300U....

After a couple days snowfall we went into about 3 days of 8-10 degrees.
It hit about 25F the next day so I went out to see if the 300U snowplow would start.
The 2 ½ year old TSC battery had a bad cell so I took the 6 year old battery out of the fork lift and stuck it on the 300U. I knew I had to charge that battery anyway so I thought I would see what it would do.
It would hardly turn the 300U over. As a matter of fact the starter clicked a couple times. It was on its last very slow turn-over when I’ll be danged if that old girl didn’t come to life. I pushed the choke in about ½ to let it warm up.
Keep in mind that I have not had the plugs (AC 87) or distributor cap off this tractor in over 10 years AND it has the Original 1956 Voltage Regulator (the reason I know this is I bought the tractor from the original owner). It starts easy and runs smooth. (I regularly grease my equipment but other than that if it’s running smooth I don’t mess with it)
HERE’S THE POINT: With the multitude of conversion discussions (that I copied and filed for future use) and the fact that the 2 ½ year old battery failed, I was seriously considering converting to 12v on this tractor. But how can I convert a tractor that starts and runs as good as this one. It just doesn’t seem like the right thing to do.
So, I am going to purchase a brand new 6v battery for the old girl and leave everything just the way it is. I like it that way anyway.

This post is not intended to start the whole conversion thing up again. I am just so dang amazed at how this old girl keeps running so good with such little attention. If something goes wrong with it someday, it does not owe me a thing. This old tractor has served both the original owner and me very well.

Merry Christmas,
Dell

If it works, don't fix it -- right, Dell?

My case was a little different. I bought a 350 Utility about a year and a half ago. The ammeter read +30 amps with the engine off and the battery disconnected(!). When I connected the battery and turned on the ignition switch, the ammeter would snap to zero. So...with John T.'s help I found and fixed an internal short in the 12V generator. I still had the weird ammeter and no charge. I pulled the cover off the regulator, and inside was essentially a lump of rust about the size of my fist. I read the archives regarding electronic regulators, mechanical regulators, reliability, and U.S. vs. foreign-made. After checking prices and availability, I decided to go with a three-wire alternator and new backlit gauges (replacing the ammeter with a voltmeter). I drew up a schematic, bought the parts (my Christmas present last year), and installed them -- replacing every wire except the battery cables. And so far, so good. The alternator kicks in at even the lowest RPM and voltage is always a hair over 14, with nice bright lights and plenty of power for accessories. (The ammeter sits in a box on the workbench, still optimistically reporting a 30 amp charge.)

I suppose the bottom line is that a well-designed and well-maintained system will get the job done whether it's 6V or 12V, and a large part of the restore-or-redesign decision depends on what we find when we start troubleshooting.

One thing about this tractor is that it always seems to start on the first revolution. I hit the button, and it's usually running before I can release. Whether that's good design, good maintenance, or just good luck, I'll take it!

Anyway, it sounds like we're both happy with what we have. How often does THAT happen?

By the way, what town are you near? I'm just outside Rockford (a little north of Grand Rapids).

Have a great Christmas!

Mark W. in MI

Mark,

Do you know if your 350U came from the factory 12v or was it converted at one time.

I wonder what 350U serial numbers had the 12v system.

I am about half way between Kalamazoo and Benton Harbor a couple miles north of I-94.

Dell

Hi, Dell.

I can't say for sure, but I'm almost positive the 12V was not original. I'm basing that on the parts book, which implies (but doesn't seem to actually say) that only LPs and diesels came with 12 volt systems -- at least for the earliest ones.

The generator (Delco-Remy model 1100305) has a red tag with "12V" on it, so I'm pretty sure the generator itself started life as a 12-volt unit.

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I don't get down your way much, but you never know -- we may run into each other sometime.

Mark W. in MI