Charging...not

Ok,I know a little. My 1949 8N 6volt was not charging the
battery, and I needed a jump. I resorted to using a 12 v jump
box, negative to starter post and positive to frame, started
fine and proceeded cutting. It shut off after 45 min, so I boxed
it again. Started right up,for another 45. Boxed it again and
went for a couple hours, and shut it off. Thought the voltage
regulator was bad so I bought one here. Transferred the wires
one to the other, and when I reconnected the freshly charged
battery, there was a spark when I connected the ground
(positive) terminal to the battery. Within seconds the ground
wire between the generator and voltage regulator burned the
insulation off. Checked the battery to make sure about the
positive ground. Swapped back to the original regulator, and
same thing. Just touched the negative terminal to the post,
and sparked. No headlights, key off. How do I diagnose from
here.

Sounds like you have a dead short somewhere. Do you have an automotive test light?

If so, disconnect the ground wire that burned up from the regulator. Reconnect the battery. I am not familiar with the regulator wiring but since this is a positive ground system, and you say it is a ground wire, it should have continuity to the (+) of the battery. Take the test light and connect the clip to a bare part of this wire. The touch the point of the light to the (-) side of the batt, then to the (+) side. Note which one cause the light to come on. The hook the clip to the terminal of the regulator. Repeat the process. If the light comes on on the opposite terminal than the ground wire, you are effectively connecting (+) to (-) through a small resistance and causing a large current flow.

I'd say you also need to double check the wiring to make sure that you did not accidentally get something back in the wrong spot. Wiring diagrams can be found here:
http://www.myfordtractors.com/12volt03.shtml

So you said the ground wire between the jenny and vreg burned up

that's the clue!

that lol ground is kinda a redundant ground to make sure the vreg is at the same potential for reference, its parallel to chassis. I bet if you follow that burned wire, at either the Genny it the vreg you find that it is hooked to something other than ground, if not, undo both ends and then test that wire to see if it has become common to another wire, luke armature maybee

(quoted from post at 13:47:54 07/25/14) So you said the ground wire between the jenny and vreg burned up

that's the clue!

that lol ground is kinda a redundant ground to make sure the vreg is at the same potential for reference, its parallel to chassis. I bet if you follow that burned wire, at either the Genny it the vreg you find that it is hooked to something other than ground, if not, undo both ends and then test that wire to see if it has become common to another wire, luke armature maybee

Click to expand...

rought the Gen. In to be tested. Said it was bad. Dead short in Gen?

kinda vauge.. but there are many possibilities froma field fault to a short in the armature.. comutator.. etc..

at least now you have a direction to head down..

(quoted from post at 21:11:58 07/25/14) kinda vauge.. but there are many possibilities froma field fault to a short in the armature.. comutator.. etc..

at least now you have a direction to head down..

Click to expand...

o I hooked up the new Gen. And I am right back.where I started. The wiring has been butchered up in the past, so I am going to.run new to the reg, switch and starter. See where that takes me.

the charge , start, and ignition circuits on pre 65 fords are so simple it's crazy to NOT replace the wireing unless it is 100% when you get it.

a few feet of wire, some terminal ends and black tape or wire looming is all it takes.

then just wave your hands and a set of wire cutters over it and poof! instant good wire harness.

Talk about going down the rabbit hole. I had installed a new voltage regulator, with an adapter plate for my '48 8N. I noticed that the existing threaded portions of the bolts the plate attached to protruded quite a bit into the underside of the voltage regulator, but everything sat flush, so I buttoned it up. This was the start of all the problem with the short. I believe one of those studs made contact with the strap attached to the battery terminal, and routed power down the ground wire to the generator, frying the wire along the way. This took a little while to appreciate, and in the mean time I took the generator to a shop for testing, and they told me they couldn't get anything out of it, so time for a new generator. I ran new wires from the reg to the gen, and took the existing bolts out of the reg mounting plate and reversed them so the head was under the reg instead of the stud. Got it fired up, and after a few minutes exhibited the same symptoms I started this post with. Turned out to be the starter button. Replaced it and tractor started, and ran. Not quite sure how this works, but the tractor has a start button and a key. It won't start unless the key is in position. Start button has a wire that I think goes to the starter, and one to ground. The key has a wire that goes up to that thing that will burn the crap out of your fingers, and I forget where the other wire is. Maybe to that same thing, but different terminal. We had a heck of a downpour the other day, now I have nothing. It cranked fine, but wouldn't start. After a number of tries, pushing the button would no longer do anything, though the battery still had charge. The button just stopped working. So my question is now, is there a better way to wire this for starting?