Generator - Regulator

Anonymous-0 · May 31, 2008

Yesterday I was mowing grass with my International 185 Lowboy. When I shut it off there was smoke comming from under the hood and the smell of burnt plastic. After disconnecting the battery and checking it out, the wire from the A terminal on the generator to the GEN terminal on the regulator was burnt. Today I removed the cover on the regulator and looked at the points, they seemed fine. I replaced the wire cleaned the battery terminals and connected them. The wire was heating up again, so I disconnected the battery. This a short wire, I found no evidence of it shorting out anywhere. Has my regulator or generator gone bad?

Janicholson · May 31, 2008

Probably needs more analysis.
Is the wire going to the gen from reg #10ga wire?
Is the system charging normally when running?

If the wire is thin, it needs to be #10. But if the wire is thick or thin, the regulator is the gate keeper on current flow when stopped. The points of the cutout are open while stopped, and close when the gen starts producing enough voltage to close them. The cutout relay in the regulator must be open when the tractor stops.
If it does not, it will discharge through the generator. The generator may have shorted internally, causing it to be more of a current draw, but I would replace the regulator first.
JimN

John T · May 31, 2008

Leon, heres things Id try. Have that wire from the gennys ARM post to the VR's BAT terminal sort of jury rigged so it can easily n quickly be attached and removed. Before starting the tractor, momentarily connect that wire (BAT on VR to ARM on Genny) and THERE SHOULDNT BE ANY CURRENT DRAW. If she sparks when you attach it, Id say the VR's Cutout Relay is stuck/burned/welded closed cuz that relay should be OPEN (no connection from BAT on VR to ARM on Genny) until the gennys output voltage is higher then the battery .

Or you could remove the gennys belt and when you attach the wire down from the ammeter to BAT on the VR the gennys spins as a DC motor that it is, again the VR's Cutout Relay is stuck.

It may be possible to clean n file n polish the sticking points n make her work n not stick butttttttt once the shiny silvery coatign is gone it can easily stick again.

John T

Anonymous-0 · Jun 1, 2008

Thanks I will give these ideas a try and keep you posted.

Anonymous-0 · Jun 1, 2008

OK I hooked everything back up and cut some grass. I managed to kill the engine, when I tried to start it the battery was to weak to do so. As I was running it looked like there was a small discharge showing on the amp guage but it was so small it was hard to tell if it was or not, it was. I tried to polorize the regulator and all I got were sparks, I disconnected all wires and belt from the generator then I used jumpers cables to see if the gen would run like a motor, it does. Along about this time I finally realize the generator is also the starting motor. So at this point I am gussing that I have a bad regulator.

Generator - Regulator

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

Janicholson

Well-known Member

John T

Well-known Member

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

Similar threads