How to interpret Auto-Lite generator SS#s
My jeep has a mind of its own--a least that's my excuse for why it's painted Navy gray instead of red or jasper green like I planned, and why it's getting a rebuilt generator instead of an alternator.
I was scrounging around for an alternator but the one that came with this jeep had the "ears" in the wrong places and the Bosch alt that was lying around in my garage had ears in the right places but wasn't charging. About that time there was a generator out of a 58 CJ5 being offered locally on Craigslist. The lady ended up giving it to me, and though it's probably costing me more to rehab that old gen. than to install an alternator kit, I just find it cool. Anyway, installing the generator allowed me to get on with tuning the engine, debugging, etc. This also confirmed for me that it wasn't charging at all, even 6v--which was in question because it looked rebuilt, had no data plate, but appeared to have 12v stamped in where the data plate should have been.
I'm going to pick up the rebuilt generator later today. For that extra little bit of authenticity I'm mounting a 12v Auto-lite gen plate. At least now it will be obviously a 12v gen, but I have no idea what numbers to put on it. How does one determine what model number a gen was or come up with a serial number? I see that GJC-7002J, GJP-7202A and GJP-7402A are the correct models for my CJ3B and the CJ5 that this came out of. What's the difference between them?
Then there was some discussion I read when polarizing this gen to see if I could get it to charge as to whether it was an "A" or "B" generator. It had something to do with the internal wiring and short of taking the unit apart, I wasn't sure how to tell. Still not entirely confident I get the difference.
Finally, coming up with a fictitious ss#--just for a note of authenticity. I found this as a guide for the numbers http://www.wildriders.org/autolitecodes.htm Apparently the first number is the month, the second is the alphabetical year, followed by a 6 digit unit production number. I suppose I could make up anything I like. 5J001250 for May 1954, or 5C000001 for May 2022.
I imagine most of these gens produced 55 amps.
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Type A vs. Type B Generators
"Then there was some discussion I read when polarizing this gen to see if I could get it to charge as to whether it was an "A" or "B" generator. It had something to do with the internal wiring and short of taking the unit apart, I wasn't sure how to tell. Still not entirely confident I get the difference."
Type A vs. Type B has to do with how the innards are wired and how the regulator controls the generator output. The early Jeeps (MB, GP) used type B generators and regulators.
Later Jeeps (The CJ versions) used Type A generators.
In a Type A generator, the regulator operates by controlling how the Field terminal of the generator is connected back to ground. If you ground the Field Terminal, the generator goes to full output.
In a Type B generator, the regulator operates by controlling how the Field terminal of the generator is connected back to the battery. If you connect the positive terminal of the battery to the Field Terminal, the generator goes to full output.
In the attached picture you can se the difference.
Don't worry about polarizing, the rebuilder had to do that when he rebuilt the unit.