Ford 801 12V conversion issue burned up INGITION switch

Dave29

New User
Hey there.
I need help from you knowledgeable Ford 800-801 series guys. I have a '57 Ford 801 I'm converting to 12 V. I bought a kit thru Yesterday's Tractor Co.
I hooked up the kit as instructed. When I turn on the keyed ignition switch and depress the starter button, the two wires hooked to the keyed get VERY hot and melt the insulation on the wires. What did I do incorrectly? One statement on the instruction state to delete the ORANGE wire on 600 series models. Mine is a 801, so I ignored this. Can anyone tell be what I did wrong? I really need my tractor. Spring is here!

Thank you
 
What did you do wrong?

How do we know? make us a wire diagram of what you HAD, and what you changed.

Your keyed ignition switch for an 801 gas should send power 3 places.

1, to the charge indicator lamp

2, to the ignition coil

3, to one of the 2 small terminals on your start solenoid. ( other small terminal goes to the contact on the 'thumb switch'

my guess is you hooked the thumb switch wire to the same small terminal on the solenoid as the key switch.. thus creating a direct short to ground from the battery, thru the key switch, whent he thumb button was pressed.

Hand over your wire cutters! ;)
 
Sounds like some how you hooked up the start circuit to the key switch in such a way it pull a lot of amps which will cause melted wires. Do 12 volt conversions are not all that hard but if you hook up say the charge wire to the ignition switch funny how 20 plus amps melts wires etc.
 
(quoted from post at 14:16:17 04/18/16) Can't get my scanner to work so...
The kit I bought was # AKT0002,-7,-8. I have a Model 800 not a 801. My bad. I followed the wiring diagram on the instructions.
I hooked up the 1 wire Alternator RED WIRE to the left terminal on the AMMETER. The right side terminal of the AMMETER connected a different RED wire to the BAT side of the Starter Solenoid.The right side ( BAT ) of the solenoid hooks up the BAT (+). The Starter Solenoid has ONE small terminal, not two. It has two large terminals, one on either side. That small terminal on the Starter solenoid has 2 wires connected to it. One wire ( yellow ) goes to starter switch (button). The other wire ( orange) goes to the right side of the terminal block. The right side of the terminal block has the 2nd wire going to one terminal of the ignition key. The other terminal of the ignition key goes to the left side of the terminal block. That same terminal ( left side ) connects a short yellow wire to the right side of the ammeter The right side ( BAT ) of the solenoid hooks up the BAT (+). The left side of solenoid goes to the Starter (+) terminal. The only wire left is the long white wire. It goes from the + side of the distributor thru a resister # IDR6000 to the right side of the terminal block.
 
If you're starter solenoid had only one
wire then that would be the one for the
start button on the transmission, it
GROUNDS the solenoid coil to make it
actuate, so if you have a wire going
from there to the terminal block then
that would be making a dead short as
soon as you hit the button.
 
You have a dead short threw the orange wire terminal block to starter solenoid.
That wire is not suppose to be there.

Follow this diagram that I drew.
You can disregard the wire that goes from 1 on alternator threw diode to terminal block
And wire from 2 on alternator to the Bat on alternator.
You will also add your resistor in the terminal block to coil wire since you are not using a internal resistor coil.


wire_600_800_12v_mkd111.jpg
 
Thanks guys! I will try it again taking your advice. Thanks to all of your advice . The diagram on the Installation Instructions stated "on '53 & '54 NAA Models and some 1955 and up 600 Series, cut the orange wire out." My is a Model 800 so I ignored this important notation. My wife has major surgery today so naturally I won't be out in the garage for a few days. I will definitely let you know when I get it running, hopefully with no smoking wire insulation!
 
Yes that always surprised me that they didn't originally, I'm sure a few tractors and barns would have been saved if they did, I always include one on a rewiring job
 
What size fuse would you suggest I add in the circuit and where?
I've seen so many different wiring diagrams on 12 volt conversions, my head is spinning.
I have a few chores to do on my tractor after the wife gets up on her feet. That old Ferguson front end loader attachemnt on mine will be getting a work out. The old 6 volt system problems slowed me down a lot. Before changing to 12 volt, I replaced the old harness, rebuilt the carb, new brushes in the starter, etc. The darn thing wouldn't start then flood out real easy after sitting for a few minutes. Did the same thing when my father-in-law had it before he sold it to me.
 

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