H charging system lives!

This message is a reply to an archived post by John T on October 19, 2012 at 17:28:17.
The original subject was "Re: 3010 Generator Light".

Thanks to your helpful tips n tricks the H is charging on all the original components (well you know)! First time since it's been here at the ranch and that's near twenty years. What I had been missing is that the field terminal goes to GROUND. Once I understood that, I went inside the 4 position switch and ran a ground to the battery from the lower end of the field resister. Done! Anyone know the ohms value of that field resister? mine or the low charge switch position is toast but the high position works, Woot woot! Suffused with success, I even got the original headlights glowing. Most of the wiring is still original also.
Pic is from about ten years ago when my father in law still came out to cut the pastures, I do it now and even moved all the way up to a drawbar mount mower!
No beauty queen, she's a working gal.

CONGRATULATIONS and you're welcome. I don't have the specs for what your particular tractors low charge position field resistance should be, Bob M or Janicholson might, but my best guess would be its somewhere around 3 ohms. For high charge the LHDB would effectively dead ground the Gennys FLD post, but for low charge it first passes through the resistor then to ground. Less field current = less electromagnetic field strength = less charge. More field current (by dead ground to gennys FLD post via LHDB switch) = more charge

John T

Actually I'm not positive the resistor's bad but the coil wouldn't close the contacts with the switch in L, Will ohm the resister out when I get a chance. Someone had the third brush about 2.5 sectors away so I backed it off to 3.5 Thanks again for the troubleshooting help John! Does the LHDB switch stay in high charge when the headlights are selected? Generator wasn't super powerful, it "motored" but not real fast, pulled it down cleaned the comutator and under cut the mica. Brushes were good yet. Ammeter is dead, volts made it from 6.3 tractor off to about 6.7 at high rpm with no load. Good battery but I'd been starting the tractor a bit during testing.
Probably should keep on replacing wires and connectors.
Buddy on the tractor last summer with the "new" mower.

Gary, good questions and data.

"Someone had the third brush about 2.5 sectors away so I backed it off to 3.5

The CLOSER the third adjustable brush is to the fixed brush THE GREATER CHARGE. To INCREASE charge Id set it CLOSER NOT FURTHER.

"Does the LHDB switch stay in high charge when the headlights are selected?"

I'm pretty sure YES (Deere and other brands do it that way) but I'm no IHC expert


"volts made it from 6.3 tractor off to about 6.7 at high rpm with no load"

That's NOT any real high charge, with a good genny in high charge Id expect as high as near 7 volts (subject to RPM and grounds and belt and battery state) for a time until the battery came up but it is working. If the third brush is set closer it may increase.

John T

Thanks, thought I had seen 3 1/3 bars as minimum somewhere but after 20 year with NO charging, anything is good! The kob on the LHDB had always just spun a bit of carefully applied JB weld between knob and shaft got it back to clicking to 4 positions. Was trying to find a way to leave a little digital volt meter in the circuit without adding a switch. So far don't think it's possible. could unhook the headlights and put the meter on the headlight wire. Probably won't be cutting the pastures in the dark. Need to change out (or at least ohm out) the dead ammeter also, it's needle is sitting pegged full right all the time. I may wait for the Badger Steam and Gas Show and shop the swap meet before spending money on parts, wink. I finally broke down and bought a real solderless lug crimper a supply of non insulated lugs and a bunch of heat shrink, now need to find a couple reels of braided wire. Tractor is always kind of a back burner project. Each year I try to leave it in a little better shape. One of these years; brakes, they DO work, maybe my expectations are too high. LOL. Rachel pulls the wheel to do brakes, but I see no reason other than camera view?