Farmall Super M generator/regulator problems

What a difference 12 volts to the starter makes. Tractor never started so good. I had the generator converted to 12 volts by putting new field coils in. It will charge good on the bench - maybe 14 volts and 8 + amps. When you hook up the regulator on the tractor things seem to go south. New 12 volt regulator. A cheap one, in the $35 area. Regulator is back on the steering post down by your feet. Good wiring harness. I finally got the cutout section of the regulator to work and it will charge with the engine wide open. Is it normal to have the tractor at nearly full rpm before it kicks in??? I don't think so. Back the throttle down just a little and the cutout kicks open. Rev it back up to full throttle and the points might close or they just might stay open. Maybe it will evertually catch, but I don't think it can be counted on. Belt on the generator is good and at the correct tightness. Connections are all good as I have had the thing apart 15 times. New battery. Switched to negative ground. Changed wires on amp gauge around for negative ground. Amp gauge works right. Pull ignition on and it drops down below center some. When it was charging the gauge showed charging only a little over center. Generator motors fine. Grounding the fields slows the generator when motoring. Don't think it is generator related. Just can't figure why it doesn't start charging at a lower rpm and why sometimes the cutout won't close. Any ideas to help this situation out?????? Thanks everyone.

Regulator has to have a very good ground.

A couple possiblities:

1 - Poor ground at the regulator. Often the steering stanchion (where the regulator grounds) is itself poorly grounded due to corrosion between it and the tranny cover. Solution: Run a dedicated ground wire direct from the regulator base to a GOOD ground - like where the grounded battery cable attaches to the chassis.

2 - Bad voltage regulator. I've had similar erratic cutout relay closing problems with the cheap, imported VR's. Solution: Replace it with an American-made Delco, like from www.wiringharnesses.com You'll pay about $80 - but you'll get a regulator that works!

Yep, generator and regulator need a good ground to properly load the field to make max volts / amps.
Run a dedicated 14 ga ground wire from a regulator frame mount to a ground screw on the generator frame.

Check the voltage at the F terminal on the generator starting with the engine at idle. Bring the engine speed up until you see the voltage rise. Until the generator starts putting out enough voltage to cause the regulator to start to control it the voltage should be zero. If it is more than a couple tenths of a volt you will have problems getting the generator to start to charge.

Andy, when she's running but not charging at a good rate, take a jumper wire and dead ground the Gennys FLD post........If that makes her charge at the proper higher rate but it will NOT charge otherwise, as others I suspect the VR doesn't have a good ground (try a good jumper from VR to a good clean frame ground and/or the batteries grounded post. If that's (poor VR ground) NOT the problem and she only charges good when you dead ground the gennys FLD post, the VR may simply be bad or mis adjusted.

John T

I've had good luck using the Borg/Warner Select regulators. On the select series all the specs exceed OEM specs. There are some regulators that they do not offer in the select series but if it costs around $60.00 to $$70.00 it is a good one.They cost more but they are guaranteed for life and they are heavy built.The last time I swapped regulators I took a couple of pics showing the difference. In the pics the $35.00 regulator is on the right and the $60.00 Borg/Warner is on the left. Notice the Borg/Warner says made in the USA.

Did you polorize the generator. Mine wouldnt charge,
till i was told to do this and after i did it
charges like it is supposed to.

Might check to see if someone substituted a 3rd brush generator in there. If so adjust it upwards.