Voltage Regulator on JD A

BB

BB

Quote: "Does anyone have a set of steps to go through in order to tune the regulator? or did I mess up monkeying with it?"...>>>
--Answ, I do have a procedure I wrote for a 2- cylinder Deere a while back.. It is a long procedure & requires some additional equipment to properly make the settings.. Those current/voltage regulators are more complex that they look.. If you want to try that adjustment give me an E-Mail & put �VOLTAGE REGULATOR� in big letters in the subject line so I can find it [I�m buried in E-Mails at the moment].. I will then send you the procedure for adjusting & properly setting your regulator..

~If you are in a hurry you might just install a new regulator..

~You might also want to give your charging system a quick test top see if it�s hooked up correctly & has proper power to the regulator� SEE BELOW---

**Before doing the below, make sure your battery is installed correctly [your tractor came as positive ground].. That means the battery�s positive post should be connected to the tractor chassis..**

** Then verify the generator/regulator is wired correctly�The [Fld] on the regulator connects to the [F] on the generator,, the [GEN] on the regulator connects to the [A] on the generator,, the [BAT] on the regulator connects to the hot wire coming from the ammeter,, if your regulator has an [L] terminal it connects to the ignition switch�s [bat] terminal� If your regulator has an [L] terminal & you have the [battery wire from the ammeter] & ignition switch�s [bat] wire hooked to the wrong regulator terminals it will act real strange & try to charge but won�t operate correctly, so check that first..

~First thing to do is verify the ammeter is working properly,,, to do that simply turn the lights on with the engine not running, if you show a discharge your ammeter is probably working.. [if it reads backwards then either the battery or ammeter is wired backwards]

~Second,,, [if your ammeter is working in the above] make sure you have battery voltage at the [BAT] terminal on the voltage regulator [the battery terminal is the one with the bigger wire that doesn't go to the generator. If you don't have battery power at the regulator's [Bat] terminal post back. [If I put all the trouble shooting here it will get real confusing- FAST]

~Third,,, MAKE SURE you have a good clean ground connection on the generator,, regulator,, & the generator belt isn't loose or slipping.

~Forth,,, polarize the generator,, To do that, just ground the generator�s [F] post {smaller of the two}, then momentarily run a jumper wire from the regulators battery [Bat] terminal to the generators [A] post {larger of the two}.. You should see a small spark & if so it's polarized. Now try the tractor to see if the generator charges,, if not go to #5.

~Fifth,,,[If you have battery voltage at the regulator, & good grounds], then just start the tractor & run at fast idle, then use a jumper wire & short the [F] post {smaller of the two} on the generator to the generator's case,,, If it charges then you have a bad regulator, open in the wire from generators [F] post to the regulators [Fld] terminal or a bad regulator ground.

~Sixth,,, If it still doesn't charge, leave the [F] post grounded & use a jumper wire & jump the [A] post on the generator to the [Bat] terminal on the regulator,,, if it charges then you have a bad regulator, or open in the wire from the generator's [A] post to the regulator's [Gen] terminal].

~Seventh,,, if it still doesn't charge you can do a generator motoring test.. To do that just remove both wires connected to the generator & remove the generator belt,, Then re-ground the [F] post to the generator frame, then run battery power from the regulator's [Bat] terminal to the generators [A] post, the generator should start to motor, then REMOVE the ground wire from the [F] post, the generator should speed up, if so the generator is probably good. If the generator doesn't pass the motoring test post back for directions on repairing the generator or take it back to the rebuilder..

~It helps to print this test sheet out & take it out to the tractor while working on it.. I purposely tried to keep this post short so it prints easily it ended up longer that I wanted.

[email protected]

To answer your question, you could possibly have messed up the VR, so heres some steps to go through to see if its working or not. What I will show you later is how to essentially by pass it to find out if its still doing its job.

PRELIMINARY STEPS:

1) Make sure the Generator has a good solid frame ground connection, the Voltage Regulator has a good ground connection (usually to the Generator) and the belt is good and tight and not glazed.

2) Make sure you wired it right: - FLD on VR to Field on Gen (smaller of 2 posts) - ARM (or GEN) on VR to Gens Armature (larger of 2) post. - BAT on VR MUST be hot with battery voltage, usually via a wire to the ammeters Load (NOT to battery) terminal. - If you have a 4 wire VR with BAT FLD LOAD and ARM terminals, often the ARM terminal is off on one side by itslef or off the bottom. On those, BAT is still wired to ammeters load side. - Shes never gonna get to and charge the Battery until the VR's BAT is hot with usual path to the ammeters load (NOT to battery) side. If the VR's BAT were wired to the ammeters Battery side, it could charge but the ammeter wont show it.

3) POLARIZE THE GENERATOR:

Temporarily ground the Gens Field post to case ground, then momentarily flash jump a wire from the VR's BAT terminal over to its GEN (or ARM) terminal and you should get a small spark. Remove both jumpers. You can also Polarize by applying any ungrounded hot battery voltage source (such as whats supposed to and MUST be on the VR's BAT terminal or off the starter stud etc) to the Gens Armature post.

4) Is your ammeter wired correct and working?? If so, when you turn on the lights tractor not running, it should swing towards the Discharge. If it swings to Charge, it or the battery are not installed correct polarity. It was originally POSITIVE ground. The ammeter should show hot battery voltage on BOTH terminals and one wire to its hot battery supply side (often from the starter post or ungrounded battery post) with 2 or more on its Load side, one to the VR's BAT terminal, other to switch.

TROUBLESHOOTING: Once youre sure shes wired right,,,,, ,Gen and VR grounded,,,,, Polarized,,,HOT battery voltage present on VR's BAT terminal (via a wire to ammeters load side),,,ammeter wired right and working,,, I can tell you how to determine if you have a Generator or VR problem:

5) With tractor running, temporarily ground the Gens Field post to the case. If it charges then, either the VR is bad or its field relay misadjusted or the VR's not grounded or the wires missing from the FLD on VR to Gens Field post.

6) If it still dont charge, leave Field grounded and connect the VR's BAT and GEN (or ARM) terminals together. If it charges then, the cutout relay inside the VR is bad or misadjusted.

7) If it dont charge with the Field grounded and VR's BAT and ARM tied together, you have basically by passed what the VR does, so if the ammeter is workign and wired right and the VR's BAT terminal is hot and wired up to the ammeters correct Load (NOT to batter) side, the rebuilt Gen may be not working.

8) Another way to check the Gen is the Motor Test. Unhook the belt and apply hot battery voltage direct to the Gens Armature post and it should run like a DC motor which it is. Then ground out the Gens Field post and it should slow down. If it passes both those, it should charge.

9) You have to have a good battery capable of acceptign a charge and of course, wired corect. Have the battery load tested and insure it has electrolyte above all the plates and no cells have a gray or milky appearance.

I hope this answers your question and provides a troubleshooting method you can follow. Perhaps some of the other good folks have different opinions or ways of testing, but this hopefully will help you.

Post back or e mail [email protected] any questions and let me know what happens.

Good Luck n God Bless ya BB

John T Nordhoff in Indiana