Wife just inherited Golden Jubilee with wiring problems

HanknotFrank · Jul 24, 2023

Howdy folks. I am new to this forum but had a compact John Deere for 16 years and now own a small BX series Kubota. My wife's father recently passed and left her a 1953 Golden Jubilee with wiring problems. He had dimentia and kind of messed it up tinkering with it, I think trying to fix a battery drain problem. We towed it home (next door) and brought the disconnected battery, alternator, and one long battery cable (not a ground cable). I have been looking at a diagram posted by JMOR on 09-11-2018. The tractor has no terminal block and it is a 12 volt conversion. I am trying to figure out how to put it back together and then trouble shoot the drain problem. The diagram I am using does not show (exactly) how to wire battery with everything else and it shows a terminal block which this tractor doe not have. I am going to try to show the diagram JMOR posted. Thanks in advance!

Jim.ME · Jul 24, 2023

Guessing your alternator is a one wire Delco type for negative ground (most are), the cable from the battery positive terminal hooks to the same solenoid terminal as the ammeter wire, where BATT is noted on the solenoid. The cable from the battery negative terminal should go toa good chassis ground point on a casting, not to sheet metal.

The yellow wire, in the drawing, can go direct to the same ammeter terminal the terminal block is fed from. The yellow wire from the terminal block to the switch can move to the same ammeter terminal. The red-green wire from the switch doesn't need to go to the terminal block, wire it direct to the coil from the switch.

Does the coil have something like ''12 volt No External Resistor needed'' printed on it? It it does not, it may need a ballast resistor between it and the ignition switch.

HanknotFrank · Jul 24, 2023

Thanks for responding. I think it does have a ballast resistor. I am sending a picture. The only reason I think it is a 12 volt conversion is because of the battery found beside it is a 12 volt battery.

Jim.ME · Jul 24, 2023

,

Yes, the white porcelain thing in the upper left of your picture is a ballast resistor. Check the printing on the coil to confirm whether or not the resistor is needed with that coil.

HanknotFrank · Jul 24, 2023

I did check like you mentioned earlier but forgot to mention it since I saw the resistor. The only thing printed on it is one very short unreadable word in white letters.

Jim.ME · Jul 24, 2023

(quoted from post at 21:03:29 07/24/23) I did check like you mentioned earlier but forgot to mention it since I saw the resistor. The only thing printed on it is one very short unreadable word in white letters.

It appears most of the writing is under the mounting bracket, you would need to remove it from the bracket to see if more is visible.

You can unhook both small wires from the coil and use an ohmmeter to see what the resistance is between the two terminals of the coil. A 6-volt coil will have about 1.5 ohms resistance and a true 12-volt coil have 3 to 4 ohms resistance. A 6-volt coil needs the ballast resistor when used on 12 volts.

HanknotFrank · Jul 25, 2023

Thanks again for responding. I removed the coil and nothing is on the bottom or sides other than one small unreadable word or lettering. With the wires off the coil the reading was about 3.3 ohms. Does it make sense to have that reading and to still have a ballast resistor? Thanks.

Jim.ME · Jul 25, 2023

3.3 would be in the range for a true 12-volt coil not needing a ballast resistor.

HanknotFrank · Jul 25, 2023

Should I remove the ballast resistor? Will it hurt any thing? It appears to have been there a long time.

Jim.ME · Jul 25, 2023

It may have and could work ok, as it is. It could cause the spark to be weaker as it will allow less current to pass through the coil when the points are closed. It could cause harder starting due to the extra resistance. Your coil is in the range where it should be ok if you remove the ballast resistor. My choice would be to purchase a new 12-volt coil that is labeled as not needing an external resistor to be sure it was correct and remove the ballast resistor.

HanknotFrank · Jul 25, 2023

(quoted from post at 14:55:48 07/25/23)
It may have and could work ok, as it is. It could cause the spark to be weaker as it will allow less current to pass through the coil when the points are closed. It could cause harder starting due to the extra resistance. Your coil is in the range where it should be ok if you remove the ballast resistor. My choice would be to purchase a new 12-volt coil that is labeled as not needing an external resistor to be sure it was correct and remove the ballast resistor.

ok, thanks.

HanknotFrank · Jul 26, 2023

(quoted from post at 18:34:53 07/25/23)

(quoted from post at 14:55:48 07/25/23)
It may have and could work ok, as it is. It could cause the spark to be weaker as it will allow less current to pass through the coil when the points are closed. It could cause harder starting due to the extra resistance. Your coil is in the range where it should be ok if you remove the ballast resistor. My choice would be to purchase a new 12-volt coil that is labeled as not needing an external resistor to be sure it was correct and remove the ballast resistor.

Click to expand...

ok, thanks.

I have been on hold with the wiring trying to take hood off. Removed all bolts except the ones holding th dash to the hood. They are rusted, no flats. I'm ok with cutting or grinding but can't get a drill or rotary tool on the screw because of space limitations. Small dermal tool burned up the little motor trying. No room for hammer and chisel.This is not fun.

HanknotFrank · Jul 27, 2023

It turns out the secret to removing rusted screws you can't get to is to cuss in at least 5 languages. I only used 4 and when I through in Portuguese it did the trick and they came right out.

HanknotFrank · Jul 28, 2023

Here is the monster I create. Put in neutral, switch on, push in clutch, push starter button and nothing happened. Here are some pics if you get a chance to look.

Jim.ME · Jul 28, 2023

I suggest you take a blank sheet of paper and draw a sketch showing every wire and what they connect to. Pictures are good, but unless a wire can be followed from end to end in one picture, how can one be sure they are following the same wire in multiple pictures? A sketch, it doesn't t have to be fancy, may help get to the bottom of your problem quicker. Post a clear picture of your sketch.

HanknotFrank · Jul 28, 2023

(quoted from post at 17:49:03 07/28/23) I suggest you take a blank sheet of paper and draw a sketch showing every wire and what they connect to. Pictures are good, but unless a wire can be followed from end to end in one picture, how can one be sure they are following the same wire in multiple pictures? A sketch, it doesn't t have to be fancy, may help get to the bottom of your problem quicker. Post a clear picture of your sketch.

ok thanks

HanknotFrank · Aug 6, 2023

Hi, I am back. I was in the process of drawing a wiring diagram as you suggested. I did not get far at all because I was starting at the ammeter and it occurred to me I am confused by just that portion. If you look back at the diagram I submitted that I used to get started, it shows the negative side for the wire to be attached underneath the gage is the same as the positive side where the ammeter reading is. I did take your advise and put in a 12 volt coil that does not require a ballast resistor.Thanks.

Jim.ME · Aug 6, 2023

(quoted from post at 13:40:35 08/06/23) Hi, I am back. I was in the process of drawing a wiring diagram as you suggested. I did not get far at all because I was starting at the ammeter and it occurred to me I am confused by just that portion. If you look back at the diagram I submitted that I used to get started, it shows the negative side for the wire to be attached underneath the gage is the same as the positive side where the ammeter reading is. I did take your advise and put in a 12 volt coil that does not require a ballast resistor.Thanks.

As for the ammeter, don't get hung up on the +/- compared to the face of the gauge. Current flow from the battery is negative to the movement of the gauge, so it shows discharge. The positive side terminal is returning power to the battery and the flow moves the needle to the + side on the face. Just hook the wire from the solenoid battery post to one ammeter post and all the loads (ignition, start if power is needed, lights, and alternator battery post to the other post. If the meter reads backwards when started you just swap the wires to the other terminal, it won't hurt anything other than your feelings for having the wires on the wrong posts. I have had some ammeters with no markings for the posts.

Is your Jubilee still using the start push button on the transmission or was it changed? How many terminals on your ignition switch?

HanknotFrank · Aug 7, 2023

The original push button starter is still there and the ignition switch has 2 wires. I am going to upload a diagram of how it currently is wired. It did start and run, but got hot and started smoking (temperature gage was not working). When it did run before getting hot, it had power at first and would go but then had no power even with increase in throttle and then got hot.

I am still a little confused about the ammeter. This diagram is how it was wired when it ran and got hot. I ordered a new temp gage and am waiting for that before I try to start it up again. Thanks for your help.

Jim.ME · Aug 7, 2023

That wiring should work, and it would not be related to the engine getting hot. Was the radiator full to at least the top of the tubes? What was the oil pressure?

When it was running, did you notice if the ammeter showed a charge or a discharge? You would need to check the voltage when running but if it showed discharge and the voltage at the battery is up over battery voltage when shut off, you likely need to swap the wires to the opposite terminals on the ammeter.

Wife just inherited Golden Jubilee with wiring problems

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