SA Charging Question

Doug Kieta · Dec 9, 2016

The ammeter on my SA seems to have stopped working. To get to it, I will have to remove the battery, which is a royal pain. Is there a way to check some locations in the wiring on the tractor to determine if the problem is actually in the wiring and not the ammeter? It is a magneto ignition system and the engine runs just fine. The lights work but there is no movement of the ammeter when the lights are switched on/off. The ammeter is an original so it seems odd that all of a sudden it will not register a charge when it has been working perfectly until today. Any suggestions to help me sort this problem out will be most appreciated.

Thanks for the help.

Janicholson · Dec 9, 2016

If the meter is stuck, tapping on it with the tractor off and lights on can jar it into movement. If it moves, and sticks, you know it is trying to work but is jammed. Replacement is that solution. If the lights work (and they are wired through the meter and have been that way) and the meter does not move, again replacement. Jim

henryv11 · Dec 9, 2016

Take a magnet and move it back and forth in front of the amp meter the needle should move.

khouse6 · Dec 9, 2016

try john Ts trouble shooting

http://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cgi-bin/viewit.cgi?bd=jd&th=458743

Doug Kieta · Dec 10, 2016

I tried your suggestion using a magnetic nut retriever. It moved the needle to the positive side, but not to the negative. Do I need a true N/S magnet to test movement to the negative side?

Doug Kieta · Dec 10, 2016

Jim,

I tried the magnet as suggested by another fellow and the needle moved easily to the positive charge side. It was not a N/S pole magnet so I am guessing that perhaps that is why the needle will not move to the negative. To my knowledge, the tractor has never been rewired. When the 4-position switch is turned to the two most clockwise positions, the lights light as they always have but the needle does not move to the negative side of the meter even with the stop switch pushed in. What is this lack of meter action telling me so I know where to start looking to find the problem. When the engine is running the meter does not show to be charging either.

Janicholson · Dec 10, 2016

The magnet will drag the needle both ways, if not it needs to have a new gauge. There is often rust or a bad internal bearing that makes it sticky. They do not come apart so new it is. Label each wire with which terminal it goes on!! Jim

SA Charging Question

Doug Kieta

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Janicholson

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henryv11

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khouse6

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Doug Kieta

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Doug Kieta

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Janicholson

Well-known Member

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