John Deere 3020 gas generator to alternator

I am going to be converting my 3020 gas (positive ground) to a negative ground alternator system. I was planning on using kit AKT0017 from dbelectrical.com. It comes with starter, alternator, mounting bracket, solenoid, amp gauge, and wire/cables. I was wondering if I should also change the coil, but I noticed it says 6 volt on it. Isn"t this a 12 volt system? If I change to 12 volt neg. ground, do I still use a 6 volt coil? Also was thinking of upgrading to the electronic ignition conversion kit from this website. Which one would I need the 12v neg ground or the 6v neg ground? (after my pos to neg conversion)

WHY do you need to change the starter... Is doesn"t care about which polarity it is operated from?

You don"t need an Amp gauge... you can retain the existing "idiot light" in the dash.

The coil uses a resistor in series and a bypass starting setup. NO need to change anything there except to swap the primary wires so the (-) terminal goes to the distributor.

All you need is a Delco alternator for a mid-70"s Chevy pickup, the bracket you have can be modified
a bit to make the alternator fit.

Jumper the alternator"s large output stud to the #2 quick-connect terminal. Remove the old VR, connect the large wires that used to go to it"s ARM and BATT terminals together and insulate the splice. There is also a smaller wire connected to the ARM terminal. Splice it to the wire removed from the "F" terminal on the old reg.

At the alternator, connect the large wire that used to got to the generator"s "A" terminal to the alternator"s large output stud. Connect the wire that formerly went to the generator"s "F" terminal to the #1 quick connect terminal on the alternator. (That is the wire that you previously spliced at the regulator location to the wire coming from the "idiot light".)

Only other issue is that the fuel gauge MAY not read correctly with the polarity swapped, and it MAY be necessary to install a newer gauge, and POSSIBLY a matching sender.

As to the EI, get it running successfully with the alternator and polarity swap FIRST, then consider EI. You would then need the 12 Volt (-) ground unit.

SAVE the breaker plate and points 'cuz the EI's are not 100% bullet-proof, and, if it ever fails, without the breaker plate and points on standby, you would be "dead in the water" while you wait for parts!

Thanks for the help Bob! I am by no means any kind of expert mechanic. I do some backyard mechanics on my vehicles, but this is a first working on an old tractor. Could you tell me where the voltage regulator is? I am sure all of your instructions will make more sense when I am actually looking at the tractor and getting my hands dirty. I may have more questions as I get involved in the process. It actually sounds pretty simple though. Does it matter what year/model GM delco alternator I get? Do you know if there are any pre-made conversion brackets out there for mounting the alternator?

Voltage regulator is mounted on steel plate above the generator, under the hood. I will try to post ASAP a photo of an generator bracket modified to fit an alternator.

An alternator for a 1974 Chevy C-10 WITHOUT AC would be perfect. (Delco 10 SI.)

Here's how it's wired now: (Wire from harness for idiot light will be black or red, depending upon serial number. Charging wire will be BLUE. GENERATOR is Key # 21, voltage regulator Key #20.)

<img src = "http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u125/27Grainfield/Deere/DEERE_3020_GEN_zpsee7206ba.png">

Here's how you would connect a Delco 10SI alternator in place of the generator:

<img src = "http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u125/27Grainfield/Deere/DEERE_3020_GEN2_zps2aed0c1e.png">

They have several different amp options for the alternator. Does it matter which one I get? I believe there is 32,55,60-63,37 and 42.

Depends upon if you have added equipment with lots of electrical load to the tractor AND you want to run a new # 10 wire from the alternator to the stater solenoid where the (+) battery cable attaches.

If loads are similar to when it was new, you will be OK with a 40 or 50 Amp alternator.

If you HAVE added lots of loads, get a bigger alternator and heavy-up the charging wire.

Here's a couple of not-so-good-quality pictures of how the PO mounted a Delco alternator on my gas 4020.

IIRC, the bottom bracket is turned end-for-end from original.

A 3020 would be identical in that area.

<img src = "http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u125/27Grainfield/Deere/DEERE_4020_ALT_2_zpsf0297844.jpg">

<img src = "http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u125/27Grainfield/Deere/DEERE_4020_ALT_zpsd05d2144.jpg">

Bigger is better.
Belt alignment and proper tension is vital. Too tight is as bad as too loose.

Just ordered one from rockauto online, a 55amp 10si (rebuild)for $40 plus shipping. Not sure why these companies who put them in a kit feel that they can charge so much for them. Only took me about an hour to find out what I needed and how cheap it could really be done! Heck, $40 is almost what a new regulator would cost me, and even at that I dont' know how good my old generator is.

why is bigger better? You're only charging the battery and burning lights. 35 amps would be a gracious plenty

I would get a 3 wire alternator and a ballast resistor for the coil. You should not need any additional parts. You can make your idiot light work fine with the 3 wire.

Short duty putting around in the winter time on a spark ignition engine with the lights on. Leaves no surplus with 35amps.
With electrical equipment such as 12V alternators . I never liked loading them continuous for more than 1/2 of their rated capacity.
Portable 120/240V standby generators should not be loaded past 80% even in cold weather.

Bob,

Is the top bracket the stock bracket?

Will I need to purchase a new battery that is not polarized to positive ground?

New alternator will be (-) to chassis.
Connect battery (-) to chassis. Battery + to starter and to alternator main lug.
Connect coil (-) to points and coil's + to the supply form the ignition switch.

BOTH brackets in my photos are OEM GENERATOR brackets re-purposed.

As Buick said, if the battery is good, simply connects it up with it"s (-) terminal connected to the chassis.

Unit is ALREADY 12Volt, so he does NOT need to add resistance. He is simply switching from (+) ground to (-) ground.

Got the new alternator on. Fired it up and everything is working. Must be charging cause the gen light isn't on. One question though, my headlights are really dim. Would this be caused by the 6v coil or something else? Thanks for all the help here! Couldn't have done it without this forum.

Too bad the pictures are all blurry. Is there something I'm doing wrong?

The issue is with PhotoBucket. A few years back they changed their hosting and wanted to charge fees and part of that was making photos un-useable if the fees weren't paid; or something along those lines. It's not you, it is the same on many sites, the old photos are blurred if not gone all together.

Here 'ya go, I dug 'em out of "Photoshaft" for you.
(SURE was nice of 'em to allow FREE photo hosting up to a certain limit, then change their polices and mess 'em up after folks wasted their time uploading photos! SCUMBAGS!)

(quoted from post at 11:14:37 08/25/13) I am going to be converting my 3020 gas (positive ground) to a negative ground alternator system. I was planning on using kit AKT0017 from dbelectrical.com. It comes with starter, alternator, mounting bracket, solenoid, amp gauge, and wire/cables. I was wondering if I should also change the coil, but I noticed it says 6 volt on it. Isn"t this a 12 volt system? If I change to 12 volt neg. ground, do I still use a 6 volt coil? Also was thinking of upgrading to the electronic ignition conversion kit from this website. Which one would I need the 12v neg ground or the 6v neg ground? (after my pos to neg conversion)

Click to expand...

May consider obtaining an experienced helper . Tractors and parts are too expensive to have an "oops" with while learning .

Very helpful diagram. Thanks, Bob