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Ford 841 Battery?

C

Clam digger

Member
I took the 6 volt battery out today of my tractor and in doing so I think the cables where hooked up backwards . The negative cable went to ground with the positive cable going to the starter. I thought with a 6 volt system the positive went to ground. I did not install the battery the last owner did it looks new as well as the starter the generator looks original. It starts up slowly like a 6volt and runs ok. Should i change it back to a positive ground and is there any thing else I need to do since it was hooked up back wards?
 
You polarize the generator but if it has been running with a - ground and working ok why change it since it does not care which way it is. Ya it was + ground from the factory but it has been changed so why switch it if it has been doing and running like that
 
You only polarize generators, not regulators. That said, you can polarize the generator AT the regulator if you remove the field wire there and flash it.

Hooking up battery cables backwards on engines with alternators lets the smoke out of the alternator diodes pretty quickly (don't ask how I know that). While you don't have diodes to burn out in a generator, I wouldn't be so sure about the health of your regulator.
 
Thanks all its only my second tractor and still learning. I think i may change it back to the correct way . After all the gaskets replaced fluids changed and some new gauges.. Having fun so far.
 
if the ammeter or volt meter.. whatever it has, was reading correctly before.. then if you swap polarity, you will have to reverse wiring as well.

IMHO.. if it was working good before... don't "fix" it.
 
One other thing to look at and make sure of is how the coil is hooked up. If your coil has a + and a - marking on it then make sure it is hooked up so which ever way it is grounded is the one that is hooked to the distributor or the coil will not work 100% as it should. Ya it will still work but in theory it is not at 100% of what it can be
 

I did look at the coil I did see on one side it was marked BAT that wire ran to the battery I didn't have much time this morning and the coil needed to be clean up a little to see if there where any + or - marks . It's been awhile since I have had a 6 volt setup but when I start the tractor it turns over really slow a few times then it fires up.. I still have a l few things to clean up and replace or rebuild carb is done and Power steering pump is next. Thinking of putting a new voltage regulator and seeind that it's all apart
 
No amp meter or volt meter just the light once I get the rest of The rest of the stuff fixed I'll get into the battery and generator I know it's pretty simple but I've never was very good with electrical stuff
 
Good chance that is the factory coil so if it is running with a negative ground the coil should be switched since when new it was + ground but other then that I would do nothing to it since if it works it is best not to fix what isn't broken or it for sure will break
 
That's what I will do . But I know that that battery was not hooked up like that for very long too new .the young guy that sold it to me new nothing about it . He said they used it but the oil leaking out of the rocker cover and water in the air cleanerplus no power steering water in that to I don't think they ever used itIt looks like they put a new battery, starter and carburettor on it to get it running to sell. Just rebuilt the original carburettor going to put it back on and get rid of the aftermarket cabinet that's is on there. Do 6 volt systems turn over that hard ?
 
For around 60 bucks you can put am alternator on it and buy a new 12 volt battery. your battery will last along time that way. it wont hurt your starter. basically any starter you engage should never be over 5-7 seconds at a time. I don't use 6 volts anymore. 12 volt is so much better. I remember when the old cars used to be 6volts. worked great in southern florida but it gets cold in the Midwest. 12 volt was a great improvement they made around 1955.
 
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