Ford 3000 positive ground?

TomRTR · Jan 16, 2021

This message is a reply to an archived post by Greg_Ky on February 21, 2015 at 14:01:30.
The original subject was "Re: Ford 3000 positive ground".

I have a series 3000 and the positive on the battery is connected to the ground on the starter and the negative on the battery is connected to the solenoid. The tractor runs fine but the battery is not charging. I am hesitant to reconnect the battery since it has been this way since I got it. Could it be positive ground form the factory? If this is hooked up with the positive on the starter case wouldn't it run backwards?

JMOR · Jan 16, 2021

(quoted from post at 12:00:28 01/16/21) This message is a reply to an archived post by Greg_Ky on February 21, 2015 at 14:01:30.
The original subject was "Re: Ford 3000 positive ground".

I have a series 3000 and the positive on the battery is connected to the ground on the starter and the negative on the battery is connected to the solenoid. The tractor runs fine but the battery is not charging. I am hesitant to reconnect the battery since it has been this way since I got it. Could it be positive ground form the factory? If this is hooked up with the positive on the starter case wouldn't it run backwards?

tarter motor runs same direction , regardless of polarity, however, the generator or alternator can not function correctly with reversed polarity and may destruct. Has it ever charged correctly?

sotxbill · Jan 16, 2021

And no, they did not ship in a positive ground configuration.

TomRTR · Jan 16, 2021

I believe so. I have had this tractor for a long time and only replace the battery once about 3 years ago. If I reverse the battery
cables will I sent the tractor up in a ball of flames? Everything is running OK on it now except charging. I used yesterday to put
out hay.

JMOR · Jan 16, 2021

(quoted from post at 12:14:41 01/16/21) I believe so. I have had this tractor for a long time and only replace the battery once about 3 years ago. If I reverse the battery
cables will I sent the tractor up in a ball of flames? Everything is running OK on it now except charging. I used yesterday to put
out hay.

t is old & has had many years for owners to modify it, so, next question is, does it currently have a VR & generator or an alternator?

Sean in PA · Jan 16, 2021

Does it have the original style generator and external voltage regulator? If so, it is likely that the generator was not re-polarized when the battery was hooked up as positive ground. You should be able to hook the battery up as negative ground and then polarize the generator and it should start charging, unless something else in the charging circuit isn't working properly.

phil(va) · Jan 18, 2021

If it is 6 volts, it should be positive ground. Otherwise usually negative ground. If you change polarity it won't affect starter, but you will have to change wire from coil to distributor. That wire should go to ground. I.e, if negative ground, the negative coil wire goes to distributor. All that said, it is unlikely the polarity is causing your non charge situation. Most likely culprit is the voltage regulator, but it could be the generator. There are ways to determine which .... Post back.

Destroked 450 · Jan 18, 2021

3000 has always been 12 volt negative ground no matter if diesel or gas.
In my family there are 4-3000's, 3-4000's and 2-5000's, all came with the same type charging systems and all are 12 volt negative ground.

Ford 3000 positive ground?

TomRTR

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TomRTR

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Destroked 450

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