solenoid and 12v wiring (sidemount) question

Evening all, I have recently converted my 52 8n sidemount to 12 volts. I got the conversion kit from this site and a new 12v coil from napa based on a part number I found in an earlier thread. For the most part everything went well.... almost everything :) From what I have read the original 6v solenoid should handle the 12v conversion no problem as long as you aren't cranking on it forever. However after the conversion when I press the starter button I get nothing... no power from the battery side to the starter side. If I run a jumper cable from the pos. of the battery to the starter it starts right up and runs like a champ so all my other wiring and connection seem to be good to go. So the question is how do I test the solenoid and should I have done anything different than run the wire from the starter button to the stud on the back of the solenoid? I have looked at the schematics over and over and found several other diagrams on this and other google searches which seem to show it to be wired how I have everything. If I am seeing it correctly it should be wired from the "ground" or starter button to the solenoid. Should it be getting a source of positive power to actuate it? Before I do something stupid or just go buy a 12v solenoid what should I be checking or changing? As always thanks in advance.
 
You have converted it to 12V with an alternator, correct?
So it is now a negative ground system.

The battery cable from the positive terminal of your battery
should now go to your solenoid on the non-starter side.
Small terminal should face the engine with the push button neutral
safety switch connected to it. Assuming an original style solenoid.

It should not need power to the small solenoid stud unless you
changed it to one of the automotive style three wire solenoids.
The ground supplied from the NS switch works just fine.

Testing the solenoid activating coil orientation can be done with
an Ohm meter. Quick, easy and free on a good solenoid.
 
redbelly.......yer 6-volt solenoid is plenty strong fer starting yer N-Tractor. The little middle terminal is GROUNDED by the BIG tranny push-button by the shifter. Solenoid don't care positive (+) or negative (-) ground, it just applys power to yer starter motor, which don't care positive (+) or negative (-) ground, always turns the correct direction to start yer N-Engine. While as a general rule, yer 6-volt starter solenoid is plenty strong fer 12-volts, the wire from the little middle terminal is succeptable to being KICKED by yer BIG brogans and being BROKEN INSIDE the insulation and consequently won't start yer N-Engine. This is WHY you report you kenn start yer N-Engine with a JUMPER from battery to starter terminal, you've BY-PASSED yer broken solenoid. How do you test a solenoid? GROUND the little middle terminal, solenoid shuld CLICK; iff'n it don't, ittza $20 part, byte the bullet and buy a new one. Simple, eh?.........HTH, the amazed Dell and 12-volt advocate fer the rite reasons, that said, I haven't found the rite reason fer my eazy starting 6-volt 52-8N
 
Did Ford go to the two (small) wire solenoid in order to ensure the key was turned to "on" and thereby the coil and solenoid would have to be energized together so folks didn't just crank the engine with the coil not powered? Both my 8N's have the standard one wire and the trans safety switch works as designed. My 601 has been by-passed which I will correct, and it has a two wire remotely mounted in a rat's nest of wires. All will go away when I get a good shelter to remove the hood and fix things. Just wondering what improvement was in their mind when they changed it. The two wire, if wired into the key switch, would also prevent a kid or vandal from just pushing the safety switch and turning the engine over, running down the battery, etc. Or are there other reasons and/or other types of two wire solenoids?
 
So one needs a key to do anything. Other 4 wire solenoids use one small terminal to bypass ignition resistor so as to compensate for the battery's lower voltage during starter motor heavy current draw.
 
Thanks to everyone...If the rain holds off I'll go check the wire tomorrow to ensure i'm getting a good ground. It is wired as Royse outlined and it is the 1 wire self excited alternator. Thx again
 

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