I got the Super A started today for the first time since I drove it off the float over a month ago, it's coming back together after my efforts to re-baseline the vehicle (maintenance-wise). It had sat in a barn 3 years before I got it, so I'm changing all fluids, most gaskets, plugs, dis cap, filters, etc.
All the fluids are now changed except the hydraulic fluid. I've not done that yet because I need to figure out changing the MacGyver-ed accessory hydraulic couplers to a proper set of breakaways, but more on that in another thread.
While it was started, the oil gauge worked OK and pressure stayed in the middle, maybe slightly to the higher side of dead centre. Should be good enough.
The battery is a new 6V unit that I had trickle charged before installing. It was reading 6.3V when I installed it (voltmeter).
The battery ran the starter motor just fine and the tractor started right up, no sweat.
so here's the question:
When the tractor is OFF and I turn the light switch ON to either Dim or Bright (I have the ODB switch), the ammeter moved over to the "CHARGE" side of the gauge, which seems odd since the generator is not running.
When I turn the tractor ON, the needle goes way over to the "DISCHARGE" side. Turning on a light makes it slightly less into the "discharge" range, but still on the discharge side.
I only ran the machine for about 10 minutes to let it warm up and to re-locate it into the barn where I will continue to work on it for a couple more weeks. I have a lot of fittings left to grease, more paint, new belts, etc.
This seems opposite of how I thought the ammeter worked. I thought it went into "discharge" when the generator was not sending juice back to the battery and "charge" when the generator was sending power back to charge the cells.
Am I missing something on how this works? Or is my ammeter wired wrong? The ammeter looks to have original wiring and is not a replacement. It's an old 1950's ammeter, probably the original one.
Is it possible the generator is not working properly?
All the fluids are now changed except the hydraulic fluid. I've not done that yet because I need to figure out changing the MacGyver-ed accessory hydraulic couplers to a proper set of breakaways, but more on that in another thread.
While it was started, the oil gauge worked OK and pressure stayed in the middle, maybe slightly to the higher side of dead centre. Should be good enough.
The battery is a new 6V unit that I had trickle charged before installing. It was reading 6.3V when I installed it (voltmeter).
The battery ran the starter motor just fine and the tractor started right up, no sweat.
so here's the question:
When the tractor is OFF and I turn the light switch ON to either Dim or Bright (I have the ODB switch), the ammeter moved over to the "CHARGE" side of the gauge, which seems odd since the generator is not running.
When I turn the tractor ON, the needle goes way over to the "DISCHARGE" side. Turning on a light makes it slightly less into the "discharge" range, but still on the discharge side.
I only ran the machine for about 10 minutes to let it warm up and to re-locate it into the barn where I will continue to work on it for a couple more weeks. I have a lot of fittings left to grease, more paint, new belts, etc.
This seems opposite of how I thought the ammeter worked. I thought it went into "discharge" when the generator was not sending juice back to the battery and "charge" when the generator was sending power back to charge the cells.
Am I missing something on how this works? Or is my ammeter wired wrong? The ammeter looks to have original wiring and is not a replacement. It's an old 1950's ammeter, probably the original one.
Is it possible the generator is not working properly?