mite... ignitions use very little power...I once used a cordless drill's battery to get my old land Rover to a friend to replace a dead battery and alternator...Starters and headlamps are what use power.sorry, but I'm rusty on troubleshooting charging system.
Without knowing more, it could be the generator, regulator or a battery with a bad cell. But start with checking the voltage on the batteries.... even if it is charging, the batteries aren't taking it...also check the headlamps with the engine running. See if they brighten and dim with the engine rpms, or the engine stalls...
More info will narrow things down.

Dav Dunn

 

[Mike_Pop]

Dave,
The batteries are new but not mil spec. They were holding a charge before I did the electrical diagnostics. It's possible they are too dead to accept a charge right now. I will have to trickle charge them and see if they lose anything over the coming days. I was just curious as to how a generator works.

 

[DSD277]

Mike
Not knowing what you've done, and how it has affected things, but generators are straight DC charging, and produce more power as the rpm increase, whereas alternators usually peak their power output at 1500 and stay there. Alternators are also AC and use diodes to create DC current...generators are usually larger, clumsier for less output. The 90 amp generator in my Vampire is a monster
This is taking me way back to when I was in high school....and that was a loooooong time ago.

Dave Dunn

 

[cranetruck]

Depending on the state of charge of the batteries, the current will vary, but the voltage should be 28 volts plus or minus a fraction.
Which regulator do you have, solid state or electromechanical? Is it a 25 amp system?