12V Wiring diagram w/ 1-wire alternator?

Had both the alternator and batt. tested. Both A-ok, except I have to recharge battery after using tractor 2 or 3 times, or else it won't start tractor.

Duke

• 12 wiring diagram

And since you're dealing with a 1-wire alternator your have to rev your engine to about 2000 rpms to get the alternator to kick in. Which is why a lot of 12 volt converters use the 3-wire alternator with idiot light because you don't have to abuse your cold slow turning tractor engine to get your battery charge started after starting.

"but the lights won't work"

I betcha there's at least one wire missing between two parts of the positive side of the electrics.

Is your 3-terminal starter solenoid installed so the itty-bitty termanal is engine side and hard to get to? It goes to the big starter push button by the tranny shifter.

Sometimes people have replaced the 3-terminal tractor solenoid with a 4-terminal automobile starter solenoid. If you do that, all bets are off 'cuz I don't know how they rewired it.

If you are starting your engine, that implys that the big battery cable is going down to the starter solenoid battery terminal. AND THAT is where you MUST connect your alternator 12 volt charge output.

You do realize, unlike the OEM 6 volt positive ground system, the 12 volt alternator demands 12 volt battery NEGATIVE GROUND. Thing is the starter doesn't care, positive or negative ground, still turns the same direction. Just turns faster with 12 volts.

The starter solenoid big battery terminal should have 3 wires bolted to it. The bigg'un from the battery positive post. The long one from the 1-wire alternator. Then one up to the ignition key to turn on the ignition coil.

You could also hook-up your headlight switch to that same soleniod battery terminal because it is eazy. Do not wire your 30 amp headlights thru your 5 amp ignition switch. Unless you like to continually replace burned out ignition switches..... ..... .Dell,

who sez it really is simple to convert your 8N to a 1-wire 12 volt alternator UNLESS you are electrically challenged (grin)

If the alternator isn't charging, try placing a wire from the BAT post on the alternator to either the P1 or P2 terminal. This is sometimes needed to get the field established. And lastly, if your alternator is spinning slower than it's designed for, goosing the throttle up temporarily can help start the alternator working (the standard alternator generally starts up better at low speeds because the idiot light circuit helps establish the field).

If you can't get the alternator to reliably start up without the jumper wire, you could add the idiot light circuit (according to a catalog for rebuilt alternators, the P1 and P2 terminals are still active on the 1-wire version).

Alternator----- ----- ----- --Battery,

Check for proper rotation of the alternator, I am not sure if they will put out running in reverse. Mine (mid 70's marine 1 wire alt) turns clockwise and must be mounted on the left side of the tractor (53 NAA). If my memory servers 8n needs to be mounted on the right?????

I will add here that the Amp meter, if equiped, will now read backwards. Flipping the wires will fix it if its a big deal to ya.

I respectively disagree with the idea that you have to reve the engine up to get it going. That may be the case if the ratio between the crank pully and alt pulley is 1:1, if, as in my case 2.5:1 at 600 rpm the alt is turning 1500 and at 1200 shes a spining some 3000 rpm. Most alts start charging when the alt is turning 1200 rpm. And a mine charges just fine at idle.

A big Dooooop on the side thing I was really refering to the rotation of the engine. Some marine alts are made to fit counter rotating engines. I used an old marine alt and had to verify the rotation. I'll try to save some face and call it a test. Yea thats it, a test. Don ya passed with flying colors.