@the_same_mountainbik Absolutely!
TSM, the old cars had a generator (or dynamo, substitute whatever term you want to use) that generates DC via a commutator. There were no diodes. In fact solid state diodes at that power level were not available at that time.
Technically, they were generators, as are the alternators used today.
Wikipedia:
In electricity generation, a generator is a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy for use in an external circuit.
The dynamo was the first electrical generator capable of delivering power for industry. The dynamo uses electromagnetic induction to convert mechanical rotation into direct current through the use of a commutator.
I remember them being called the ballast resistor.
You got it! Old things sometimes die hard.
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Always heard rectifiers referred to as rectum fryers. LOL!
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Grease the bushing? If I remember correctly, my 59 Pontiac had oil caps on the generator. Open the caps and squirt oil in there to lube the bearing. I don’t know how often you were supposed to do this but probably with every oil change/chassis lube.
Ford seemed to use generators up to about 1962. I guess that’s when silicon diodes capable of the current needed for an alternator became cheap enough. There’s no fundamental reason why an alternator is better than a generator. But there are some practical ones I guess, like a generator has a difficult time putting out enough current to handle the load in low rpm situations. Presumably the reason is that a generator uses a segmented commutator, so some % of the time no current is being passed b/c the brushes aren’t aligned with the segments as they pass by. Alternators use slip rings, so the brushes are in electrical contact with the field coil 100% of the time.
@bing I’m going back even further to the early 50’s. The rear bearing was a graphite impregnated bronze bushing. The oil cap hadn’t come along yet.
I remember when we had to render whale blubber to lubricate our dynamo’s bearings.
Naw, whale oil was only used in Posi traction rear ends.
And let’s not forget it was used as transmission fluid in the early automatics until it was replaced by “Type A”. (Or was Type A whale oil?) - the memory is a little foggy on this. I still have a quart can of Type A in my garage.