12volt conversion

I have a Ferguson TO20 that isn't charging. I pullled the generator apart found cleaned the contact points freed the brushes up. 1 was froze. Still didn't charge. Replaced voltage regulator on a whim cuz it was cheap and would rule it out. Still not charging. I'm not sure I want to put much money into a 6 volt system but have never converted on to 12 volt. What all needs to be changed other then battery and generator? Will I have to change the coil and other ignition parts as well?
 
Have you tried a motor test on that generator?? If you have not that is a good place ot start to make sure it is a good generator.
Now if you still want to go with 12 volts a Chev alternator out of say a 1980 Chev pickup no AC not power any thing. Cost will be around $50 plus a core.
Coil can be replaced or a Ballast resister like the O'Reilly's part number VR-1 or 2.
If you have lights they will need to be changed to 12 volts. Then just wire it up which I can also explain if you need to have that
 
I would just get the generator rebuilt. Nothing hard starting about a 6 volt system. If you put power to the generator from a battery it should " motor" or spin. A shop can test the armature with a growler.
 
Your old regulator I bet is a better one than the new made in Mexico regulator. It should be a postive ground system. The new
regulator would need to be polarized like the others have said.

You can test the generator on the tractor. The tractor running at a fast idle. Ground the terminal on the generator marked "F".
This will bypass the regulator. The generator should put out at least ten volts.

To do the motoring test. remove the generator. Using your jumper cables. Connect the postive to the generator base. Then connect
the negative to the generator terminal marked with the letter "A" or "GEN". The generator should spin like an electric motor.
Then if you ground the terminal on the generator marked with the letter "F" the generator should slow down and spin slower.

To change to 12 volts you will need a 12 volt battery with NEGATIVE GROUND. 12 volt alternator and then a resister for your 6v
coil or a new 12v coil. If you have working lights, 12v bulbs.
 
Before he momentarily grounds the F term It should be stated to do that first isolate generator. all harness leads are removed.
 
I know many people convert them to 12v and never have a problem, but... That particular tractor has a history
of breaking starter housings, and knocking the starter ring gear off the flywheel. Both will be a very real
possibility if running 12 volt. You'll also loose the tach drive.

Good advise below, follow it and you can keep it reliable and still original!

All I would add would be to use very large gauge battery cables, preferably size 0 or 00. Have to get them at
a truck shop or order online.
 
When you polarize the generator. You use a jumper wire and touch the 'A' terminal on the REGULATOR to the "BAT" terminal on the REGULATOR.
 
Old is right. A regulator can & will work either way. But due to different point materials it will last longer if polarity is right. Nothing in the regulator gets polarized when you polarize the field coil poles in the generator.
 
Grounding the F terminal on generator will bypass the regulator side of the voltage regulator.

Cut out side could still be the problem. Jumper from generator armature to regulator BAT to bypass cut out
 
I don't know anything about the flywheel and so forth but if you spend a little more an alternator off a 1080 is a d elco with a tachometer drive that will work with most applications.
 
I have never polarized a generator or even heard of it. So that seems to be something I should try before getting changing things. So if I use a jumper wire from the armature to the battery to polarize is the tractor supposed to be running when I do that or off? Should I disconnect the feild wire ground it or leave it be? Or is there a way to do it off the tractor to make sure I don't fry something? I'll get threw all the electrical bugs on this thing sooner or later.
 
(quoted from post at 12:00:30 12/26/15) I have never polarized a generator or even heard of it. So that seems to be something I should try before getting changing things. So if I use a jumper wire from the armature to the battery to polarize is the tractor supposed to be running when I do that or off? Should I disconnect the feild wire ground it or leave it be? Or is there a way to do it off the tractor to make sure I don't fry something? I'll get threw all the electrical bugs on this thing sooner or later.
I mean from the armature to battle on the voltage regulator.
 
When you polarize the generator everything can be connected [ not running].When you perform the voltage test where you meter from A term to ground with the field momentarily grounded you first Isolate generator by removing all leads. If you were asked a question in mechanics school or auto electric the first thing when you describe what to do you write" Isolate generator".
 
(quoted from post at 12:34:42 12/24/15)

You can test the generator on the tractor. The tractor running at a fast idle. Ground the terminal on the generator marked "F".
This will bypass the regulator. The generator should put out at least ten volts.
.

Well I did this test this afternoon and got 14 volts at the generator. I was going to double check it but got side tracked with the kids and didn't get a chance to.
I'm showing battery voltage at the battery and 3 volts at generator when I check it with everything hooked up. I'm feeling like I missing something simple at this point and I should just keep going find it and fix it. Is there a test for the voltage regulator? I'll probably pull that back off double check connection and wiring next. Unless there's another check to do before that.
 

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