Battery / Charging

So, I have been frying batteries and until now just thought the battery was toast and was boosting her. Yesterday I blew a front tire which had me near enough to the tractor for a period of time long enough to notice a hissing sound. Normally I kill the motor and move on; however, I traced it to gases escaping from the battery caps, the body of battery warm and expanded. Put a second battery in and same thing occurred with her eventually stalling out. At the time it was just beginning to rain so I left it be thinking moist ignitions wires or the like.

Today took the battery from the pickup to the mud hole to start it reasonably easy. When I disconnected the booster cables from the connectors (tractor battery disconnected) she stalls and too will not run with previously over heated battery in line.

Should this doll remain running with leads disconnected like a car does, or is this an indication of what is frying the battery? Alternatively, before putting a third battery in, what should I be looking for please and thanks?

First clues were the hissing sound and the warm/expanded battery case. It's being over charged and you're lucky that the battery didn't explode while you were close to it. Check out the voltage regulator using a good multimeter as a starting point. Good luck.

Scott

It is definitely overcharging! Like Scott said, be careful, prime setting for a battery explosion!

What are we working on? Generator or alternator?

As to will it keep running with the battery disconnected, if it is a generator, and the engine is revved up enough to generate a charge, it will. With an alternator, it generally will, but not good for it to do that. That could be why it is overcharging if it is an alternator, fried regulator.

Also need to check the wiring, could be connected wrong.

(quoted from post at 04:59:47 11/04/16) It is definitely overcharging! Like Scott said, be careful, prime setting for a battery explosion!

What are we working on? Generator or alternator?

As to will it keep running with the battery disconnected, if it is a generator, and the engine is revved up enough to generate a charge, it will. With an alternator, it generally will, but not good for it to do that. That could be why it is overcharging if it is an alternator, fried regulator.

Also need to check the wiring, could be connected wrong.

Click to expand...

Well,,, I have traced the wiring from the alternator, the battery, and the ignition switch but cannot find a regulator. There is an old style dash board lamp wired in by the alt which the former owner told me when purchased in the spring, was to indicate when no charge was being thrown. Odd thing is it only lights up when the key is on and goes out when motor runs.

Is it possible when he converted from 6 to 12 volt the regulator was removed and jerry rigged with the lamp in place of, or am I just not seeing where the regulator is? All the documentation points to it being fastened just below the battery cavity. The work I did all summer was at low rpm's but with the season running out I have stepped it up a fair bit making me think the added rpm's are producing just that much more energy to cause overload??

Can you identify the alternator?

It is most likely a Delco, a very common, cheap, dependable and available alternator.

If it is a Delco, look at the plastic wire harness plug on the back of the alternator. If the plug is about 1/2" square and the terminals are parallel to each other, it does require an external regulator.

But all the Delco 10 SI series alternators from the mid 70's forward are internally regulated. The plug will be about 1" x 1/4" rectangular with the terminals end to end. If this is what you have, sounds like the regulator inside the alternator is bad.

You can take the alternator to the auto supply and have it tested, exchange it if bad, or open it up, take a look inside, and replace the regulator.

The indicator light on the dash is operating properly. Not only does it indicate if the system is charging, it is part of the alternator wiring circuit, and necessary for proper operation.

(quoted from post at 11:05:29 11/04/16) Can you identify the alternator?

It is most likely a Delco, a very common, cheap, dependable and available alternator.

If it is a Delco, look at the plastic wire harness plug on the back of the alternator. If the plug is about 1/2" square and the terminals are parallel to each other, it does require an external regulator.

But all the Delco 10 SI series alternators from the mid 70's forward are internally regulated. The plug will be about 1" x 1/4" rectangular with the terminals end to end. If this is what you have, sounds like the regulator inside the alternator is bad.

You can take the alternator to the auto supply and have it tested, exchange it if bad, or open it up, take a look inside, and replace the regulator.

The indicator light on the dash is operating properly. Not only does it indicate if the system is charging, it is part of the alternator wiring circuit, and necessary for proper operation.

Click to expand...

Thanks to you for insights.

Brand reads as Delco Remy and the plug is .25 x 1". Therefore as a part timer I am thinking just get a unit from the auto wreckers for 30 bucks or so, are these a universal item or are there specs I need to be aware of? Maybe a car alt is out of the question?

Is there a way for me to test the regulator myself befor heading to the wreckers?

The light I mentioned is not on my dash nor do I believe this TEA-20 ever had one on the dash, but some one has spliced it in inches from the alt, but now you mention a dash indicator it does act like that would.

The alternators are mostly universal, automotive applications, just different amp outputs. For a small tractor just about any will work. Take your old one with you, they will recognize it instantly.

The case can be "clocked" to 4 different positions, so just be sure the replacement is set the same as yours so the wires will reach. Also be sure the pulley is wide enough for your belt.

If you have verified the wiring is correct, you'll need a volt meter to check the regulator. It should make around 14 1/2 volts. Since yours would not run with the battery disconnected, the alternator may have burned out, or the output wire (from the stud on the back of the alternator) may have burned into from the overcharging.