6 volt discharge

Phil960 · Jan 14, 2013

New ammeter installed, with the engine running should the ammeter show a discharge when the headlights are turned on? With the lights off and the engine running slightly above idle the needle is pretty much at the middle mark on meter.

960 172ci 6volt

the ammeter that was in it was trash. It was the old wire through the loop style. New one is terminal type, I cut the wire running through the loop, applied ring terminals and attached. It does not read much of a positive charge at all but I did notice that when I wiggle the key switch the needle will jump to the positive side. I am not familiar with a 6v system so i'm not sure what I'm looking for or even if I have the right tools to diagnose.

I could probably just leave it be and wait for something to fail....but I'm kinda wierd about stuff in that I want all of my equipment to be operating as intended. Not one to gerry rig and call it good, it HAS to be right. OCD...i know...I hear it from the wife all the time.

As always, I appreciate any and all helpful opinions/ information.

Phil

JMOR · Jan 14, 2013

(quoted from post at 00:17:56 01/15/13) New ammeter installed, with the engine running should the ammeter show a discharge when the headlights are turned on? With the lights off and the engine running slightly above idle the needle is pretty much at the middle mark on meter.

960 172ci 6volt

the ammeter that was in it was trash. It was the old wire through the loop style. New one is terminal type, I cut the wire running through the loop, applied ring terminals and attached. It does not read much of a positive charge at all but I did notice that when I wiggle the key switch the needle will jump to the positive side. I am not familiar with a 6v system so i'm not sure what I'm looking for or even if I have the right tools to diagnose.

I could probably just leave it be and wait for something to fail....but I'm kinda wierd about stuff in that I want all of my equipment to be operating as intended. Not one to gerry rig and call it good, it HAS to be right. OCD...i know...I hear it from the wife all the time.

As always, I appreciate any and all helpful opinions/ information.

Phil

s it was factory wired, the Neg of battery went to POS of ammeter & all else eventually tied to NEG side of meter.....if it is still like that, then engine off, lights on will result in discharge (neg) ammeter indication. At start up, a charging (pos) indication, which will change to barely positive or nearly neutral (centered ) ammeter indication after battery has recharged from the start up drain of starter. If running at speed & you turn the lights on, the generator has enough capacity to run the lights & still keep the battery charged, thus still the centered/neutral ammeter indication. However, you slow the engine to nearly a stall/very low idle, then the generator can't keep up with the lighting current draw & some lighting current will flow from the battery, thus a neg/discharge indication of ammeter. HTH

Phil960 · Jan 15, 2013

Hmmm. That does help. I'll do some checking on it later today. Thank you.

souNdguy · Jan 15, 2013

ditto what jmor said.

ps.. check the wireing. wiggling the key really shouldn't effect the ammeter any!

Bill Rowles · Jan 15, 2013

Wiggling the ignition switch key of my NAA (with switch in "on" position)causes the ammeter to jump up and down a little if the points in the distributor are closed. This is not "normal" but attributed to the poor "weak-sister" ignition switch misbehavior. Someday I will replace the switch, but since I read so many gripes about the poor quality of the replacement switches, I'm not in a hurry till the tractor refuses to start or run due to the failing/failed switch.

souNdguy · Jan 15, 2013

you are seeing a change inload as the switch is probbaly making and breaking contact from being loose... not much MYSTERY there..

DaveH IA · Jan 15, 2013

(quoted from post at 21:17:56 01/14/13) New ammeter installed, with the engine running should the ammeter show a discharge when the headlights are turned on? With the lights off and the engine running slightly above idle the needle is pretty much at the middle mark on meter.

960 172ci 6volt

the ammeter that was in it was trash. It was the old wire through the loop style. New one is terminal type, I cut the wire running through the loop, applied ring terminals and attached. It does not read much of a positive charge at all but I did notice that when I wiggle the key switch the needle will jump to the positive side. I am not familiar with a 6v system so i'm not sure what I'm looking for or even if I have the right tools to diagnose.

I could probably just leave it be and wait for something to fail....but I'm kinda wierd about stuff in that I want all of my equipment to be operating as intended. Not one to gerry rig and call it good, it HAS to be right. OCD...i know...I hear it from the wife all the time.

As always, I appreciate any and all helpful opinions/ information.

Phil

change the wires around on the ammeter your hooked up backwards. use a hand held volt meter ,check volts not running and switch off-- shoujd be 6.5 or so start tractor half throttle should bring voltage up to at least 7.5 after start up-- should show charge on ammeter

Phil960 · Jan 15, 2013

Thanks Dave, your diagnosis was dead on. I switched the wires around and it's working correctly. With the engine at idle the ammeter reads around 5 or 6, half throttle around 12 and half throttle with the lights on it's reading 15.

Not sure if that's what's supposed to be happening but it appears to me that the genny is working.

Thanks again, I appreciate your help.
Phil

DaveH IA · Jan 15, 2013

your welcome---where do I send the Bill!! LOL

Phil960 · Jan 15, 2013

to my wife....otherwise known as upper management around here. If I sell more than 10 bales at a time....she's lookin for the check.

6 volt discharge

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Bill Rowles

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