John Deere B not charging

The other day I attempted to perform the old switching batteries while running trick on my late b with magneto ignition. Needless to say, it was a really stupid thing to do and while tightening down the positive terminal on the discharged battery, I touched the wrench against the battery box creating quite a spark. To my pleasant surprise, the charging system was still working at this point and my ammeter showed a positive charge for most of the afternoon. When I checked the battery with a voltmeter at the end of the day, it had increased from 12.37 to 12.67. however, the next time I started the tractor, my voltmeter showed no positive activity and upon measuring the terminals, I found the charge had decreased to 12.42. so as I am prone to say, what did I screw up now? I already switched out the voltage regulator with a good used one I had replaced on my 60, and polarized it but this made no difference. Should I be thinking generator damage? Thanks,

Pete

If you work through my Charging Troubleshooting test procedures it shows how to test a GENERATOR independent from any Voltage Regulator function or control to see if non charging is a Generator versus a VR problem. It also describes a Generator Motor two step test which can show if a Generator is likely BAD.

If when she's running try jumping a dead ground to the Gennys FLD post !!!! If it charges then (says genny itself is okay) but NOT otherwise, the VR is bad or not well grounded or a wires bad from FLD on VR to FLD post on genny.

Try the URL link below, maybe print it out and take to the tractor and you may find the cause of non charging.

Of course, the battery itself must be okay to accept and hold a charge, a shop can load test it for free. Make sure the belt is good n tight

Look at the link below and post back any questions

http://www.ytmag.com/cgi-bin/viewit.cgi?bd=jd&th=458743

John T
John Ts Charging Troubleshooting

Since you are 12 volt and negative ground(unlike how the tractor left the factory), you probable have an alternator instead of a generator. I don't see how the spark from your wrench could hurt anything. Your charging problem is probably a coincidence. If you have an alternator, unhook the battery ground and remove the alternator. Have it tested.

(quoted from post at 11:59:12 10/22/17) Since you are 12 volt and negative ground(unlike how the tractor left the factory), you probable have an alternator instead of a generator. I don't see how the spark from your wrench could hurt anything. Your charging problem is probably a coincidence. If you have an alternator, unhook the battery ground and remove the alternator. Have it tested.

Click to expand...

the tractor is positive ground with a twelve volt generator. I misspoke if I stated the wrench accident occurred on the positive terminal. It was the negative side, and before I had tightened down the ground side.

(quoted from post at 06:13:29 10/22/17) If you work through my Charging Troubleshooting test procedures it shows how to test a GENERATOR independent from any Voltage Regulator function or control to see if non charging is a Generator versus a VR problem. It also describes a Generator Motor two step test which can show if a Generator is likely BAD.

If when she's running try jumping a dead ground to the Gennys FLD post !!!! If it charges then (says genny itself is okay) but NOT otherwise, the VR is bad or not well grounded or a wires bad from FLD on VR to FLD post on genny.

Try the URL link below, maybe print it out and take to the tractor and you may find the cause of non charging.

Of course, the battery itself must be okay to accept and hold a charge, a shop can load test it for free. Make sure the belt is good n tight

Look at the link below and post back any questions

http://www.ytmag.com/cgi-bin/viewit.cgi?bd=jd&th=458743

John T
John Ts Charging Troubleshooting

Click to expand...

John, thank you for the troubleshooting guide. I got it to start charging again by jumping the armature on the VR to the bat terminal on the VR. After doing this, the ammeter began showing a charge even after removing the jump wire. However, it seems like it might be charging too much now, the terminal s on the battery show 16 when running. What should I make of all this?

You're welcome, glad it helped. If you jumped ARM on the VR over to BAT that is how you polarize the generator but normally you do that only momentarily BEFORE starting. If it was running when you did that you essentially by passed the VR's internal cutout relay. It would take one heck of a generator and a time to actually raise battery voltage to 16 volts !!!

16 volts on the battery (if accurate, sounds too high) is TOO HIGH that will overcharge the battery if left that way too long. Id let it charge for a while yo see if the charging rate backs down as it eventually should. You may want to have a shop test and load test the battery

I cant say if the VR has been damaged but just give it some time and keep an eye on the battery acid level and see what the ammeter is indicating. If the ammeter constantly reads max charge and the volts raise as you indicate THE VR MAY BE DAMAGED OR THE BATERY HAS A PROBLEM........ Maybe it will settle back in and charge at the 14 + initially then down to just over 13 volts as the battery gets charged ASSUMING THE BATTERY IS OKAY ???

John T