Hello again. Ran into another issue I couldnt solve on my own, and since you guys were so helpful with my last question I figured Id come here once more... what Ive got is a charging system issue. The alternator was replaced by me and works as it should, battery is new and works and charges on my boat. However, the 14-15v from the alternator is not coming across on the battery terminals. Ive confirmed that the battery ground and alternator ground are good, but I dont have any continuity fr the alternator output to the battery positive post. The tractor does start and most electronics seem to work.
Ive Checked around a bit with the meter and made a strange discovery, at least strange to me. The output of the alternator seems to go to the starter solenoid on a small terminal separate from the rest of the equipment attached to the main positive post on the starter solenoid (where all the fusible links etc are attached) . I purchased a replacement solenoid and although the part numbers match, it is missing the small terminal that the alternator output is connected to on the old one. Part numbers match otherwise. Now, maybe this was dumb of me but I decided to connect me meter across the battery terminals, and then touch the alternator output wire to the main positive post Of the starter solenoid and sure enough the voltage across the battery went from 12.5 to 14.6 as if it were finally working. But I cant shake the feeling that the terminal it was connected to is there for a reason. Does bypassing it like that cause any problems? The tractor stills runs and starts if I disconnect that wire so I know it has nothing to do with the relay. I guess my question is can I just change out that connector to a ring and put it with the rest of the stuff on the main positive? Would that do any harm?
Ive Checked around a bit with the meter and made a strange discovery, at least strange to me. The output of the alternator seems to go to the starter solenoid on a small terminal separate from the rest of the equipment attached to the main positive post on the starter solenoid (where all the fusible links etc are attached) . I purchased a replacement solenoid and although the part numbers match, it is missing the small terminal that the alternator output is connected to on the old one. Part numbers match otherwise. Now, maybe this was dumb of me but I decided to connect me meter across the battery terminals, and then touch the alternator output wire to the main positive post Of the starter solenoid and sure enough the voltage across the battery went from 12.5 to 14.6 as if it were finally working. But I cant shake the feeling that the terminal it was connected to is there for a reason. Does bypassing it like that cause any problems? The tractor stills runs and starts if I disconnect that wire so I know it has nothing to do with the relay. I guess my question is can I just change out that connector to a ring and put it with the rest of the stuff on the main positive? Would that do any harm?
