All or nothing alternator conversion

KitCarlson said
Reality wins, it is often measured with meters. To help with your theory, old style regulators energized the field wire, when IGN voltage senses too low, the other field connection is internally grounded. The new style regulator/alternator grounds the field terminal, so the other field terminal is powered by IGN circuit. Current flows in a load when voltage exists across it. Since the new style regulator pulls the field to ground to increase field, grounding the the terminal results in both terminal at the same potential, no field current, nor generation. Think of the field as a light bulb, how to complete an electrical circuit. If both terminals are grounded, nothing happens, if both are at powered at same voltage, nothing happens, if one terminal is grounded, the other powered generation happens. A meter can measure the field voltage, hence it does not have to be a mystery.

Thank you.
Where were you with your meter suggestion when I had the old one hooked up? :D

And yes, I believe I understand the difference between the regulators. The old style regulator regulates how much current reaches the alternator (with the alternator case as ground) and the new style regulates how much current goes to ground after passing through the alternator (in on one field wire and out the other). One regulator controls the + side of the field circuit and the other controls the - side of the circuit.

Perhaps you can explain why the "old" regulator was operating in an on off fashion when the second field terminal on the "new" alternator was grounded. Clearly power was being generated, but it was unregulated half the time.