10EE DC exciter: Does regular use "maintain" the magnetism needed?

Thanks again to Cal and others for the info on flashing E1 to E2, as well as the battery hook-up method. Last night I had to use them both!
It's been 4 years (I think) since I last had to do this.
Does regular use keep this problem at bay? (Probably dumb question...)

My 10EE is VERY integral to my shop, but will sometimes go an entire month without use. I was thinking of making a point to give it a good run every week? Or more? Is there an effective time length for running it?

Just started it up today. Started quickly, but max voltage between E1 & E2 is 103 volts DC. Is that close enough to the 115 it should have?
It is running great.

I’m hoping Cal will chime in!

Mine sat under a tarp for I am told seven years and it powered up just fine.

Can a DC exciter start losing the ability to build up the needed residual magnetism? Even if it IS ran regularly? Or can that be caused by something other than the exciter itself?

thermite said:

Just go look for that current-limiting resistor. Tubular wire-wound with slider. Replace and/or adjust. ISTR is near, if not actually IN one of the open end-bell areas.

CAVEAT: I encourage preservation of MG's, but convert mine to SSD DC drives, so lots of folks are more familiar.

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I will look for that, thanks!
It seems like I was counseled to do this the first time around, and...um...didn't!

Along with the comment of carbon and other buildup another thing to consider is moisture, or movement.
High humidity and dew buildup can cause a bleeding effect on the residual madnatism of your rotor iron.
Movement. I'm not sure why, but lots of your customers have this problem on gens on their Mobile equipment. When able we always recommend the installation of a small auxiliary perminany magnet generator to the unit to prevent this issue. The PMG will always generate and excited the excitor, in turn exciting the main rotor.

In smaller units there are cute little tricks the board can do to flash the fields too.

I have also seen the installation of jumper wires attached to a switch allowing the user to flick it easily to flash the field. Typically a rotory switch that returns to the open position as to not leave it on when the gen is powered up!

I am not familiar with your exact unit, but pull from general experience in a generator/e motor repair shop.

thermite said:

Well "ummh"..

..if a current-limiting resistor has gone OPEN (probably not) or has overly high resistance, (not what I'd expect, either)

OR .has metallic and carbon-particle infused CRAP built up on and around it that is bleeding field energization off to the frame.. (what I WOULD most expect, actually.)

. then, in any case, or some combination, thereof - the field is starved and the power output drops.

True of leads and terminal block to an extent as well.

MG are near-as-dammit bullet-resistant simple.

That's still not quite the same as "immortal" or NEVER need maintenance.

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Yep, just checked it and resistance showed infinite. Cal's post https://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/monarch-lathes/10ee-no-exciter-voltage-257346/ showed where to find it and set ohms to. Mine was soooo covered in buildup that I was wondering where these so-called windings were, that the slider moves over. Carefully wiped a small portion, moved the slider a bit, and now I get 150 Ohms showing. Thanks for the help!