rotating magnetic fields

[lane912]

OK backing up, week before the holidays my generator started not making current like it was supposed to and i was looking at a couple weeks off so i decided i would pull it and have it rebuilt. I extracted the generator and took it to a shop that has specialized in rebuilding starters, alternators and generators for vehicles. A couple hours after dropping it off i get a call and am told that the generator needs a new set of bearings, a new armature and a new field coil. OK, order the parts and do the work; they said it would be done in two days.
when i picked it up the tech wanted to talk to me about what he did, he was very proud of the job he did. he put the generator on the test machine and polarized it (i.e. connect it to a battery and make it operate as a motor insuring that the generator is set up with the same polarity as the battery) then he made it "make current" and showed me the meter. i left and the next morning i installed the generator as per normal. when i got the fan belt on and tight the generator bound up and would not turn. i futzed with it a little bit and realized that it needed to be taken apart and called the shop back. the tech that worked on it had me bring it back to his bench and explain the issue at witch point he said " I guess it is a good thing i kept this little spacer" pulling a small ring out of his magnetic parts dish. I left him with the generator and my Porsche repair manual with the exploded drawing of the generator so he had some help; i returned 4 hours later and picked it up all seemed right.
took the thing home and reinstalled it and the red light would not go out so my first assumption was that it needed to be polarized again so i did this and the generator spins up. but still the red charge light stays on when i start up the engine. I swap out the regulator next with a old spare one i had, still the red light stays on. i buy a new regulator and polarize the generator again and this time i hear a voice in my head say " it is turning back wards" but i don't pay any attention to this voice yet. turn over the engine and the red light is there, not going out and i start wondering why. all the parts are new... wait what direction are things turning? checked again and yes folks the generator is wired back wards and will need to come out and disassembled again...
I will be calling the repair shop this morning to let them know that they will be working on this again and this time i would like it done right. i have marked the generator with a big piece of tape and a arrow letting them know what direction it needs to rotate.

[Flieger]

Sorry to hear your troubles. I hope they get it right. I guess the only way to get it done right is to do it yourself.