Any Generator Experts Here??

In my continuing efforts to drag civilization kicking & screaming back to the dark ages I''m in the process of overhauling a generator (graciously donated by Hawkes-Thanks again Paul! ) to replace the alternator on Tonka.

My specific question concerns the armature-

I always thought/assumed/coulda sworn somebody said that the armature windings are seperate from each other & could be tested individually by an ohmeter (Fluke 73) applied to the commutator contacts located directly opposed to each other. Now I know the real approved way to test an armature is to use a Growler but for some odd reason I don't have one handy .

Anyhow, I would expect that each winding would have a few ohms resistance &, again, be electrically isolated from the other windings.

What I'm finding is that on each of the windings I'm reading a dead short across the opposite contacts & that all the windings seem to be shorted to each other (but not to ground) :? .

I've got two armatures, both show the same readings. The windings & insulation don't look burnt or damaged on either one. I've cleaned up the commutators & de-gucked the relief cuts between the contacts. Anyone able to offer me some guidance on this?

Thanks,

H.

 

You know, I actually knew that but it never occured to me to test it that way-

Thanks

H.

 

O.K., I tried the "motor" thing & it worked . Guess my armatures are good after all.

Thanks again to Grinsha .

H