Telling it on myself -6v to 12V

[Lud]

Over the weekend I changed the 6V generator on my Ford 841 tractor to a 12V alternator system as I'm winch shopping and 12V is avail on the 2 trucks already .  (Yeah,  DanG,  I looked at hydr and even PTO, too)

Picked up the kit at my tractor place and it only had one sheet of instructions.  Turns out it was not quite the right sheet.  It talks about blue wires and the kits got no blue wires and my rig has no blue wires.   But these things are logical, right?

First thing,  I got my new Rust Reaper and put some drops on  all the bolts  I'd be working on.  I think the generator mount was original and they came loose with no strain.  Great stuff!

The mount and alternator fit perfect, the coil changed without issue and the harness paralleled the old one enough to begin the switch out.  Pulling the oil bath airfilter gave a lot more room to work- but what was the bunch of wires going to the black box?

Frustrated and skitish , I reached to the Forum,  and was guided to the fact that the voltage regulator that is seperate on the old generator system is built into the alternator and can be pulled out.  Gets rid of a lot of surplus wires and distraction and lets me see the junction block- which ,  if I understand it ,  basically groups wires together that the on-off key bridges so you can lock.

So I was down to 4 wires ,  2 reds ,  an orange and a white.  The single drawing and wire code  said the white wire runs from the coil up to junction block.  Which side? Who knows?(at that point)

The two reds were listed as going to the ammeter...sounds good ,  if your tractor has one but this doesn't  so tape 'em off and deal with later. After all an ammeter is only a readout right?  Orange goes from solenoid to junction block.  Which side? Who knows? Try one.

Made DanG sure shifter was in Nuetral

Try the starter.  Nothing....  No juice.  No tester.  Can't find my probe..  What to do?

Go to truck and find wire, never used cigrette lighter unit  and plug in flood light.  Build a tester!  Just to the battery light works..duh.. but that's where you start.  Leave the negative hooked and touch to top of solenoid ,  that works.  One red works so that's the battery.  One red does'nt so that's the alternator-  it will have current but only if the tractor ever runs again.

So I hook the red hot to one side of junction block and hook the other red to the other side since the y do say don't run the alternator 'open circuited',  i.e. unconnected as it can burn up diodes.

Try the starter.  It cranked!   But the key wasn't on!   Rearrange wires!

Try the starter-  nothing.Turn key on.  Try the starter, good crankin' with the 12 V.  It starts!  Eureka!   Turn the key off.......It keeps running!

Start pulling plugs to get her to quit.  Would you believe 3 of 4 pulled and she still kept kerthunkin'?  Had to pull the last one to get her to die.  Rearrange wires!

So oncet I realized that the battery is on the other side of the junction block so the key on and the starter button combine to get her going.  And the alternator is providing positive flow to replenish if and only if the battery needs replenishing as well as charge for anything that's running such as hot to the coil ,lights , winches, etc. - then it starts and shuts off and the puzzle is solved.

I felt so good I took a 3" by 5" piece of copper sheet,  wrapped it around the lighter unit, drilled it,  backed out a bolt under and on the opposite side of the key for a permanent install.  Good for the floodlight and good for cigarlighting!

Plus the mfg.'s guys answered my E-mail and sent a pdf. of the right schematic showing where I can run a wire from the alternator up to my warning light.  Still seems they could have done a bit more explainin on the basic theorys of the switchout.  Like "The voltage regulator goes away!"  Would have helped.  But is figuring it out yourself good too?  Maybe more satisfying?

So I figured I'd capture it while it was fresh for someone else  here at the Forum.   And to the winchers out there,  should I get an ammeter to monitor drain?  I'm going to use winch for short , heavy lifts on the the new Arch I built out of a transport disc .   But that's another story. ;D

[Don P]

You probably just saved me wondering what to do about the voltage regulator, woulda forgot about it being internal on the 12v.
I don't think I'll have to worry about the red and blue wires, last time I redid them all I had was yaller and green  :D.
Does jumping a 6V with a 12V fry the regulator?

[chet]

Lud,
I run a winch off my 12 volt converted Ford 8N with no problems what so ever.

[beenthere]

Don P
I used to jump start my 6v TO-30 Fergie with 12v, but went directly to the starter, and hit it with the 12v. I didn't like doing it, but it didn't wipe out the regulator, and worked for about 6 years on occasion. 

[Lud]

The ford 841 Powermaster has been at the farm since '59.  Manys the time it got jumped with 12V directly to the starter.  The starter doesn't care what kind of juice it gets (at least between the two voltages we're talking about),  and doesn't get changed in the switch.

Not being an electrical engineer,  I wouldn't speculate what would happen if you switched to a 12V battery but I think it would be the coil would risk being fried ,  somewhere between immediately and eventually,  since that is switched out to a 12V coil.

Tractor sure does crank better and that'll help now that winter is her in Ohio.  Supposed to get down in the 'teens tonite!

[IL Bull]

You could put a volt meter in by tapping on any wire that is hot when you turn on the key.  That way you wouldn't have to worry about wiring in a amp meter in series. :P

[Lud]

Thanks,  Il bull.    Where in Illinois  are you?  I've got kin down southeast near Danville in Oakwood .