Need help wiring alternator, solenoid and switch

ALFisher

Member
Long story short, I am re-wiring the above in a 1964 Ford 4000 Diesel. I cannot find a diagram that is anything like what the previous owner had on there that would explain how to re-wire, and I have lost my pictures of how the wiring used to be.

Here is the alternator -


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Will have to post the other separately because I am having trouble with photos.

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I cannot get the solenoid and key switch to post. It is a standard 12v solenoid. the key switch has 5 positions. One has a large tab and is obviously for the battery. The voltmeter has just a positive and negative terminal.

Where do these two wires off the alternator go? Then, how do I do the switch?

Sorry I cannot get the pictures to post, but I am in dire straits, and really need some help. I will keep trying.

Also, there is no starter button or safety switch. Thanks.

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lets see.

prior 4 cyl.. 3 wire alt.

5 position key.

??standard 12v solenoid? what standard.. that means nothing. car standard or tractor standard?

if the solenoid needs hot from the key to engage and you are not using the thumb switch, then it is an automotive solenoid. i don't prefer that kind because it defeats your starter safety nuetral interlock.

as for the alt. if that 200 position key has a start, run and accy tab, and the accy tab is hot when the key is on, then you can wire the alt as follows.

charge stud to the hot side of the solenoid

#2 on alt to the charge stud.

#1 onthe alt to the accy tab on the key.

if that tractor still has a charge indicator lamp in the dash.. you could use that instead.

tie power from key/on to one side of lamp, other side of lamp to #1
key on, lamp on.. start tractor.. engine comes up to speed, charging starts.. lamp off.
 
You are right. I should have been more specific on the solenoid. It is a standard auto solenoid. Not ideal, I know, but I am just trying to get it back up and running so I can do some work this fall and then maybe get it done better this winter.

I found a picture of the ignition switch online. Here it is

http://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cgi-bin/viewit.cgi?bd=ford&th=443790

I got it running this morning by doing the following:

Connecting the prior owner's heavy cable to the tab labeled "BAT" in the picture and the other end to the side of the solenoid where the positive battery cable comes in. Then, I connected the prior owner's wire from the tab labeled "start" to the solenoid (small screw), and the starter to the correct large post on the solenoid.

My confusion now is how to make sure the alternator is "charging" the battery. The previous owner had a wire from the alternator that went to the ammeter (don't know if it was positive or negative side because it was rusted out), and then one wire that went somewhere on the key switch. Then, a wire from the ammeter to the key switch.

Now, I have a voltmeter (could not find an ammeter) with a positive and negative terminal and little black and red wires for lighting, which I am not using. So, my question is, the previous wire that came from the alternator to the ammeter, does it go to positive or negative on the voltmeter, or does it matter? Then, where does the other alternator wire go on the key switch, and finally, where does the wire coming from the voltmeter to the key switch go on the switch in the diagram.

I tried a few configurations and was never able to get the voltmeter to show more than 10 volts, but a DVM I have showed more coming from alternator.

Thanks for any help you can give.
 
This diagram is for a gas tractor but we will use it for reference.

Lets start with the alternator.
The plug with 2 wires marked #1 and #2
#2 gets a short and gets hooked to the nut on back of alternator with a red ring around it.
#1 in the picture shows a one way diode. You can use your dash warning light if you want. Hook #2 to one side the dash warning light and hook the other side of the dash warning light to keyed power (power only with key on) (run position on your key switch).
With a 10 gauge wire hook the nut on back of alternator to the starter solenoid where battery hooks. Just forget about the amp gauge if you do not want it. Run the wire direct to solenoid.

Now for key switch.
Run a wire from starter solenoid (where the battery hooks) to power in on the key switch.
From start position on key run a wire to S on starter solenoid.
We already covered from Run to dash warning light or one way diode. Now hook run to + volt gauge.
Hook - volt gauge to ground.

If you want to kook up lights run the wire from light switch back to starter solenoid where battery hooks DO NOT run lights threw the key switch.
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Thanks for all the help. Based on these two answers I was able to figure it out. Here is what I did.

I ran 10 gauge wire from batt on alternator to the side of solenoid where the positive battery comes in

Then I ran 10 gauge from there to the batt post on the ignition switch

I confirmed that the ACC on the switch was hot and ran 14 gauge wire to it from the second wire on alternator per soundguy instructions.

Then I ran another 14 gauge wire from another hot tab on the switch to the positive side of the voltmeter. I grounded the negative side of the voltmeter to the frame.

Finally ran a wire from the start position on the switch to the solenoid.

All worked fine. Started right up. With key in the acc position my voltmeter shows the battery level. Once started voltmeter shows sending about 13.5 volts so that tells me it's charging I hope.

If there is something wrong with how I did it lemme know. Put in an hour of bushhogging without incident and tractor starts and restarts fine.

Thanks for all the replies. As of now I have no lights but if I add will rewire per instructions here.

Thanks again.
 

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